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# New England Lean Consulting | Continuous Improvement | Lean Training

New England Lean Consulting is a Full Service Continuous Improvement / Management Consultant Lean partner serving CT, MA, RI, NH, VT & ME.

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/blog/) - Lean & Quality insights to help you run your business better.
- [The 3 Levels of Lean Mistake-Proofing (Poka-Yoke): How to Prevent Defects and Boost Quality (Boston Edition)](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-3-levels-of-lean-mistake-proofing/) - Learn about the three levels of Lean mistake-proofing (Poka-Yoke) and how they help eliminate process errors, reduce defects, and improve product quality in manufacturing and business operations. Especially in Boston!
- [What is the True Essence of Lean?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/what-is-the-true-essence-of-lean/) - The true essence of Lean is all about building relationships based upon mutual trust and respect... and having a little fun, too! Enabling Respect for People means not asking them to waste their valuable time on things that don't add value...
- [New England Lean Consulting ANNOUNCEMENT!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/new-england-lean-consulting-announcement/) - New England Lean is Growing! It’s sometimes hard to believe that it's been 10 YEARS since New England Lean Consulting was born! Back then, we were a 1-man show focused solely on Lean. It was scary! My wife and I had two little kids (6 and 4), a mortgage and here I was leaving a
- [If only Just In Time was Just That Easy!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/just-in-time-lean-supply-chain/) - https://youtu.be/GmnjpmgjgqY Why do so many people misunderstand JIT? Just-In-Time. On the surface, this seems to be a pretty easy concept to understand. Cut inventory down to free up cash and floor space, then time your deliveries so that they can be supplied to the production floor “just-in-time” to be used. Accountants love it because it
- [Overcoming Lean Hesitancy with Respect for People](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-respect-for-people/) - If you have a position that involves leading change, then at some point you've had to deal with people being a little hesitant. This is very true for those of us who have taken a leadership role in leading Lean, since we often are trying to influence fundamental changes to how companies operate. The ancient
- [Lean and The Great Resignation](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-and-the-great-resignation/) - As Lean practitioners, we spend a lot of time talking about and focusing on wasteful practices and non-value-added work. This includes moving parts from cell to cell, or routing paperwork through an office for signatures – anything that doesn’t move our product or service closer to getting to the customer. But there’s one waste –
- [The true power of Lean and Respect for People](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-story-of-chris-and-tony/) - As we start to wind down for the holidays and year’s end, I always find myself becoming reflective. During a group discussion at the AME workshop in Boston I recently lead on Employee Engagement, someone asked me what my proudest Lean moment has been. To answer, I relayed the story of Chris and Tony –
- [Stop listening to the Lean critics!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/should-you-stop-listening-to-critics/) - The Lean community, like any other or the population in general, has its share of critics. There are those who vehemently oppose Lean in general (or TOC, or Six Sigma…), whilst lauding some other form of continuous improvement (or TOC, or Six Sigma…). It’s exhausting sometimes, and a turn off all of the time. I’ve
- [SERIES FINALE - It's all about Time...](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/series-finale-its-all-about-time/) - Link to all our podcast episodes: https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/podcast/ New England Lean Consulting is the Northeast’s premier business consulting firm, helping small-to-medium sized businesses with strategic leadership and operational methodologies that help your company lower costs, increase capacity and win more customers. Our industry experienced consultants provide guidance with the latest business solutions that help you to
- [People Solve Problems with Jamie Flinchbaugh](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/people-solve-problems-with-jamie-flinchbaugh/) - This week welcome Jamie Flinchbaugh to the show! As founder of JFlinch, Jamie has helped purpose-driven leaders craft effective, resilient organizations at over 300 companies. Leveraging more than 30-years of experience and helping build over 20 companies, Jamie collaborates with leaders and their teams to bridge capability, strategic, cultural, and systems gaps so that they
- [Ending Human Suffering via Lean with Kyle Kumpf](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/ending-human-suffering-via-lean-with-kyle-kumpf/) - This week welcome Kyle Kumpf to the show! In Kyle’s own words; here’s who he is: “I get out of bed in the morning to end human suffering as it relates to process. Problems are a direct result of process; however: • People are often the first to get blamed • Little to no support
- [GBMP Live! Episode: The High Velocity Edge with Steve Spear](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gbmp-live-episode-the-high-velocity-edge-with-steve-spear/) - This week welcome Steve Spear to the show – LIVE! From the GBMP Northeast Lean Conference!! Steven J. Spear is Senior Lecturer at MIT's Sloan School of Management and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. His book, The High Velocity Edge, has won the Philip Crosby Medal from the American Society for Quality
- [GBMP Live! Episode Destructive Architecture with Dr. Mohamed Saleh](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gbmp-live-episode-destructive-architecture-with-dr-mohamed-saleh/) - This week welcome Dr. Mohamed Saleh to the show – LIVE! From the GBMP Northeast Lean Conference!! Dr. Saleh has been a practitioner in Lean & Six Sigma transformations for the past several years, in both manufacturing and service sectors. Mohamed was directly mentored by one of the country’s foremost experts on enterprise-wide Lean transformation
- [GBMP Live! Episode: "Reflections on Hoshin Planning" with Lisa Boisvert](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gbmp-live-episode-reflections-on-hoshin-planning-with-lisa-boisvert/) - This week welcome Lisa Boisvert to the show – LIVE! From the GBMP Northeast Lean Conference!! Lisa is a trusted executive advisor, excelling at building consensus across multiple departments and disciplines. Organizational effectiveness consultant guiding leadership teams to business results through the application of Hoshin Planning and Continuous Improvement tools and practices. As always -
- [GBMP Live! - Building a Lean culture with Paul Serafino](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gbmp-live-building-a-lean-culture-with-paul-serafino/) - This week welcome Paul Serafino back to the show – LIVE! From the GBMP Northeast Lean Conference!! Paul is the creator and CEO of Accelerated Journey. He coaches managers and executives from all industries to redefine their professional vision, rediscover their purpose, and build their dream leadership careers. In his 20 years in leadership strategy
- [GBMP Northeast Lean Conference: Personal Hoshin with Bob Wallner](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gbmp-northeast-lean-conference-personal-hoshin-with-bob-wallner/) - This week welcome Bob Wallner to the show – recorded LIVE from the GBMP Northeast Lean Conference!! Bob is a good friend of mine. He’s a Lean thinker & one of the most self-reflective people I know. After graduating from Westfield State University in Massachusetts in 1993, Bob became heavily involved with Supply Chain Management
- [How Good Communication Directly Supports Respect for People with Lauren Hisey](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/how-good-communication-directly-supports-respect-for-people-with-lauren-hisey/) - This week welcome Lauren Hisey to the show! ​​Lauren is a Continuous Business Process Improvement consultant, coach, trainer, and speaker. She specializes in helping business owners and leaders from mid-size organizations uncover and solve their business problems with Continuous Business Process Improvement (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.). Like us, she works with clients to help their
- [How sweet it is to grow a business with Amy Bouchard!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/how-sweet-it-is-to-grow-a-business-with-amy-bouchard/) - This week welcome Amy Bouchard to the show! ​​Amy Bouchard was a stay-at-home mom of two hen she got the idea to start her Whoopie Pie baking business. She made $1,900 in her first year, and was ecstatic. Flash forward to today, and Wicked Whoopie’s sales are into the millions. Wicked Whoopie Pies have been
- [Fall Down 7 times; Get Up 8 with Katie Anderson](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/fall-down-7-times-get-up-8-with-katie-anderson/) - This week welcome Katie Anderson BACK to the show! ​​For our first repeat guest episode, Katie and I talk about her book Learning to LEAD, Leading to LEARN; what the last year has been like for both of us, and what we’re both up to now. We will be recording our podcast live at the
- [How to encourage people to "Do Lean Right" with Paul Dunlop](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/how-to-encourage-people-to-do-lean-right-with-paul-dunlop/) - This week welcome Paul Dunlop to the show! ​​Paul brings with him over 20 years of management and manufacturing experience in a broad range of industries. In his operational management and consultancy roles Paul has led successful Lean implementation and transformations using the principles of the Toyota Production System. Paul’s “people centered” approach is to
- [Season 2 Finale - Clarity First and Having It All with Karen Martin!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/season-2-finale-clarity-first-and-having-it-all-with-karen-martin/) - This week welcome Karen Martin to the show! ​​Karen Martin is the President of the global consulting firm TKMG, Inc. and President and Founder of TKMG Academy, Inc. Karen is a leading authority on business performance improvement, problem solving, and Lean management systems. She’s a two-time Shingo Award-winning author of The Outstanding Organization and coauthor
- [Coaching to Help Them Up with Dan Horwitz](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/coaching-to-help-them-up-with-dan-horwitz/) - This week welcome Dan Horwitz to the show! ​​Dan is a former collegiate basketball player, coach, author, and speaker. While playing college basketball, he was the recipient of the scholar athlete award in Athletics, 2-year team captain and honored with the sportsmanship award for 3 years. After college he went on to help coach at
- [Culture, Customs and getting through The Groan Zone with Adrienne Gil](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/culture-customs-and-getting-through-the-groan-zone-with-adrienne-gil/) - This week welcome my friend Adrienne Gil to the show! ​​Adrienne is a Visionary Leader, Strategic Thinker and Solutions Focused Entrepreneur with a Master’s Degree in Public Health coupled with 20 years’ experience building local, state and national programs. An enthusiastic, creative, and strategic thinker, mentor, and adviser who believes everyone can learn and thrive
- [Fear, Respect for People and Developing Kind Leaders with Karyn Ross](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/fear-respect-for-people-and-developing-kind-leaders-with-karyn-ross/) - This week welcome Karyn Ross to the show! ​​Karyn is an internationally acclaimed consultant, coach and lean practitioner who has taught organizations of all sizes, in sectors as diverse as insurance, HR, transportation and retail. She’s also the author of several books, How to Coach for Creativity , Service Excellence: A Lean Coaching Workbook, and
- [The Façade of Excellence with John Dyer](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-facade-of-excellence-with-john-dyer/) - This week welcome my good friend John Dyer to the show! ​​John Dyer is president of the JD&A – Process Innovation Co. and has 32 years of experience in the field of improving processes. He started his career with General Electric and then worked for Ingersoll-Rand before starting his own consulting company. John graduated in
- [Making Lean Office Visual with Ken Eakin and Craig Szelestowski](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/making-lean-office-visual-with-ken-eakin-and-craig-szelestowski/) - This week welcome Ken Eakin and Craig Szelestowski to the show! Ken Eakin is author of Office Lean: Understanding and Implementing Flow in Administrative and Professional Environments (CRC Press, 2020). He currently works as a Lean coach, facilitator and trainer on behalf of Lean Agility Inc. Prior to becoming a consultant, he worked as a
- [Tool Heads, Transformations and how "Principles and Values" beat "Missions and Visions" with Kevin Meyer](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/tool-heads-transformations-and-how-principles-and-values-beat-missions-and-visions-with-kevin-meyer/) - This week welcome Kevin Meyer to the show! ​​Kevin Meyer is a co-founder of Gemba Academy, which provides over 2,000 lean and six sigma videos to thousands of organizations worldwide. After receiving a degree in chemical engineering from Rensselaer in the early 80s, he worked in automotive lighting for a few years before spending most
- [Big Ideas, Bigger Goals and Balancing Leadership Power with Paul Serafino](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/big-ideas-bigger-goals-and-balancing-leadership-power-with-paul-serafino/) - This week welcome Paul Serafino to the show! ​​Paul is the creator and CEO of Accelerated Journey. He coaches managers and executives from all industries to redefine their professional vision, rediscover their purpose, and build their dream leadership careers. In his 20 years in leadership strategy and continuous improvement, Paul has helped hundreds of smart,
- [Lean Respect for People: Focus on your Strengths and not your Weaknesses with Colleen DelVecchio](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-respect-for-people-focus-on-your-strengths-and-not-your-weaknesses-with-colleen-delvecchio/) - This week welcome Colleen DelVecchio to the show! ​​Colleen believes that everyone can be wildly successful if only they focused on being pointy instead of well-rounded. Curious about what that means? So was I! With over twenty years of experience in higher education leadership, constituent engagement, women's leadership, organizational change, strategic management, career counseling, and
- [Build Connections, Find Common Ground and 3 Lessons for Life with Lee Houghton](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/build-connections-find-common-ground-and-3-lessons-for-life-with-lee-houghton/) - This week welcome our first international guest to the show – Lee Houghton! Lee spent a good amount of his career as a Lean practitioner, working for other people (companies). But, when his best friend Chris was given a terminal cancer prognosis, that all changed. In this episode, we talk about making connections with people,
- [Taylorism, Guiding Philosophy and Challenging Personal Biases with Jonathon Andell & John Thacker](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/taylorism-guiding-philosophy-and-challenging-personal-biases-with-jonathon-andell-john-thacker/) - This week we again welcome 2 guests to the show: Jonathon Andell & John Thacker! Jonathon is an accomplished leader, a hands-on achiever, and an exceptional instructor, coach, and mentor in Continuous Improvement. Jonathon holds a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue and an MS in Metallurgy from Penn State. John is a Continuous improvement
- [Sharing "The Why" & Hiring for Greatness, not for Position with Brett Greene](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/sharing-the-why-hiring-for-greatness-not-for-position-with-brett-greene/) - This week we again welcome Brett Greene to the show! Brett is the President of Willington Nameplate, a small manufacturer located in Stafford Springs, CT. Brett holds a BS in Accounting from UCONN, an MS in Finance and an MBA from RPI-Hartford, and a MS in Manufacturing Operations from Kettering University. In this episode, we
- [Quantum Lean: Simple, Practical and Effective... even for Job Shops! With Sean Fields and Dr. Michael Sanders](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/quantum-lean-simple-practical-and-effective-even-for-job-shops-with-sean-fields-and-dr-michael-sanders/) - This week we again welcome 2 guests to the show – Sean Fields and Dr. Michael Sanders! Sean Fields, P.E., LSSBB, MSIE, has over 30 years of experience in a wide variety of industries, including oil field equipment manufacturing, food processing, and job shops. He is also a columnist for the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, a
- [Do you really need a spare tire?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-spare-tire/) - Recently on LinkedIn, a connection of mine shared that he had taken the spare tire out of his car in an effort to increase gas mileage. His rationale (which has been proven by automakers), was that a lighter car would get better mileage. His post drew swift and divisive commentary from quite a few folks,
- [The Best Baked Ham You've Ever Had!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-ham/) - One day, Emma watched as her mother prepared dinner. Carrots and potatoes were boiling away on the stovetop as the mother took the ham from the fridge, put it on the cutting board, cut both ends off, then put it into the pan and into the oven to bake. "Mommy", Emma asks, "why'd you cut
- [Get your cookies last week? Thank Lean!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-cookies/) - Over the last week or so, you’ve probably noticed the little boxes of happiness popping up all through your office. Purple, red, orange and brown…I speak, of course, about Girl Scout cookies. Those once-a-year packages of goodness that many folks look forward to receiving after having ordered them months ago. As the father of two
- [Lean & Customer Service](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-customer-service/) - We talk a lot of about Lean here in the office. We talk about the tools and the methods; the strategy and the approach. We’ve seen and heard it all (or so we think!), both positive and negative. When you get right down to it, tough, the desired outcome of any Lean undertaking is basically
- [This nail is proof that Lean works](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-nail/) - This nail is proof that Lean works. We own an old house – like an “it’s so old no one really knows how old it really is so the deed says built in 1900” kind of old. My guess is it’s circa 1850-1875, judging by some of the evidence I’ve found and seen. Like this
- [#Muffingate, or "Customer Service Part II"](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/muffingate-lean/) - Ah Customer Service. The oft-discussed topic that rarely (if ever) seems to go anywhere. Our blog post on this topic from a few weeks ago elicited some interesting responses from folks. While some folks commented that customer service is all but dead, still others gave great examples of it being alive and well. The topic,
- [Why fight about what percentage Lean transformations fail?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/why-fight-about-what-percentage-lean-transformations-fail/) - If you have been following us on social media or read this blog with any amount of regularity, you know that the habit of throwing out anecdotal Lean failure rates is one of our pet peeves. The internet is littered with articles, blogs and posts that state things like “Industry experts agree…” or “Studies show…”
- [Are KPI's really Lean?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/kpis-really-lean/) - As a former “Ops guy”, it’s a bit of heresy for me to even question the integrity of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). In a very real sense, for most of my professional career KPI’s made the world go ‘round. It wasn’t until recently that I realized what side of the “truth and a good story”
- [Can Lean save baseball?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-baseball/) - Another season is upon us as the boys of summer take the field for 2018. The hot dogs are getting steamed, the popcorn is popping, and the smell of the damp infield sod gradually wafts into the stands. There’s nothing quite like being at the ballpark on a summer evening. Watching professional athletes do things
- [Why 0% of Lean Transformations Fail](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/why-0-of-lean-transformations-fail/) - You read that right. 0%. None. Nil. Nada. If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably also read other articles, blogs and claims about how 50%, 75% or even 90% of all Lean transformations fail. The authors of these diatribes will then go on about all the reasons why (disengaged management, too much lingo, yada
- [How to Gemba like Michael Bolton](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/gemba-lean/) - It was an especially hot September afternoon in the plant in South Carolina where I worked as a Project Engineer. There was no air conditioning anywhere, and the sound of the presses banging out parts didn't do much to make anything more comfortable. But you would never have known that based upon the reaction that my
- [The "New Normal" and why it's not Lean](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean/) - It was an average Tuesday and I was working as an engineer at a large Aerospace manufacturer here in Connecticut. My boss sent me an email asking me to follow up on something for him because his boss needed an answer quick, which wasn't unusual. What was off-center was that he had taken a vacation day that
- [The KISS Principle](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-the-kiss-principle/) - In the early 1960's, teenager Chiam Witz knew one thing: he wanted attention from girls. After trying all the usual things that boys that age do, he watched the Beatles on television. After seeing the droves of screaming girls he knew he had his answer: be in a band. After being a member of and
- [Why You Don't Go Hiking in November](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/maine-lean/) - Having grown up in rural Maine as the son of a deer hunter, November (rifle season for whitetail) was often highly anticipated. Endless amounts of preparation went into making sure everything was ready - rifles sighted in and cleaned, boots waterproofed, oil changed in the four-wheeler. Perhaps the most important preparation step was making sure
- [Reclaim control with a solid 5S program](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-christmas/) - Lean gives you options Years ago, I was the Manufacturing Manager of a medical device company here in CT. Because we were such a small place, in addition to running the manufacturing floor I was also the defacto "facilities guy". Anything even remotely related to the building or grounds would come through my office - manufacturing related or
- [Make a Mark; Don't Leave One](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-mark/) - In my 20 years in industry, I've had lots of bosses. LOTS. Sadly, I can count on one hand the number of those bosses who were good at their jobs, and only a select few of those actually taught me anything about being a better employee/person/leader myself (see my blog post about one of those
- [Lean and the Art of Garden Shed Repair](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-shed/) - When we bought our house in 2003, it needed a lot of work. We have touched every wall, floor and ceiling at least once, and sometimes twice, as our family has grown and our needs and tastes have changed. Most of that work is done, so I'm able to turn my attention to something that's
- [99.9 mpg with Lean!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/dash-lean/) - I don't consider myself a hyper-miler (nor does my 5.4L V8-powered F150 SuperCrew 4x4) so imagine how excited I was when I realized that I was getting a fuel economy of 99.9 mpg! Not bad for a truck that weighs 7700 pounds unloaded! I quickly snapped a picture of my dashboard to prove to any
- [NEJM and Lean - something's missing](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/nejm-lean-somethings-missing/) - It’s been said many times over that’s what old is new again. If’ you’ve been around for any length of time, you’ve no doubt seen this phenomenon play out in everything from fashion to toys. So, it’s with some disappointment that I have to admit that Lean is not immune to this same trend. Lately,
- [Lean Transformations, Stretch Goals & Employee Engagement with Art Byrne](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-transformations-stretch-goals-employee-engagement-with-art-byrne/) - This week we welcome Lean Legend Art Byrne to the show! Art Byrne is an Operating Partner with J.W. Childs Associates, a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations of middle-market growth companies. Art has implemented Lean principles in more than 30 companies (including subsidiaries) and 14 countries during the past 30 years,
- [Avoiding the Conclusion Trap with Dan Markovitz](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/avoiding-the-conclusion-trap-with-dan-markovitz/) - This week we chat with my friend, Dan Markovitz. Dan is the author of three books – "A Factory of One" & "Building the Fit Organization" have both won Shingo Prizes, and his recently released third book, "The Conclusion Trap", will likely win a third. In this episode, Dan and I have a TON of
- [Teamwork, 3P and Cardboard City with Isaac Mitchell](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/teamwork-3p-and-cardboard-city-with-isaac-mitchell/) - This week we welcome my good friend Isaac Mitchell to the show! Isaac is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Project Management Professional, and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. He specializes in implementing lean techniques that transform work cultures to improve processes and outcomes.
- [SWE, STEM and Advocacy with Jonna Gerken](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/swe-stem-and-advocacy-with-jonna-gerken/) - This week we welcome my friend and former coworker Jonna Gerken to the show! Jonna is a highly qualified, process oriented Engineering & Project Manager with 25 years experience in the defense and aerospace industry. Leader of high profile, diverse teams in emerging technologies as well as established products. Strong background in both manufacturing and
- [Experiencing a Passion for Lean with Panos Efsta](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/experiencing-a-passion-for-lean-with-panos-efsta/) - This week we welcome Panos Efsta to the show! Panos Efsta is a forward-looking strategist and industry thought leader with an extraordinary history of optimizing operations to significantly outpace initial improvement forecasts, building strong relations with staff, providers, and key referral resources. Extensive success in developing and leading teams on both inpatient and outpatient care
- [Lean in Higher Education & Government with Dagmar Vlahos & Tom Lencki](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-in-higher-education-government-with-dagmar-vlahos-tom-lencki/) - On this special episode, we've got TWO guests! Dagmar Vlahos is a Six Sigma Black Belt and a Lean Black Belt; receiving her Six Sigma Black Belt training from Fidelity Investments focusing on operational excellence and customer quality. She continued her Lean training with the State of New Hampshire and in 2015 she received her
- [The Wheel of Sustainability with Adam Lawrence](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-wheel-of-sustainability-with-adam-lawrence/) - This week we welcome Adam Lawrence to the show! Adam Lawrence is the Managing Partner of Process Improvement Partners, LLC. He has 30+ years of experience in process improvement activities, targeted at manufacturing and business processes. Having facilitated 300+ Kaizen events in multiple industries around the world, Adam aligns with leadership, engages teams, and creates
- [The Swan Cycle with Elisabeth Swan](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-swan-cycle-with-elisabeth-swan/) - This week I got to welcome Elisabeth Swan to the show! Elisabeth is the co-author of the Problem-Solver’s Toolkit, co-host of the Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast and Co-Founder of the Just-In-Time Café, a consulting firm specializing in operational excellence and cultural transformation. She’s been a Continuous Improvement consultant, trainer and coach for over 30 years and
- [Nice Guys Finish First with Doug Sandler](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/nice-guys-finish-first-with-doug-sandler/) - This week our guest is Doug Sandler! Doug is an entrepreneur and podcast industry leader. His book, Nice Guys Finish First is a #1 ranked Amazon Best Seller. As a podcast host of The Nice Guys on Business, Doug has interviewed, Gary V, Arianna Huffington, John C. Maxwell and dozens of celebs. Doug is a
- [#Lean, Beastmode, and Beating Cancer with Adam Bernard](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-beastmode-and-beating-cancer-with-adam-bernard/) - This week our guest is Adam Bernard! Adam Bernard is a music industry veteran, and lifelong martial artist, who has been working in media since 2000. He’s also a cancer survivor, and his memoir, ChemBro: Embracing Beastmode to Beat Cancer, was released this fall via Dreaming Big Publications. Adam's contact info: Adam's Blog: https://adambernard.blogspot.com/ Adam's
- [Avoid the Continuous Appearance Trap with Patrick Adams](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/avoid-the-continuous-appearance-trap-with-patrick-adams/) - For the first episode of Season 2 our guest is Patrick Adams! Patrick is an internationally recognized leadership coach, consultant, and professional speaker, best known for his unique human approach to sound team-building practices; creating consensus and enabling empowerment. Patrick has been delivering bottom-line results through specialized process improvement solutions for over 20 years. He's
- [Reflections, Metrics and Goal Setting - How to use the past to shape your future](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/reflections-metrics-and-goal-setting-how-to-use-the-past-to-shape-your-future/) - In this episode, Paul talks about using history to decide what to "do different" moving forward. Focus on the Positive, Encourage your Team, and don't only focus only on the metrics... they only tell part of the story. When Goal Setting, use data and facts to help guide you. Don't simply say "I want to
- [Ira Bryck](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/ira-bryck/) - This week our guest is BusinessWest "Difference Maker" award-winner Ira Bryck! Ira Bryck helps leaders grow. He ran, for 26 years, the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley, that provided expert and peer learning through forums, workshops, consulting and roundtables. His new work includes coaching business owners, personality assessments for professional and personal development, and
- [Kristin Carlson](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/kristin-carlson/) - This week I am VERY excited to be welcoming Kristin Carlson to the show! Kristin Carlson is President of Peerless Precision, Inc., in Westfield, MA; a small precision machine shop specializing in the manufacture of small, complex mechanical components mainly for the Aerospace and Defense Industries. Kristin is also currently the President of the Western
- ["What if everyone on Earth felt trusted, respected, valued, and heard?" with Kevin Hancock](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/what-if-everyone-on-earth-felt-trusted-respected-valued-and-heard-with-kevin-hancock/) - This week I am truly humbled to be welcoming Kevin Hancock to the show! Kevinis an award-winning author, speaker, and CEO. Hancock Lumber Company, one of America’s oldest family businesses, is fully integrated across the forest products and building materials industries. Headquartered in Casco, Maine since 1848, the company is represented by its 565 employees
- [Putting the "Continuous" back in Continuous Improvement](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/putting-the-continuous-back-in-continuous-improvement/) - In this bonus episode, Paul reads a bit from a listener email that brings up some important points to remember as people are just beginning their Lean journeys. We sometimes look at end-result examples that get shared or referenced online, and forget that it took a lot of planning, effort and work to get there.
- [Learning from one of the Best with Bob Rush](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/learning-from-one-of-the-best-with-bob-rush/) - This week our guest is the one and only Bob Rush! Bob's a good friend, and someone whom I consider a benchmark for myself and other Lean practitioners. I wish there were more folks like him in this world. His blog series; "Lean Observations from and Old Guy" are a must-read for anyone interested in
- [The Idea Driven Organization with Dr. Alan Robinson](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-idea-driven-organization-with-dr-alan-robinson/) - This week our guest is Alan Robinson: Author, Speaker and Professor at UMASS Amherst's Isenburg School of Management. As Alan says: "Roughly 80 percent of any organization’s improvement potential lies in front-line ideas. If your organization is not set up to tap these, you are operating with, at best,one fifthof your capability." In this episode,
- [The Cost of Poor Behavior with Sabrina Moon](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-cost-of-poor-behavior-with-sabrina-moon/) - This week our guest is the amazing Sabrina Moon!. Sabrina is the founder and CEO of the Problem Solving Institute and a certified Dare to Lead facilitator, based upon the research by Dr. Brene Brown. In this episode, Sabrina and I chat about moving from "Shame & Blame" to "Vulnerability and Bravery" in Leadership, and
- [Leadership Lessons from a Navy Seal with Brian Carney - PART 2](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/leadership-lessons-from-a-navy-seal-with-brian-carney-part-2/) - Welcome back for Part 2 of our podcast with Deerfield, Massachusetts native, former Navy SEAL and Bonefrog OCR founder Brian Carney! Brian enlisted in the United States Navy in 1999, and upon graduating high school in 2000, joined at age 17. He achieved the rank of Special Operations Chief (SEAL) and fulfilled seven combat deployments,
- [Leadership Lessons from a Navy Seal with Brian Carney - PART 1](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/leadership-lessons-from-a-navy-seal-with-brian-carney-part-1/) - A native of Deerfield, Massachusetts, our guest this week is former Navy SEAL and Bonefrog OCR founder Brian Carney. Brian enlisted in the United States Navy in 1999, and upon graduating high school in 2000, joined at age 17. He achieved the rank of Special Operations Chief (SEAL) and fulfilled seven combat deployments, while being
- [Delving into what Lean is truly all about with Bruce Hamilton](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/delving-into-what-lean-is-truly-all-about-with-bruce-hamilton/) - This week our guest is Bruce Hamilton, the President of GBMP and my friend. Bruce is also Director Emeritus for the Shingo Institute, home of the Shingo Prize, and is a Senior Examiner for the Shingo Prize and a Certified Shingo Institute workshops Facilitator. Bruce is a past recipient of the Shingo Prize in both
- [Heather Stagl](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/heather-stagl/) - This week I'm super excited to welcome Heather Stagl to the show! Since 2009, Enclaria founder Heather Stagl has equipped individuals and teams to influence change at work. Through individual coaching, team facilitation, and training programs, she helps people make a bigger impact with less frustration. Heather is the author of "99 Ways to Influence
- [The Fallacy of "Lean Transformation Failure" Rates](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-fallacy-of-lean-transformation-failure-rates/) - After having a couple people reach out to seek clarification about comments I've made on the podcast, I thought recording a Bonus episode would be a good idea to help present my thoughts... You see, I don't believe in a high percentage of "Lean Transformation Failure". Those who claim such things are often employing the
- [Leading from the Heart with Mark C. Crowley](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/leading-from-the-heart-with-mark-c-crowley/) - This week we chat with someone I really admire; Mark C. Crowley. His approach to, and views on, leadership are paradigm-shifting. I have so much respect for Mark, and I was beyond honored that he agreed to come on the podcast. He truly embodies what it means to "Lead From the Heart". Mark C. Crowley
- [Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn with Katie Anderson](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/learning-to-lead-leading-to-learn-with-katie-anderson/) - For our inaugural episode, my guest is Katie Anderson. In this episode, Katie and I talk about her new book Learning to LEAD, Leading to LEARN; what the authoring process was like, and how important story-telling is to the Lean movement and helping drive understanding and adoption. It was a great interview, and the perfect
- [Trailer](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/trailer/) - We're so excited to bring you this podcast! We've got an amazing lineup of guests that we're eager to chat with: Thought-leaders, authors, professors, TED Talkers and even a former Navy SEAL! We'll be talking primarily about change - how to lead it, how to deal with problems that are bound to pop up, and
- [Industrial Manufacturer Uses 3P for Project Success](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/industrial-manufacturer-uses-3p-for-project-success/) - New England Lean Consulting helped facilitate a multi-day 3P (Production Preparation Process) event for a Connecticut industrial manufacturer that helped them deliver their product under budget and faster than originally quoted to their customer. Problem Statement The company won a new piece of business from a new customer that would increase the gross annual sales

## Pages

- [Home](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/) - Our team is exclusively made up of industry professionals – former Plant Managers, Quality Managers, & Healthcare Directors - subject matter experts who have walked several miles in your shoes.
- [Contact](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/contact/) - Consulting services throughout the New England States.
- [Our Team](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/our-team/) - Our team is exclusively made up of industry professionals who have decades of real world experience.
- [Summit Quotes](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/summit-quotes/) - Quotes from previous New England Lean Summit attendees: "AMAZING! Paul and the team put on a fantastic event! 10/10 would recommend!" "The flow of the different classes/workshops perfectly complimented one another." "I've been to several Lean conferences, and this one was by far my favorite. Big enough to offer top-tier speakers, yet small enough to
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- [Funding Sources](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/funding-sources/) - With the right skills, your team can meet the needs of an ever-changing customer marketplace. New England Lean Consulting is an approved training provider for several state and utility-funded grant programs that can help you defer the costs of adopting Lean, Six Sigma and Quality Management Systems into your organization. Select your state below to
- [You're In!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/youre-in/) - Thank you for submitting your information! Here is a link to download the PDF of the Lean Certification Curriculum. If you’d like to learn more, or have any questions, please reach out to us at info@newenglandlean.com You must enable JavaScript to see this text. You must enable JavaScript to see this text.
- [Podcast](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/podcast/) - Join Paul W. Critchley, owner of New England Lean Consulting, as he talks with local business owners, global thought leaders, world-renowned authors and just plain interesting people who are doing great things for business, culture and society!
- [Communications & Privacy Policy](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/privacy-policy/) - Communications & Privacy Policy for New England Lean Consulting (company) This Communications & Privacy Policy applies to all users of our web sites, downloadable software, mobile applications (including tablet applications), and other services provided by us and on which a link to this Privacy Policy is displayed, and all other communications with individuals through
- [The NELC](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-nelc/) - The New England Lean Collaborative is a member-driven Lean consortium dedicated to connecting member organizations who are interested in improving their organizational health. Driven by our members’ needs, we offer our members numerous learning and networking opportunities to help increase their knowledge of abilities to practice operational excellence.
- [Sign Up for The NELC](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/sign-up-for-the-nelc/) - Name(Required) First Last Company or Organization You Represent(Required)Email(Required) Phone(Required)Number of Employees included in Membership(Required)Please choose how many people from your organization will be members of the NELC : Bronze (up to 5) $2,000 Silver (up to 10) $3,500 Gold (up to 20) $6,500 Individual ($750) Price for Bronze (up to 5) Price: Price for Silver
- [The NELC Confirmation](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/the-nelc-confirmation/) - Thanks so much for joining. I am excited to have you as a member of the New England Lean Collaborative! You will receive an email with a special login link and password. Please double check your spam or junk folder if you don't see it right away. If you need further help accessing the members
- [Cookie Policy](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/cookie-policy/) - About this cookie policy. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are and how we use them. You should read this policy to understand what cookies are, how we use them, the types of cookies we use i.e, the information we collect using cookies and how that information is used and how to control the cookie
- [Payment Successful!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/payment-successful/) - Thank you for signing up for online courses! You will receive an confirmation email within the next 15 minutes. An email login and password will be generated and sent to your email within the next 24 hours. If you have any questions or do not receive either of the emails please contact me directly at:
- [Submission Successful!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/submission-successful/) - Thank you for submitting your information! I will reply within 1-3 business days. If you do not hear from me by then please contact me directly at: You must enable JavaScript to see this text. You must enable JavaScript to see this text. Best of luck! Paul W. Critchley President and Chief Consultant New England
- [Training & Coaching](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/training-coaching/) - As your business grows, there comes a need to increase organizational knowledge, skills, and abilities. One of the best ways to enhance these is through workforce training. Exposing employees to Lean and Quality training can help companies improve performance, increase throughput and reduce costs. It also represents an opportunity for employees to grow their knowledge,
- [Lean & Operational Excellence](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/) - In order to implement successful improvements, you have to begin with a solid strategy. Here at New England Lean Consulting, we’ve got you covered!
- [Services](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/services/) - Lean & Operational Excellence – Quality Management – Professional Training
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- [Quality Management](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/quality-management/) - A quality management system (QMS) is a formalized system that documents processes & procedures for achieving an organization’s quality policy and objectives.
- [Why Us?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/why-us/) - Our team is exclusively made up of industry professionals – former Plant Managers, Quality Managers, & Healthcare Directors - subject matter experts who have walked several miles in your shoes. We pride ourselves on delivering more value than typical consultants. We won’t show up & simply tell you what the books say you should do
- [News](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news/) - Check out the below to read & listen to the other places we’ve been featured!
- [ISO 13485](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/quality-management/iso-13485/) - ISO 13485 is the medical device industry’s most widely used international standard QMS. Issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the ISO 13485 standard is an effective solution to meet the comprehensive requirements for a QMS in the medical device industry. Just like with ISO 9001, ISO 13485 starts with ensuring management support of,
- [ISO 9001](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/quality-management/iso-9001/) - ISO 9001 is a QMS standard that was developed and is maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Easily the most widely adopted QMS, millions of organizations worldwide have become certified to this standard. This popularity is due in no small part to the fact that requirements of ISO 9001:2015 are fairly generic, and
- [AS9100](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/quality-management/as9100/) - AS 9100 is the QMS for organizations that provide products or services to the aviation, space and defense industries. Unlike ISO, AS 9100 is governed by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) with the help of representatives from aviation, space and defense companies in the Americas, Asia and Europe. AS 9100 builds off general ISO
- [Training Within Industry (TWI)](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/training-within-industry-twi/) - "If the worker hasn't learned, the instructor hasn't taught". Training Within Industry (TWI) has thankfully come back into popularity of late, but many people don’t know that its origin wasn’t part of Lean, nor even the Toyota Production System. In fact, TWI predates both. The US established the TWI Services Department as part of the
- [5S](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/5s/) - Clean & organized work-spaces are much easier to work in, whether it be a shop floor, a hospital ward or in an office. When items are where you need them when you need them there, it saves a lot of time, effort and frustration. 5S is a great place to start your Lean initiatives and
- [Kaizen](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/kaizen/) - Kaizen is a Japanese term that literally translates to “Change, Good”. As Masaaki Imai said (and he literally wrote the book on “Kaizen” in 1986): “The message of the Kaizen strategy is that not a day should go by without some kind of improvement being made somewhere in the company." The spirit of Kaizen is
- [Setup Reduction/SMED](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/setup-reduction-smed/) - Lengthy setups are one of the absolute worst time-wasters in industry! Nothing else happens while in “Setup mode” – no products are being made, inventory is stuck, and people are only able to do that one thing, which means they aren’t helping get products through the system and out to the customer. Every minute we
- [Plant & Cell Design](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/plant-cell-design/) - It’s often an eye-opening experience for people to see the amount of Transportation and Motion waste that is present in their organizations. When your layout is not ideal, it leads to a lot of wasted time moving people and products from place to place, as well as increased amounts of inventory as those areas get
- [3P (Production Preparation Process)](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/3p-production-preparation-process/) - Lean 3P (Production Preparation Process) is not unlike a Kaizen – it’s typically run as an event, and is focused on driving wastes out of a process. When it comes to Lean 3P, though, we take a very in-depth and hands-on approach to design and setup of areas and processes before they’re ever created. As
- [Kanban](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/kanban/) - Kanban is a Japanese term that literally translates to “signboard”, and is a critical part of implementing Pull (instead of Push) into your organization. When production makes use of a Pull strategy, work is based on actual customer (internal and external) demand at that time, as opposed to a forecast, or based upon uneven upstream
- [Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/key-performance-indicators-kpis/) - A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving its key business objectives. Organizations use KPIs at multiple levels to evaluate their success at reaching targets. High-level KPIs may focus on the overall performance of the business, while lower level KPIs may focus on processes in specific
- [Daily Management](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/daily-management/) - Sadly, many organizations think that by setting annual goals (i.e. increase sales by 35%), the folks on the front lines of an organization will magically just know how their roles support those goals, and what actions they should be taking every day. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Enter Daily Management. Daily management is
- [Lean 8 Wastes](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/lean-8-wastes/) - 1. Defects Defects occur when the product or service doesn’t meet customer requirements. This typically results in repairing, reworking or scrapping the product. None of these outcomes are good, as they add additional costs to the organization without delivering any value to the customer. Additionally, you not only have to spend extra time remaking the
- [Employee Engagement & Culture Change](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/lean-operational-excellence/employee-engagement-culture-change/) - Driving Change from the Bottom Up while Aligning Leadership from the Top Down A true Lean Transformation begins with an organization’s employees, but it must be empowered and supported by leadership. Those on the front lines are the ones best suited to affect the biggest organizational changes since they have the most direct knowledge
- [Testimonials](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/client-testimonials/) - Words of praise from of our satisfied clients.

## Testimonials

- [Jeff Hadley](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/jeff-hadley-2/) - We are very happy to have partnered with New England Lean Consulting. Their diverse background and expertise in Lean techniques enabled them to develop a customized training program for our team. They brought a fresh perspective that made it possible for them to connect with employees unlike other firms we’ve worked with. They engage with
- [Amy Tardiff](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/amy-tardiff/) - We had a great experience working with New England Lean Consulting and I’m certain our partnership will continue in the future. Paul connected with everyone, not just a select few. The result is that our entire team feels empowered and understands that they have a role in the Lean journey. We couldn’t be happier!
- [Larry Vincent](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/larry-vincent/) - We’ve had the New England Lean consultants as our coaches for years, and really can’t say enough about the work they do. They’ve helped lead numerous changes within our organization, and with their leadership we’ve increased Sales & improved EBITDA while simultaneously reducing lead times and lowering costs. The best part? Our customers and our
- [Barbara Grimes](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/barbara-g/) - Dealing with (New England Lean Consulting) has been a breath of fresh air over our experiences with previous consultants!
- [Chuck Lewin](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/chuck-lewin/) - I wanted to offer my sincerest thanks and congratulations to you for helping us achieve both ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certification. For PMD this is an incredibly important achievement, and provides us with the foundation we need to continue to compete in our rapidly evolving industry.
- [Chris Garvey](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/chris-garvey/) - We hired New England Lean to assist us with our manufacturing operations to increase throughput and decrease costs, as we’re in a variety of very competitive markets. We decided to go with them because all of their people have real-world experience, and we couldn’t be happier. Not only are our costs down, but we actually
- [Eric Lapp](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/eric-l/) - Paul ably met our time schedule, quickly grasped our culture and needs on-site. He delivered great advice and product that helped this key project gain us new and stronger business.
- [Brian Greenleaf](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/brian-g/) - We greatly appreciate the support of New England Lean Consulting in solving this issue. Their knowledge of lean process and continuous improvement pushed our administrative team to think beyond their educational training to solve this complex issue.
- [Bill Valls](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/bill-valls/) - We are happy to have hired New England Lean Consulting to help us with some of our New Product Introduction (NPI) process challenges. They went well beyond where a typical consultant would, and really helped us solve some complex problems that we had in our process.
- [Louis Goins](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/louis-goins/) - New England Lean has improved our entire business from start to finish. From the way we process work to the floor to our Quality Control methods, they stripped out the parts that we didn’t need and improved the parts that we did. Thanks Paul!
- [Rebecca Karabin-Ahern](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/testimonials/rebecca-karabin-ahern/) - New England Lean Consulting provided customized training, process mapping, analysis, layout enhancement and implementation to one of our production departments. Thanks to Paul we have been able to streamline our operations within that department. In addition, we had significant set up reduction. New England Lean Consulting was an excellent choice for our company and we

## News Sources

- [With Lean If You Don't Quit, You Don't Fail](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/with-lean-if-you-dont-quit-you-dont-fail/) - Today’s guest is Paul Critchley, Paul Critchley is a recognized thought leader on employee engagement and continuous improvement and has helped businesses around the world achieve greater levels of success through the application of Lean techniques....
- [Lean is not just for big companies. Lean is Universal.](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/lean-is-not-just-for-big-companies-lean-is-universal/) - In this episode, Paul Critchley, President of New England Lean Consulting, shares why culture is more important to him than tools. Paul shares why it's important to engage with all staff when they have ideas or solutions to major problems. He also shared an $800 kaizen event that resulted in huge savings, reduction in stress
- [Grow Your Business by Applying 5S's of LEAN to Your Processes w/ Paul Critchley](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/grow-your-business-by-applying-5ss-of-lean-to-your-processes-w-paul-critchley-2/) - How busy is your shop floor? How occupied is your team? Are your machines always running? Are you happy with your growth and operational efficiency? While you might be content with what you have right now, the question is, why would you not make more money if you could without increased efforts or resources.
- [A Legacy of Lean Leadership](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/a-legacy-of-lean-leadership/) - Paul Critchley is the President at New England Lean Consulting which offers services that include Business Consulting, Management Consulting, Strategic Planning and Change Management. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, his Master of Science in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic University and his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from
- [Grow Your Business by Applying Lean & 5S to Your Processes w/ Paul Critchley](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/grow-your-business-by-applying-5ss-of-lean-to-your-processes-w-paul-critchley/) - How busy is your shop floor? How occupied is your team? Are your machines always running? Are you happy with your growth and operational efficiency? While you might be content with what you have right now, the question is, why would you not make more money if you could without increased efforts or resources. In
- [Old Smokey, Rabbit Hole, Lean Transformation, Automation and Pet Peeves](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/old-smokey-rabbit-hole-lean-transformation-automation-and-pet-peeves/) - Joining me today is a guest host, my friend Paul Critchley. Paul has been a guest blogger here on LeanBlog.org. A few months back, we also collaborated to host a “Measures of Success” workshop in Massachusetts. We had some whiskey together after the workshop so we're doing the same here in the podcast.
- [Thank You to First Responders – COVID19](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/thank-you-to-first-responders-covid19/) - An Ellington man wanted to thank first responders, who are on the front lines all the time, so he is treating first responders to coffee and food to thank them for work during the coronavirus epidemic.
- [Why good help is so hard to find?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/why-good-help-is-so-hard-to-find/) - Although it’s not exactly a new problem within industry in the United States, there has been a definite uptick in the overall attention being given to the “lack of qualified personnel” issue we are experiencing.
- [Visual Management helps Improve Quality](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/visual-management-helps-improve-quality/) - As we practice lean, we put things like 5S and visual management tools into place.
- [Get off the hamster wheel and drive REAL change!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/get-off-the-hamster-wheel-and-drive-real-change/) - Nothing is beyond our control, given the proper corporate culture and mentality. It’s a matter of how organizations operate and how they challenge their employees to think.
- [Are You Wasting Your Time with Market Feedback Analysis?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/are-you-wasting-your-time-with-market-feedback-analysis/) - Instead of using overly formal MFAs, I advocate going to the gemba.
- [The Biggest “Bang for Your Lean Buck?” Respecting Your People](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/the-biggest-bang-for-your-lean-buck-respecting-your-people/) - As a long time Lean practitioner (and now Lean consultant), I have been asked lots of questions about Lean over the years. There's one I have gotten more often than the others, though, especially from business owners and managers: “What's the biggest bang for my Lean buck?
- [Lean setbacks – not failures – and what to do about them](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/lean-setbacks-not-failures-and-what-to-do-about-them/) - Lean, takes commitment. You have to train. You have to understand what you're getting into and prepare for it. You aren't going to walk into the office one day and simply “become Lean” just like you can't get off your couch and run an obstacle course race OCR. You also have to be willing to
- [A Lean Guy Reads & Reviews “Henry Ford’s Lean Vision”](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/a-lean-guy-reads-reviews-henry-fords-lean-vision/) - Ford believed that products should be sold for a reasonable price, not one that the maket would bear. He also paid his workers much more than the going rates at the time, under the belief that those workers would in turn spend that money on his product. His intuition was right.
- [The Way Life Should Be – At L.L. Bean & Other Manufacturers](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/the-way-life-should-be-at-l-l-bean-other-manufacturers/) - How big sustainable changes come from the little things along the way.
- [Rolling out Lean – what to do first](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/rolling-out-lean-what-to-do-first/) - Important points about not reducing inventory too low before improving the capabilities of your system.
- [Lean: Small steps lead to Big change](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/lean-small-steps-lead-to-big-change/) - How big sustainable changes come from the little things along the way.
- [Do you polish cannonballs at work?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/do-you-polish-cannonballs-at-work/) - Important questions that have seen in both factories and hospitals.
- [How NOT to communicate about Lean and 5S…](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/how-not-to-communicate-about-lean-and-5s/) - Lean can be many things to many people; a way to earn more profits, a way to improve quality, or even a way to change a company's culture for the better. For as many different reasons there are for people to start practicing Lean, there are ten times as many ways people misuse it, and
- [Respect Your People](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/respect-your-people/) - Lean manufacturing can change a business, but the focus should be on the people—not the tools.
- [It’s time for Lean Manufacturing](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/its-time-for-lean-manufacturing/) - Get better every day. Sometimes adopting lean manufacturing means adding more people to a process.
- [Lean In to 5S](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/lean-in-to-5s/) - This lean tool can create a better workplace.
- [How to Win with Lean](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/how-to-win-with-lean/) - Paul and Ron discussed some of the roadblocks organizations typically experience on their lean journeys, as well as what it means to be “winning” at lean.
- [Going to Gemba for true survey results](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/going-to-gemba-for-true-survey-results/) - If you have ever read a Lean book, blog or article, you’ll know that “value” is defined by the customer. While often referenced, we don’t spend enough time thinking about what this really means.
- [Does Lean Kill Craftsmanship?](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/news_source/does-lean-kill-craftsmanship/) - Sometimes, resistance isn’t to lean, or to change; it’s really about the perceived loss of something that someone values.

## Presenters

- [Close Out and Celebration!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/close-out-and-celebration/)
- [Wicked Fun Lean Activity!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/wicked-fun-lean-activity/)
- [Dagmar Vlahos](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/dagmar-lean/)
- [Jo Ann Endo](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/jo-ann-lean/)
- [Paul Critchley](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/paul-critchley-lean/)
- [Kelly Mallery](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/kelly-lean/)
- [Christine Doucette](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/christine-lean/)
- [Matthew Romoser](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/matt-lean/)
- [Anne Frewin](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/anne-lean/)
- [Stephanie Armstrong & Lara Laskowski](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/stephanie-lara/)
- [Elisabeth Swan](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/elisabeth-swan-2/) - President of Swan Consulting & Associates, Inc.
- [Sandi Mauro](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/sandi-mauro/) - HR Business Partner, Employers Association of the NorthEast
- [Kelly Mallery](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/kelly-mallery/) - OpEx Leader at Viant Medical & Founder at Kata School Northeast
- [Adam Lawrence](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/adam-lawrence/) - Founder, Process Improvement Partners
- [John Perrotti](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/john-perrotti/) - Vice President at Fuss & O'Neill Manufacturing Solutions
- [Tim McMahon](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/tim-mcmahon/) - Director of Quality & Operational Excellence, Mirion Technologies North America
- [Joan Perreault](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/joan-perreault/) - Continuous Improvement Coach at UMass Memorial Health
- [Justin Kenney](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/justin-kenney/) - Chief Performance Officer for the State of Vermont's Chief Performance Office
- [Adam Lawrence](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/adam-lawrence-2/) - Managing Partner, Process Improvement Partners
- [Jo Ann Endo](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/jo-ann-endo/) - Founder of Improvement Catalyst Coaching
- [April Thomas](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/april-thomas/) - Senior Customer Success Manager at Green Dot Consulting Group
- [Tiedah Evans](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/tiedah-evans/) - Site Lean Deployment Leader at GKN Aerospace
- [John Dyer](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/john-dyer/) - President, John Dyer & Associates, Inc.
- [Joan Perreault & Paul McNeil](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/joan-paul/) - Continuous Improvement Coach, UMASS Memorial Health (Joan) & New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Prevention Coordinator (Paul)
- [Panel of Lean Leaders!](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/lean-panel/) - Tom is a Process Optimization Expert at Coverys, April is a Senior Customer Success Manager at Green Dot Group, Elisabeth is President, Swan Consulting & Associates, Inc
- [Scott Gauvin](https://newenglandleanconsulting.com/presenter/scott-gauvin/) - CEO of Macresco Consulting

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