lean leadership

What is the difference between authentic cultures of continuous improvement versus superficial displays? 

In this episode, Patrick Adams shares his insights on the heart of organizational culture and transformational leadership and highlights the essential elements of a real culture of continuous improvement -- so that you can ensure that you and your organization get it right.

The truth is, there are no quick fixes, “silver bullets,” or prescribed roadmaps to achieve a high-performing organization. 

Patrick shares how a long-term commitment and leadership behaviors are necessary to sustain cultures that foster growth, innovation, and people engagement.

If you want to know how to create a real culture of continuous improvement, one where leaders embody the humility to roll up their sleeves, demonstrate respect for their people and customers, and connect everyone to a long-term vision built on purpose, this episode is for you.

ABOUT MY GUEST: 

Patrick Adams the founder of Lean Solutions and is the best-selling author of "Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap". He's a sought-after leadership coach, consultant, and professional speaker. Patrick’s insights, drawn from extensive experience working with companies of diverse industries and sizes, are driven by a philosophy of constant learning and leadership commitment—essential for building organizational excellence.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• The key elements of an authentic continuous improvement culture, including respect for people, stable processes, leadership behaviors, and more.
• How quick fixes and pre-packaged roadmaps do not achieve real continuous improvement.
• The warning signs of a "continuous appearance" culture, including KPI instability, silos, and not understanding employee and customer value. 
• About Patrick's experience on my Japan Study Trip and why he believes it's a pivotal experience for any lean practitioner or executive seeking to build a real culture of kaizen and lasting continuous improvement in their organization.
• How long-term success is built on creating value for customers, fostering a stable environment, and ensuring that improvement initiatives are aligned with the company's overarching vision and goals.

Tune in now for insights and strategies to empower you with knowledge of how to lead your company toward a real, lasting culture of continuous improvement.   
 

IMPORTANT LINKS: 

• Follow Patrick Adams on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrickadamsii
• Lean Solutions Summit: findleansolutions.com/summit-2024 (use special discount code: #KatieAnderson)
• Patrick’s Book: Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap
• Episode Website: ChainOfLearning.com/12
• Download the KATALYST Self-Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/katalyst
• Join Katie's next Japan Study Trip: KBJanderson.com/japantrip
• Work with Katie: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow Katie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• Katie's book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com

Are you enjoying the Chain of Learning podcast? Be sure to subscribe or follow –  and to share this podcast with your friends and colleagues so we can all strengthen our Chain of Learning® – together. 

TIMESTAMPS:

• [04:18] What an authentic culture of improvement looks like
• [13:06] How people development, critical thinking skills, and leadership behaviors lead to company-specific results
• [14:52] Why committing to a long-term vision, not quick fixes, is key to building a continuous improvement culture
• [20:20] What makes a culture of continuous appearance
• [25:21] Practical tips for internal CI and lean leaders to create positive change immediately
• [31:18] Patrick’s highlights from Katie’s May 2023 Japan Study Trip 

What’s your purpose as a continuous improvement leader? And how can you fulfill your potential as a transformational change leader?

Tune in to my conversation with master operational excellence change leader Karen Martin to find out! 

Becoming a transformational change leader means balancing your technical skills to deliver results while cultivating the influence, coaching, and facilitation skills to lead change and develop people to create a high-performing organizational culture.

Whether you are an operational excellence professional or a leader that has a passion for continuous improvement, this episode will inspire you to excel in both the formal role that you were hired to do and the greater potential of the role that you want to lead transformational change. 

From learning how to more effectively navigate the complexities of business language to influence leaders, cultivating effective coaching and facilitation skills, and becoming aware of the limiting pitfalls that can hinder your impact – this episode is a must listen. 

About My Guest:

Karen Martin is the President and Founder of TKMG Academy and Founder of TKMG, Inc., and is an award-winning author of several books, including "Clarity First" and "The Outstanding Organization". Her clients include Fortune 500 companies and government agencies from local to federal levels. With a master’s degree in education, Karen is a mentor at heart and committed to fostering growth and nurturing potential in others to achieve lasting results and lead organizational change.

You’ll Learn:

• The difference between the purpose of your role as a continuous improvement leader and your potential to become a transformational change leader
• How to effectively transfer knowledge and develop problem-solving capabilities, tailoring approaches between reflective and directive coaching
• The importance of speaking the language of the business to influence decisions that align with your organization’s goals and growth needs
• The risk of short-term improvement kaizen or rapid process improvement events without follow-up to sustain improvement or building the team's skill sets 
• The importance of having a coach or mentor to support your growth

Tune in now for actionable strategies and insights to equip you to step into your greater transformational leadership potential and position you to lead lasting impact in your organization.

Important Links:

• TKMG Academy Website: tkmgacademy.com
• Follow Karen Martin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karenmartinopex
• Episode website: ChainOfLearning.com/11
• Download the KATALYST Self-Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/katalyst
• Listen to Episode 9: The 8 Essential Skills to Become a Transformational Change KATALYST: ChainOfLearning.com/9
• Katie's book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com
• Work with Katie: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow Katie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson

Are you enjoying the Chain of Learning podcast? Be sure to subscribe or follow –  and to share this podcast with your friends and colleagues so we can all strengthen our Chain of Learning® – together. 

Timestamps:

03:09 The purpose and potential of a transformational change leader
11:53 Practical advice for accelerated discoveries about how to get results and develop people
16:41 Learning to be an effective change leader through facilitating, overcoming fear, navigating organizational dynamics
27:16 Gaps in continuous improvement cultures and how to overcome them
35:56 Internal-capability challenges and opportunities for change leaders, managers, and executives
37:03 Karen’s example about valuing the people-development side of business

What if you had a new superpower that would unlock your leadership potential?

One so simple yet will amplify your impact, open doors to the C-suite, and accelerate engagement across your organization so that you deliver more business results while realizing your vision for a people-focused learning culture?

This episode unveils your superhero cape so you can unleash your leadership superpowers today to lead organizational change.

Tune in to go beyond leadership theory to actual practice of how to pair your technical expertise with the power, influence, and relational skills to become a transformational change leader.

My guest, Shawn Carner, describes how he moved from an operational excellence practitioner to a senior transformation leader at a global biotechnology company – and gives you real examples of how you can too. 

You’ll Learn:

• The importance of a leader’s purpose in Leading to Learn®: set direction, provide support, and develop yourself
• The power of daily intention setting, reflection, and journaling to unlock your leadership superpowers
• How to Break the Telling Habit® and the impact of asking coaching questions
• What Shawn learned with me on the Japan Study Trip and how he’s applied lean concepts at Genentech
• The value of intentional leadership behaviors to positively influence organizational culture

Dive into this episode now to discover the transformative superpowers that will amplify your impact and drive success in your organization!

Looking for more inspiration and actionable tips to step into your leadership impact? Be sure to subscribe and follow Chain of Learning so you never miss an episode.

About my Guest:

Shawn Carner, MBA, is the Director of Operational Excellence at Genentech, part of the Roche Group. An accomplished change agent with a proven ability to develop and implement business process transformations, lead people and deliver business results, Shawn has worked with Genentech since 2005. Shawn is also a talented visual communication expert, a certified ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt, and Master Scuba Instructor.  

Important Links:

• Shawn Carner’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carner
• Shawn’s Website: visualgemba.com 
• Episode website: ChainOfLearning.com/10
• Download my KATALYST Self-Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/katalyst 
• My Japan Study Trips: KBJAnderson.com/japantrip
• My book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com
• Work with me: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson

Timestamps:

• 2:40: Shawn's evolution from technical, tool-based operational excellence expert to transformational change leader
• 5:56: Coaching “kata” and its challenges 
• 9:28: The power of reflection and journaling
• 15:26: Breaking the Telling Habit and the power of asking questions
• 21:16: Shawn's leadership superpower
• 22:54:The impact of Shawn's superpower on his team and organization
• 33:30: The power of attending Katie’s Japan Study Trip and the importance of aligning lean principles with organizational culture
• 40:33: Shifting from operational excellence doer to transformational change leader
• 41:55: The need for leaders to show up differently to impact culture positively
• 43:16: The importance of intentionally building capabilities, growing people, and getting them to think

Move from Technical Expert to Influential Leader

Do you want to move beyond being a tools or process improvement project “doer” or technical expert to a transformational change leader?  

Have you wanted to step into greater influence and impact in your organization?

Or perhaps you're a leader seeking to create broader organizational change but don't quite know how?

Leading transformational change to create a high-performing culture requires you to pair your technical expertise with social and relational skills that will enable you to catalyze change and accelerate the rate of learning in your organization.

In this episode we’ll explore the importance of your role as a transformational change agent and how you can step into greater impact by growing your leadership skills with my framework – the KATALYST™ model.

“Katalyst” is a mix of the words “catalyst” and "kata" – it is someone who accelerates the rate of learning for organizational progress.

Hit play to discover how you can step into your impact as a transformational leader and bridge the gap between where you are today and becoming an influential change Katalyst ™ in your organization.

 You'll Learn:

• The 8 leadership competencies in the KATALYST™ model  
• The difference between Catalyst versus “Katalyst”™
• The definition of “kata” as routines that support problem-solving and coaching for improvement
• How to move from technical expert to influential leader
• How to get your senior team to buy into the vision for a people-centered learning organization and invest the time and effort to get there

If you want to increase your influence and realize your vision of a thriving people-centered learning organization, you won’t want to miss this episode. Tune in now!

Looking for more inspiration and actionable tips to step into your leadership impact? Be sure to subscribe and follow Chain of Learning so you never miss an episode.

Important Links:

• Episode webpage with additional resources: ChainOfLearning.com/9
• Download the Change KATALYST™ Self-Assessment: https://kbjanderson.com/katalyst/ 
• My book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com
• Work with me: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/ 

Timestamps:

2:05: The Change KATALYST™ model

3:12: Transition from a Practitioner to a Change Leader

6:28: The Inspiration of “kata”

7:11: The impact of implementing KATALYST™ model

9:38:  K – Knowledgeable Business Expert 

13:39: A – Analytical Systems Thinker

18:19: T – Tactical Strategic Aligner

22:11: A – Astute Political Navigator

25:03: L – Lifelong Learning Enthusiast 

27:42: Y – Yes-Minded Persuader 

31:29: S – Skillful Facilitator 

34:48: T – Transformational Coaching Leader

Have you ever wondered why some organizations consistently outperform others? 

And why, even when using the same tools and methodologies, some companies are able to leverage them to achieve success whereas at others they just become the flavor of the month?

If you are curious about the answers, you won't want to miss this episode with Steve Spear and Gene Kim where we unpack what makes companies “great” and explore key concepts in their new book, “Wiring the Winning Organization: Liberating our Collective Greatness through Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification”. 

Together, we peel back the layers of organizational innovation and problem-solving to focus on the critical – and often missing elements – for high performance.

Tune in to discover the role that management systems and leadership play in shaping an organization's success, and the mechanisms that enable innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration across large, complex organizations.

It makes no difference what you call it  – lean, agile, DevOps –  wiring your organization to win always comes back to the principles of good leadership.

If you are a leader, an operational excellence practitioner, or simply someone aspiring to create and thrive in a winning organization, this is an episode you can't afford to miss.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What defines a winning organization and separates great organizations from “not great” ones
• How to navigate from the “danger zone” to the “winning zone” 
• The three layers of organizational problem-solving and continuous improvement 
• The critical role of leadership and management systems in creating conditions for success
• The sociotechnical mechanisms of winning organizations: slowification, simplification, and amplification
• Three questions leaders should ask daily to enable a profound organizational transformation
• Leadership behavior shifts to be more effective in wiring your organization – and team –  to win

Hit play now to discover how you can build a high-performing organization and wire your organization for greatness.

About my guests:

Steve Spear is a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and is a renowned thought leader in the field of organizational excellence and high-performance organizations. 

Gene Kim is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former CTO of TripWire, specializing in improving software development and IT management for high-performing technology organizations.

Links:

• Episode webpage and book giveaway registration: https://chainoflearning.com/8
• Book “Wiring the Winning Organization”: https://itrevolution.com/product/wiring-the-winning-organization/
• Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevespear/ 
• Connect with Gene on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realgenekim/ 
• My Book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ 
• Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/
• Work with me: https://kbjanderson.com/

Timestamps

• 01:30 Introduction of Steve Spear and Gene Kim
• 03:41 Definition of a winning organization
• 04:02 Understanding what high performance is
• 06:10 Disparities in organizational performance and the role of management systems
• 07:53 Common mechanisms of performance 
• 09:55 The three layers
• 10:06 Social circuitry
• 11:13 Capability and competency
• 13:50  The socio part of the sociotechnical system
• 14:05 Mr. Yoshino's paint mistake story
• 15:49 Paul O'Neill's three critical questions for leaders
• 18:50 The role of leaders in creating conditions that enable individuals to succeed
• 19:07 How to move from the danger zone to the winning zone
• 19:17 Slowification, simplification, and amplification
• 21:29  Culture of learning and improvement through social circuitry
• 25:30 How slowfication helps winning organizations
• 30:24 The performance paradox and learning zones
• 31:17 The importance of simulating disasters 
• 33:03 Misuse of terminology and principles i.e., “lean”
• 35:12 Interrelationship between management practices
• 37:18 Lessons learned from the writing and collaboration process
• 43:09 Steve and Gene’s behaviors to be more effective in wiring winning organizations
• 47:17 Breaking the telling habit

What if HOW you go about setting your goals can change the impact you have – even more than the goals themselves? 

It’s that time of year for setting goals, to reflect on what you achieved – or didn’t achieve – in the past year and make resolutions and big goals for the coming year. 

Yet most of us have it backwards when we go about setting goals. We start with our minds before we connect with our hearts.

In this episode of Chain of Learning, you’ll discover what’s missing for most people in our goal-setting culture. If you really want to create a meaningful impact and be more likely to achieve your goals, you need to start first with your intentions.

Tune into this episode to learn how to make a shift in your thinking – and your goal-setting process – that will leave you more connected with purpose, fulfilled, and equipped to achieve your goals. You’ll understand how to connect who you want to be so that you are set up for what you want to achieve.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The difference between goals and intentions 
• The importance of aligning actions in the direction of purpose 
• About the Japanese concept of "kokorozashi" -- a leader's purpose, inner will, and enthusiasm
• How a focus only on achieving goals is problematic
• Why reflection is the beginning of learning and improvement
• A reflection exercise that will set you up for greater impact
• Why you must align with your intentions before setting goals

Hit play now – and be sure to grab a pen and paper to capture your reflections – to make plans on how you will take aligned action that will propel you towards the impact that you want in the coming year!

Important Links:

• Full show notes: http://chainoflearning.com/7 
• Episode 4 Leading for Impact: The Power of Being Over Doing: http://chainoflearning.com/4 
• Episode 5 Achieve More by Performing Less with Eduardo Briceño: http://chainoflearning.com/5 

• Reflections on Intentions And Goals blog post: https://kbjanderson.com/reflections-on-intentions-and-goals/

Timestamps

• 00:31: Intention for this episode 
• 02:55: Typical New Year goal setting
• 03:27: Concept of intentions versus goals
• 04:27: Importance of intention in leadership
• 06:48: The difference and connection between goals and intentions
• 08:24: Discovery of Intention = Heart + Direction ®
• 09:52: Japanese concept of 'kokorozashi'
• 12:00: The impact of focusing on goals only
• 14:21: The power of intention in navigating setbacks
• 15:09: The importance of connecting with your purpose
• 17:05: Reflection process for   determining intentions and  goals
• 19:27: Reflection exercise with questions 
• 21:11: Steps for aligning actions with purpose
• 23:35: Identifying and aligning actions for the next year
• 26:06: Dealing with challenges, staying focused and moving forward
• 27:09: Balancing professional and personal goals
• 28:04: Legacy and the concept of intention
• 31:04: Importance of focusing on intentions before goals
• 31:38: Reflection on leadership with intention for the coming year and conclusion

Quick question, have you ever wondered what it would be like to listen in to “hallway” conversations to discover what leaders say and reflect on with each other?

If you're curious, you're in the right spot. In this episode, I take you behind-the-scenes with exclusive conversations I had with transformational change leaders and executives in attendance at GE’s The Lean Mindset. This exciting event, hosted by Larry Culp, Chairman and CEO of GE and GE Aerospace, brought together executives from some of the world’s top companies, professional athletes, and thought leaders all focused on pursuing excellence through continuous learning. 

Thanks to GE's generosity, I was invited to both share my knowledge and to collect knowledge, by bringing my microphone to glean insights from the leaders in attendance during the spaces between the mainstage events. I can’t wait to share them with you here! 

You’ll hear highlights from my conversations with leaders including: 

• Chef Eric Klein – Culinary Vice President and Partner at Wolfgang Puck Catering 
• Dr. Lisa Yerian – Chief Improvement Officer at The Cleveland Clinic
• Betsy Bingham – Vice President of Lean Operations at GE Aerospace 
• Phil Wickler – Chief Transformation Officer for GE Aerospace
• Pat Byrne – Senior Vice President for Operational Transformation at GE

What you’ll learn:

• The importance of embracing and learning from failure
• The power of humility, empathy, and making daily connections with your team
• Strategies to empower problem-solving and teamwork, including going to gemba, leveraging meaningful metrics, and creating structured approaches to improvement
• The mindset and behavior shifts leaders need to make to build effective leadership habits and lead by example
• Being an effective leader doesn’t mean you have all the answers; it means you’re willing to ask questions, go see, and always keep learning.

If you are trying to create a high-performing learning organization, you won’t want to miss these invaluable insights. Hit play now to be inspired about how you can embed a lean mindset in your organization and accelerate your impact as a change leader.

Important Links:

• Full show notes and links on: http://chainoflearning.com/6
• GE’s The Lean Mindset Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP2WkL0W-BA 
• My key takeaways from The Lean Mindset event  https://kbjanderson.com/highlights-the-lean-mindset-event/
• My Book: “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ 
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/

Timestamps 

• 00:55 – Delving into the Insights from GE’s The Lean Mindset Event
• 01:27 – Reflecting on personal interactions at the event
• 01:40 – A deep dive into the principles of lean management
• 02:38 – Presenting the esteemed lineup of leaders
• 03:10 – Overview of themes covered at The Lean Mindset
• 04:14 – Excerpt from Chef Eric Klein: Exploring the Lean Mindset in a Kitchen
• 05:14 – Emphasizing the importance of humility and the willingness to embrace failure to evolve as a learner
• 05:59 – Dr. Lisa Yerian discusses balancing humility and hunger in leadership
• 07:16 – Betsy Bingham on problem-solving and the human element
• 08:04 – Phil Wickler shares Insight on the significance of Gemba
• 08:55 – Pat Byrne explores the importance of Gemba for both employees and customers
• 09:35 – Betsy Bingham on problem-solving efficiency
• 10:57 – Recognizing the value of repetition to build lean mindset skills
• 11:42 – Dr. Yerian reinforces the importance of quality repetition
• 12:35 – Leveraging metrics to drive operational improvements
• 15:35 – Embracing challenges and how to approach to problem resolution
• 16:35 – Benefits of breaking the telling habit for effective leadership
• 17:35 – Insights on cultivating a lean mindset within Your qrganizational culture
• 22:30 – Larry Culp's three key takeaways
• 23:50 – Closing thoughts on the event and inspiring team dynamics

Have you ever felt burned out and exhausted from the constant pressure to perform, to achieve, or to get it “right”? 

Or is your organization putting a lot of effort into improvement projects and strategic initiatives, but you are finding that you aren’t making much improvement and you are working on the same problems year after year?

If so, you might be stuck in what growth mindset and learning organization expert Eduardo Briceño calls the “Performance Paradox”. This is the counterintuitive reality that a constant focus on performing actually leads to lower performance. 

The secret to high performance is not actually working harder, but learning better. 

You won’t want to miss this episode of Chain of Learning with Eduardo Briceño where we talk about his book “The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action” and how you can master the Learning Zone to achieve better performance.

In this episode of Chain of Learning you will learn:

• How you can turn a growth mindset into action by balancing the “Performance Zone” and the “Learning Zone”
• The risk for you and your organization if you get stuck in chronic performance 
• The impact of seeking and receiving feedback on performance and improvement
• 5 tips to embed growth and learning micro-habits for yourself and within your organization  
• How you can create the organizational conditions that result in a high-performing learning culture

Tune in to discover the impact that overcoming the Performance Paradox – and mastering the Learning Zone – can have on you, your team, and your organization. 

About My Guest: Eduardo Briceño

Eduardo Briceño is a global keynote speaker, facilitator, and bestselling author of “The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset Into Action.” He works with many of the world’s leading companies in developing cultures of learning and high performance. 

Eduardo co-founded Mindset Works – the pioneer in bringing growth mindset strategies into organizations – with Stanford Professor Carol Dweck (my guest on Chain of Learning Episode 3). 

His TED talks, “How to Get Better at Things You Care About” & “The Power of Belief”  have been viewed over nine million times, and he has been featured in publications such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company.

Important links

• Full show notes and links on: http://chainoflearning.com/5
• Eduardo’s website:  https://briceno.com/  
• Connect with Eduardo on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-briceno/ 
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/ 
• Work with me- KBJAnderson.com    

Timestamps

00:39: Understanding the Performance Paradox

01:14: The secret to high performance

03:03: What is the performance paradox?

04:20: Connection between growth mindset and performance paradox

05:24: The impact of learning how to change

07:19: Discussion on performance and learning culture

13:04: Understanding the dangers of staying in chronic performance

17:22: Overcoming challenges of limited time for learning

19:58: Micro intention and reflection during learning

21:32: Leadership learning and challenges

26:56: Advice for leading change & building a learning culture

32:51: Upcoming chain of learning episodes

How can simple phrase can change your perspective on you as a person and as a leader?

“Don’t focus on how to DO, but rather on how to BE.”   

In this episode, I explore this meaningful and powerful quote and the impact it has had on me. It reaffirmed what I know to be true about the essence of leadership and making impact personally and professionally.

And it highlights what we often get wrong in our approach to leading organizational cultural transformation and how we try to get results. We focus more on the DOING than the BEING. 

In this episode of Chain of Learning you will learn:

• The story behind this quote
• How to significantly shift your – your team’s – productivity and happiness by “being” rather than just “doing”.
• How completing an initiative and applying the technical side of problem-solving isn’t always the desired outcome
• Why it is so hard for us to focus on being rather than doing
• Three tips I have for you to stay more focused on BEING

Tune in now to this episode of Chain of Learning podcast. It’ll help you identify your priorities and find new ways to lead your team from a renewed perspective. Learn how to be and the results will follow.  

Have you subscribed to Chain of Learning? Make sure you subscribe and follow so you don’t miss an episode. 

Important Links:

• My Book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ 
• Japan Study Trip: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/  
• Visit the episode webpage to see my drawing: http://chainoflearning.com/4
• Work with me – KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/  

In this episode, you can expect to learn:

• 01:10: Discussion on 'how to be' versus 'how to do'
• 04:28: Key takeaway "Don't focus on how to do but rather on how to be."
• 07:05: Case study - Operational Excellence Practitioners
• 10:16: Learnings from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino
• 12:13: Being vs Doing in Leadership
• 16:12: Achieving Balance between Being and Doing
• 17:03: Drawing Exercise for Self-introspection
• 22:42: Taking an Intention Pause
• 24:31: Importance of Intentional Pauses
• 26:38: Relation of Being with Organizational Learning
• 28:04: Invitation to Learning Experience in Japan

What is a growth mindset? How is a growth mindset the critical foundation for an organizational culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and innovation? What is the connection between a growth mindset and a Lean mindset? 

Getting comfortable with the struggle inherent in learning something new is challenging. This can be especially true for more senior leaders and executives who have had success in their careers and might feel uncomfortable learning new skills while being out in front. If you are leading organizational change or used to being an expert in your field, it can be challenging for you too.

You won't want to miss this episode, where I speak with Dr. Carol Dweck about how to develop a growth mindset – personally and in your organization – and her tips to overcome a fixed mindset organizational culture of “genius” where leaders are enforcers of rules rather than enablers of improvement and innovation. 

Tune in now to discover how to cultivate personal and organizational growth, learning, and innovation.  

In this episode of Chain of Learning you will learn:

• The difference between growth mindset and a fixed mindset
• How a growth mindset is the foundation for continuous improvement mindset and organizational culture
• How leaders can create an organizational environment that embraces growth, experimentation, and learning from both failures and successes 
• How sharing your struggles and creating a supportive environment for others to share theirs will foster a culture of growth and achievement
• The next steps you can take to encourage a growth mindset in your organization and team – and make progress towards being the person you want to become.

Hit play to unlock this powerful continuous improvement and growth mindset strategy for yourself, your team, and your organization.

About My Guest: Carol Dweck

Carol Dweck is a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and is the bestselling author of “Mindset”, which has sold over 2 million copies globally. She is best known for her theories on the mindset, motivation, and why people succeed (or don’t) and how to foster success. 

Important Links:

• Full Episode Show Notes: http://chainoflearning.com/3
• Work with me – KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/  
• Watch the GE Lean Mindset videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP2WkL0W-BA&list=PLxRhTjvLlyoIh7CVg51ZIM5hRl5XOjlgl  

Are you enjoying the Chain of Learning podcast? Be sure to subscribe or follow –  and to share this podcast with your friends and colleagues so we can all strengthen our Chain of Learning® – together. 

In this episode, you can expect to learn:

• 00:00: Introduction 
• 00:46: Discussion on growth mindset
• 02:00: Reflections on the The Lean Mindset event
• 08:52: Reflections from the GE The Lean Mindset Event
• 10:04: Importance of continual improvement
• 14:02: Leadership approach discussed with Larry Culp
• 16:06: Challenges faced by leaders, overcoming the fear of imperfection
• 19:05: Defining a growth mindset culture
• 23:17: The role of growth mindset in progressing within an organization
• 24:10: Challenges of implementing a growth mindset within an organization
• 25:40: Discussing supportive company culture
• 26:37: Discussing styles of teaching and management
• 30:34: Discussing stepping into the unknown and taking up challenges
• 32:38: Conclusion, reflections and invitation to listeners

What does it really take to create a thriving organization  – one that is not just focused on delivering results, but doing so by engaging people’s minds AND hearts to collaborate, innovate, and solve problems as the way to get to those results?

If you’re trying to create a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement, what’s love got to do with it?

As Jamie Parker and I explore on this episode of Chain of Learning  – a lot! Love, empathy, and human connection is our focus – and you just might walk away singing a little Tina Turner too.

Learn how you can leverage human connection, empathy, and – yes – love – to more effectively lead, coach, and create a high performing organization.

You won't want to miss an episode to discover the impact fostering a growth mindset and developing human connection has on delivering the results you need.

What you can expect to take away from this episode:

• The value of sharing struggles and challenges to foster a culture of learning
• Our key takeaways from GE’s The Lean Mindset event, including hearing from leaders like GE CEO Larry Culp, PG&E CEO Patti Poppe, Ford CEO Jim Farley, Chef Wolfgang Puck, basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Professor Carol Dweck, and many more
• How leading from the heart, with love and empathy, makes us more effective leaders
• How to more effectively listen and Break the Telling Habit®
• That a focus on people is the way to achieve results.

Tune in now to discover how you can bring more love, empathy, and human connection into your leadership approach to engage your people, get better results, and build a culture of continuous learning.

About My Guest: Jamie Parker

Jamie Parker is the trusted partner for operational leaders and manufacturing executives seeking to create a high-performance culture and transformational growth, and has been a friend of mine since we met a half-decade ago. 

This conversation is the second half of a two-part conversation that she and I had about GE’s recent event, The Lean Mindset: The Pursuit of Progress. You can catch the first part on Jamie’s podcast “Lean Leadership for Ops Managers”.

Jamie’s Website: Process + Results: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamievparker/
Connect with Jamie on Process + Results: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamievparker/
Follow Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamievparker/ 

Important Links:

• Full Episode Show Notes: http://chainoflearning.com/2
• Listen to the first part of our discussion on Lead Leadership for Ops Managers podcast episode 125: Developing a Growth Mindset as a Leader with Katie Anderson: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/developing-a-growth-mindset-as-a-leader-125/   
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/
• Read my book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/  

In this episode, you can expect to learn

• 00:00: Introduction and overview of the podcast
• 01:35: Introduction of Jamie Parker
• 01:52: Discussion about GE Lean Mindset event
• 04:23: Tips on fostering growth and continuous improvement mindset
• 08:52: Leading with love and empathy
• 11:03: Challenge for the listeners
• 14:05: Leading with intention
• 18:05: The role of emotion and love in the workplace
• 20:29: Reflection on the conversation and event
• 20:59: Launch of the Chain of Learning Podcast
• 21:41: Introduction to Jamie's podcasts and the importance of subscribing
• 22:02: Post-event discussion with Mark Graben and Jim Womack
• 22:41: Reflecting on empathy and human connection in leadership
• 22:57: Subscribe to Chain of Learning podcast
• 23:09: Preview of episode three with Professor Carol Dweck

The pressure to get results and outcomes, to deliver value for customers, and to stay ahead of the competition remains paramount for organizations to survive into the future. 

But what if the way to not just survive –  but also to thrive – is not through a singular focus on the outcomes themselves, but rather the learning process to get there?

If you’re a leader who believes that people are at the center of exceptional organizational culture – and that a commitment to continuous learning is the way to create that culture – where everyone is capable, confident and empowered to solve problems and innovate at all levels – this podcast is for you!

Welcome to Chain of Learning!

Your Leadership Connection to Create a Culture of Continuous Improvement

This is your trusted resource for actionable strategies and practices to empower you to build a people-centered learning culture, get results and expand your impact, so that you AND your team, can leave a lasting legacy.

This new podcast is hosted by me, Katie Anderson. I’m an internationally recognized leadership consultant, keynote speaker, author of the award-winning book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn – and learning enthusiast.

If you are like me, you believe in learning and continuous improvement. You know the impact this can have on people, teams, and organizations. You have a passion for solving important problems, improving processes, and achieving goals. You thrive on the challenge of figuring out how to make something better. And you love learning and improving. But more importantly, you too are inspired by creating connections between people and ideas, and what it means to help others learn, grow, and achieve more than they thought was possible. 

This is what you can expect from Chain of Learning:

• Learn from me and other thought leaders and professionals about how to achieve your goal of creating a thriving people-centered culture of continuous improvement and achieve business results
• Walk away with tangible practices and strategies that you can apply immediately 
• Discover how you can become a highly influential change leader who accelerates the rate of learning and impact in your organization.

What is a “Chain of Learning”?

Chain of Learning® is one of my core principles. We are all leaders and learners – connected together by the bond between us. There is no strength in isolated links. We learn and improve better – together – and it’s why I started this podcast.

A Chain of Learning is a metaphor for what a successful people-centered learning organization is all about – the connection and support between people to learn through success and failure alike,  grow, and achieve more than they could have on their own. This is the power of our Chain of Learning. 

At my core, I believe: When we stay in learning, anything is possible.

In this introductory episode, I explore this and more. I invite you to hit play. Be sure to subscribe or follow and share it with your friends and colleagues so we can all strengthen our Chain of Learning® – together. 

Important Links:

• Full Show Notes: http://chainoflearning.com/1
• My website: KBJAnderson.com
• My book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ 
• Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/
• Subscribe to my newsletter: https://kbjanderson.com/contact/ 

In this episode you can expect to learn:

00:00: Introduction to this podcast Chain of Learning
02:07: Challenges in developing a people-centred learning culture
03:26: Goals for the Chain of Learning podcast
04:16: Upcoming discussions with global thought leaders
06:43: Concept behind Chain of Learning
08:17: Request to subscribe and share the podcast.

How do we create an organization that has a growth mindset? So often, we look at our teams to see how they can improve, but building a culture of improvement starts with us as the leaders. In this episode, Katie Anderson joins us to discuss GE's Lean Mindset Event and how to develop a growth mindset as a leader.

What You'll Learn from this Episode:

• Change Begins with Leadership
• Learning to Step into Something New
• Differences Between Fixed and Growth Mindset
• Growth Mindset is the Foundation of Continuous Improvement

Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/125

If you’re a leader who knows that people are at the center of exceptional organizational culture – and that a commitment to continuous learning is the way to create that culture – tune in now to Chain of Learning.

Chain of Learning® is where the links of leadership and learning unite.

Join your host, Katie Anderson, internationally recognized leadership consultant, award-winning author of “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”, and fellow learning enthusiast, for a journey that will help you master the skills to lead your organization from a traditional culture of “doing” into a vibrant, high-performing organization of continuous learning. 

Chain of Learning® is the trusted source for purpose-driven leaders and continuous improvement, lean, and agile practitioners seeking positive inspiration, innovative ideas, proven best practices, and actionable strategies to lead transformational change.

Tune into each episode to gain the knowledge and skills you need to build a thriving people-centered learning culture, achieve needed business results, and expand your impact, so that you – and your team – can leave a lasting legacy.

Subscribe and follow Chain of Learning® today so you never miss an episode!

Podcast website: ChainOfLearning.com
Katie Anderson’s website: KBJAnderson.com
Connect with Katie Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/
Read Katie's book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com

How do you approach safety? As leaders, it's easy to focus on policies to ensure everyone follows the rules, but safety encompasses so much more than procedures; it is a team sport. In this episode, Jamie shares how safety starts with our mindset and culture within our team.

What You'll Learn from this Episode:

• Safety is a product of servant leadership
• Safety is an expression of love
• An evaluation of the safety in our organizations

Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/124

Hello from New York! I am coming to you live from GE's Lean Mindset Event, which focuses on encouraging the right mindset to embrace lean and features several excellent speakers across different industries, including CEOs from top companies, former NBA and NFL players, and more. In this episode, I share an overview of the event, plus my initial reaction and key takeaways.

What You'll Learn from this Episode

• Live from New York
• My initial reactions and key takeaways
• A Lean Mindset leads to Lean Thinking
• Lean Tools versus Lean Thinking
• Leaning into the Growth Mindset
• Genuinely going to Gemba

https://processplusresults.com/podcast/123

Is there any greater priority in today’s business environment than attracting and retaining talented and dedicated employees? In today’s episode, Tracy O’Rourke explains the critical impact of meaningful leader routines on the engagement of a company’s workforce.  

What You’ll Learn from this Episode:  

• The role of leader routines in improving culture
• Steps for implementing and enhancing Leader Standard Work
• Ideas for effectively managing time while adding new leader routines

Learn more and find full show notes:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/110

Are you a fan of one-on-ones? Most managers aren’t. But that’s because most managers haven’t had great one-on-ones modeled for them. If you want to lead through relationships, then valuable one-on-ones are a key activity to master.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why doing one-on-ones is one of the most critical leadership routines for managers
• What managers get wrong with one-on-ones
• Answers to the most common questions about one-on-ones
• Important elements that make up an effective one-on-one
• The foundation of an effective one-on-one agenda

Learn more and find full show notes:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/103

What do you mean when you say the word coaching? Do you think of an iconic sports coach yelling plays from the sideline or giving an inspirational speech in the locker room? As leaders, we coach our team members to help them learn and grow, but I’ve discovered that coaching is used incorrectly in many instances.

In this episode, we are diving into what I mean by coaching, how it’s different from other definitions, and why it even matters.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

• What Coaching Is Not
• My Definition of Coaching
• What Coaching Means as an Operations Executive
• Coaching as Part of Development

Learn more and find full shownotes at:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/102

How have you expanded your team as your organization continues to grow? Does your hiring strategy align with the organization’s values and vision? 

The Process Plus Results team is expanding, and in this special 100th Episode Edition, Jamie shares how the team’s strengths intersect and complement each other. Plus, the team members join us to share what they do, the value they bring, and how that applies to their direct team and operations leaders as a whole. 

What You'll Learn in this Episode:

• Creating a Team of Intersecting Strengths
• Knowing When to Let Go
• Keeping a People-Centered Focus in Lean
• Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone
• Top Episode and Recommendations

Learn more and get full shownotes at:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/100