So, I’ve been posting about Lean every day, and hopefully you’ve found my take interesting. But you might be wondering: “Who the heck is writing all this, and what kind of ‘authority’ does this person have?”
Fair questions! I believe it’s important to know where someone’s coming from before deciding if their insights are worth your time—especially if you’re a busy business leader. So, let me pull back the curtain and give you an honest glimpse into my background, how I got started in Lean, and why I believe these posts can offer real value to you and your organization.
Early Days: A Journey Back to 1999
Let’s travel way back to 1999—yes, over two decades ago. At the time, I started out as a Team Leader at Linpac, an injection-molding business. Not long after I joined, something monumental (for me at least!) happened, and it was seemingly over a weekend!: Linpac became a first-tier automotive supplier, and I was assigned to the Honda team as Team Leader.
This was my first experience with Lean. Although it wasn’t commonly referred to as “Lean” at the time, we were living and breathing what would later become known worldwide by that name. Let me put this into context:
• John Krafcik first coined the term “Lean” in 1988.
• James Womack and Dan Jones then popularized the concept in their 1996 book, The Machine That Changed the World.
That means in 1999, all of us at Linpac were on the front lines of something that was still emerging. Lean was evolving—it was fresh, it was hands-on, and it was occasionally messy.
Honda associates came in to train us on the basics. But with Lean still in its formative stages, there were no fancy certification “belts,” no extensive classroom-based programs to go through. Instead, we learned by doing. We had real work to accomplish, real parts to produce, and real challenges to solve while learning about this exciting way to work. Trial and error was our training ground, and we owned the process—both the successes and the failures.
Lessons Learned: Mistakes, Experiments, and Hands-On Growth
When you’re dealing with an evolving methodology, there’s an incredible amount of room for experimentation and, inevitably, mistakes. But that’s the beauty of the Lean mindset: you learn from every stumble, every near-miss, and every outright failure. Those experiences become your teachers.
• No “Belts” or Standard Classes: We didn’t get certified before jumping in. We got certified by jumping in—learning directly on the shop floor, dealing with real-time production demands.
• Mindset Over Memorization: Instead of focusing on memorizing Lean “theory,” we focused on the mindset—on how to continuously improve and never settle.
• Creating Our Own Playbook: Because everything was in flux, we were essentially writing the Lean playbook as we went. Think of it like building the plane while flying it.
I’ve often said that the literature on Lean—fantastic as it is—was largely written after people like us did the work. Folks studied what was happening in real factories, took notes, and turned it into the structured concepts we see in books today. Trust me, I’m not diminishing the incredible scholarship of people like Womack, Jones, and many others (I’ll talk about some of my personal connections shortly). But there’s a distinct difference between reading about a theory and sweating through a problem at 2 AM when the production line goes down.
Connecting with Lean Thought Leaders
I want to be clear: I’m a huge fan of Lean literature, and I have immense respect for those who’ve documented and analyzed it so brilliantly and I’m an avid reader. In fact:
• I’m personally named in the Shingo Prize-winning book, The Essence of Excellence, by Professor Peter Hines, who is a great friend and mentor.
• I’ve had a casual beer with Jim Womack, one of the founding fathers of modern Lean thinking.
• I’ve met Dan Jones, co-author of The Machine That Changed the World.
These experiences have been amazing and humbling. I’m always in awe of people who take the time to study, distill, and share insights that can help us all do better. But I also recognize that their writing is largely a reflection of what people like me were doing in the field. We were (and still are) the “Man in the Arena,” as Theodore Roosevelt would put it. We were the ones implementing these ideas on the ground, day after day, forging Lean practices in real time.
Shifting Gears: Certifications, Real-World Leadership, and the Shingo Approach
After around eight years of learning by doing at Linpac (and after the company got sold and subsequently shut down), I moved on. I worked in various operational roles where Lean was central. Over time, I picked up more formal credentials:
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSS GB)
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSS BB)
• Training in the Shingo approach, guided by Professor Peter Hines.
But even as I collected these qualifications, my core education remained the same: I learned best by rolling up my sleeves and doing the work. That’s how I truly understood Lean principles—by applying them in live operational environments and seeing what worked and what didn’t. It wasn’t just about knowledge; it was about habitually improving processes every single day.
One of the projects I’m most proud of was leading a Behavioral Deployment around business values, highlighted in The Essence of Excellence. According to the author, it was the best example of its kind he had ever seen. Now, I’m not saying that to brag. I’m saying it because it underscores what happens when you commit to learning, experimenting, and continuously refining your approach. The successes, as well as the mistakes, all feed into creating something extraordinary.
My Lean Operating Model
I had the opportunity to create my own Lean Operating Model for my employer, taking a facility from zero lean knowledge to the level it can challenge for The Shingo Prize. This model has been used globally, consistently delivering:
• Exceptional Performance in operational metrics
• Sustainable Improvements that don’t disappear when leadership changes
• Cultural Shifts that embrace continuous improvement rather than fearing it
Every time I implemented or refined this model, I did so with the belief that it should strive to be “the best.” I’ve never seen Lean as a static concept. It’s a living, breathing methodology that has to evolve with the times, with the business environment, and with the people involved. That’s how you keep it relevant and powerful.
Over Two Decades of Hands-On Leadership
In total, I’ve spent 26 years moving between Lean leadership roles and broader operational leadership positions. I’ve worked in high-pressure environments where production can’t pause for you to figure things out. You have to learn quickly, adapt on the fly, and keep the line moving—no excuses.
For me, this wasn’t a series of “Lean projects” that ended neatly with a certificate or a plaque. It was a way of working, day in and day out, that forced me to internalize Lean principles:
1. Respect for People: Lean isn’t about pushing people harder; it’s about supporting them in doing better work.
2. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen): No matter how good a process gets, there’s always room to improve.
3. Value to the Customer: Focus on what truly matters to the end-user or client. Everything else is secondary.
4. Waste Reduction: Identify and eliminate anything that doesn’t add value.
I’ve had plenty of successes, but also plenty of failures. Yet each failure was a stepping stone. I learned something every time, and that knowledge became part of my toolkit.
So, Who Am I to Write About Lean?
That brings us full circle to the original question. Who am I to speak on Lean, to critique methods, or to offer daily insights?
I’m one of the people who helped shape Lean thinking from its early days—one of the folks in the trenches, figuring out how to make these principles work in the real world. I’m someone who contributed to the data and experiences that scholars later studied. If you want stories, strategies, and lessons from someone who’s been both bruised and bolstered by Lean, that’s what I’m here to provide.
Why I’m Doing This (and Why It Might Matter to You)
Let me be upfront: yes, I’m trying to make money. Anyone who tells you otherwise when they’re providing a professional service is either lying or delusional. But I also genuinely love helping people—whether they’re early in their Lean journey or seasoned leaders looking for fresh perspectives.
I truly believe that if you can share knowledge while earning a living, you’re not really working. You’re having fun while making a difference. That’s how I feel about Lean. Every time I help an organization streamline its processes, enhance morale, or boost output quality, I’m reminded why I keep doing this.
Balancing Professional Life and Personal Life
I’m currently an L2 leader in a global organization, which means I face intense pressures and responsibilities on a daily basis. On top of that, I’m 56 years old and have three young kids—talk about busy! But I thrive on the challenge, and I see my Lean mindset as directly contributing to my ability to handle everything thrown my way.
Lean teaches you to spot waste, prioritize what matters, and maintain a relentless focus on improvement. That doesn’t just apply to factory floors or office workflows—it applies to life. Whether it’s scheduling my kids’ activities or coaching teams at work, I lean on the same core principles: be efficient, be respectful, and aim for continuous growth.
What’s in It for You?
If you’re a business leader—or someone aspiring to a leadership role—my daily posts might offer you a fresh angle on challenges you face. Sometimes, we get so swamped with day-to-day problems that we forget to step back and see the bigger picture. Lean thinking can help you:
1. Improve Efficiency: Identify and eliminate inefficiencies that drain resources and frustrate your team.
2. Enhance Culture: Foster a culture of respect, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
3. Build Sustainable Systems: Avoid solutions that are just “one-and-done”; create lasting frameworks that endure even if leadership changes.
4. Develop Resilience: Equip your organization (and yourself) to adapt quickly when market conditions shift or unexpected challenges arise.
I’m not claiming to have all the answers, but I do have a wealth of experience that’s been shaped by real-world ups and downs. If even a fraction of that resonates with you or sparks a new idea, I believe my writing has served its purpose.
How You Can Support and Stay Connected
If you enjoy these posts, remember there’s a real, everyday person behind them—someone who’s tried, failed, succeeded, and kept going. If you’d like to support this work:
• Share a Like or Comment: It helps others find this content and encourages me to keep posting.
• Visit My Buy Me a Coffee Page: You’ll find it linked on my site. Contributions help me justify the time I invest into writing, so I can continue to share useful insights with you.
• Engage With the Community: Lean isn’t a solo sport. I encourage you to ask questions, share your own experiences, and collectively learn from one another.
Final Thoughts: Striving for Continuous Improvement
Lean is a journey without a final destination. It’s about constant iteration—continuously refining processes, improving team dynamics, and, quite frankly, improving ourselves. So here’s to everyone out there who’s trying to do better, for themselves and for others.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you stick around for more posts. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or someone just starting to climb the leadership ladder, Lean has something to offer. We’re all in this together, learning and growing as we go.
Respect to everyone striving to continuously improve their work, their lives, and to help others along the way.
—Adam
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