Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ A global economic crisis is dragging down sales. Departments are working in silos and leaders at all levels are arguing about priorities. Managers are too busy to coach their teams. You might think this describes your organization today—and it was the exact situation Toyota faced nearly 50 years ago. This challenge sparked one of the most ambitious and influential—and least known outside Japan—leadership develo...
Jul 09, 2025•53 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Is it possible to lead a real, long-term cultural transformation in a publicly traded company—where shareholders often demand short-term financial results? It’s challenging, yet possible. And GE Aerospace, with CEO Larry Culp at the helm, is leading the way. I invited Phil Wickler, Chief Transformation Officer, back to discuss the enterprise-wide shift toward lean at GE Aerospace. We explore what it takes to bu...
Jun 25, 2025•46 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ How effective is your organization's strategy in achieving results? If your team doesn't understand how their daily work connects to bigger organizational goals, you don't have a strategy—you have a gap. A gap in engagement. A gap in alignment. This gap leads to confusion, misaligned priorities, and wasted effort. I’m joined by Mark Reich, author of “ Managing on Purpose” , to explore how hoshin kanri – often t...
Jun 11, 2025•51 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ How many questions is too many? You know that asking effective questions is key to helping others solve problems and unlocking improvement, but can you ask too many questions? Yes! And when you do so, you actually hinder progress, not enable it. In this episode, I share one of the most common mistakes leaders and coaches alike make when learning to Break the Telling Habit® and moving from “telling” to “asking”....
May 28, 2025•21 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What’s the real purpose behind the Japanese practices integral to lean management —like kata, obeya, and A3 reports? These methods are often misunderstood as mere templates or formats, without recognizing the deeper meaning and intention that drive their impact. In this episode, we’re picking up on my conversation with Tim Wolput, Japanologist, Toyota Way management expert, and former World Aikido Champion, in ...
May 14, 2025•34 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ How much of the Toyota Way is dependent on Japanese culture? And how much of it all comes down to… being human? There are questions I’ve explored with 130+ global leaders who’ve joined my Japan Leadership Experience programs. To help you answer this question, I’ve invited Tim Wolput – Japanologist and Toyota Way Management expert, to Chain of Learning. Together, we take a deep (and fun!) dive into the differenc...
Apr 30, 2025•46 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ You’re doing great work….yet you know you and the change you envision could have greater influence. You have a vision for more. More strategic work. More influence. More change that really makes an impact and actually sticks -- for your clients or organization. Only question—how do you get there? The issue isn’t your talent or skills. It’s how you and your work are positioned —how your clients or organization s...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Do you ever feel overwhelmed that you are responsible for doing too much? Maybe you’re frustrated that your team relies on you for answers instead of developing their own solutions. Or you’re disappointed that improvements fall apart as soon as you step away. The problem: You’re likely stuck in the Doer Trap—and it’s holding you (and your team) back from the results you want. The good news? There’s a way out. I...
Apr 02, 2025•39 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Ever feel like your to-do list never ends? Running from meeting to meeting with no time to think—let alone lead or create? You’re not alone. The problem isn’t you – that you’re not working hard enough. You’re probably stuck in the complexity trap—buried in endless demands, inefficiencies, and busywork that keep you (and your team) from doing what truly matters. To help you simplify and focus on meaningful work,...
Mar 19, 2025•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What have we really learned after four decades of lean? Is lean thinking still relevant today? And importantly — what needs to change to ensure its future success? In the previous episode, I sat down with James Womack, founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute, to look back on 40 years of lean thinking and management since the publication of The Machine That Changed the World. In this episode, we look ahead to t...
Mar 05, 2025•33 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ “Lean has failed.” That’s the bold statement James Womack—founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute and MIT researcher whose team introduced the term “lean” to the world—made at a conference where we both recently spoke. That really stuck with me. Has lean really failed? If so, what can we do to course correct? To explore this, I invited him to share his reflections and experiences over the past 40 years—where h...
Feb 19, 2025•55 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ How often do you pause to get a clearer view of your purpose and learn how your life experiences influence your leadership impact? Whether it’s in the moment to reflect on a recent situation or zooming out at a major milestone to see the bigger picture, reflection can be incredibly powerful. I’m hitting pause myself this week as I turn the big 5-0! I share two concepts that have helped me understand what it mea...
Feb 05, 2025•24 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What do you do when you’re stuck between two conflicting options? Deliver short-term results or take a long-term view? Focus on business outcomes or people development? Help by being the expert with the answer or a coach asking questions? For most of us, these competing choices are a source of conflict. We deal with uncertainty by asserting certainty that there are two distinct options to choose between. But wh...
Jan 22, 2025•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Why do 70-90% of change initiatives fail? That’s a staggering statistic. In many cases, new leadership comes in, economic pressures rise, or the next "flavor of the month" initiative takes over. What’s happening and what can you do to counteract this trend? And if you are a change leader, lean practitioner, or continuous improvement coach, how do you avoid this becoming a career limiting move? To help us answer...
Jan 08, 2025•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What questions are on your mind? That’s the question I posed to you last month when I asked you to “Ask me anything!” I received many great questions and, as promised, I’ve picked five to dive into during this episode. Asking the right questions is a fundamental part of leading transformational change. It’s not just about finding answers—it’s about understanding why we ask our questions and how we react when ot...
Dec 23, 2024•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Is your organization stuck in a constant state of crisis, where everything feels like an urgent, must-fix-now situation? As a leader, cutting through that noise is key to prioritizing and aligning your team’s efforts to focus on what really matters. In this episode, Isaac Mitchell, VP of Operational Excellence at Ballad Health System, shares his experience leading through Hurricane Helene and how he's fostering...
Dec 11, 2024•53 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ It’s Chain of Learning’s first anniversary this month! And it’s the time of year for gratitude and thanks – and for reflection. Thank you for listening and for being part of this Chain of Learning that we are growing together. To mark this podcast milestone, I want to practice what I talk about on nearly every episode – reflection – as I believe it IS the foundation of learning and impact. In this episode, I sh...
Nov 27, 2024•35 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Has your organization been making progress on its continuous improvement journey, only to find things starting to stall? Is your team hesitant to share ideas, or are your lean or process improvement initiatives viewed mainly as cost-cutting measures rather than a comprehensive strategy for long-term success? Perhaps you've been focusing on just one side of the path of excellence—improvement processes and tools—...
Nov 13, 2024•43 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Do you ever feel like you're stuck between chaos and bureaucracy, unable to break free from the status quo? You are probably facing a common challenge that other leaders and change practitioners experience: how to navigate uncertainty while trying to drive innovation and agility in your organization. In this episode, Atif Rafiq, seasoned C-suite executive and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of “Decision ...
Oct 30, 2024•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Do you ever feel stuck as a leader? It may seem like no matter how many problems you solve or tools you implement, you're still not seeing progress toward a sustainable organizational culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. Maybe you have been leading change the wrong way. In this episode, Cindy Hinds shares what she’s learned from 25 years of experience about how to lead organizational ch...
Oct 16, 2024•36 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Ever felt like your meetings or workshops aren’t moving the needle? How would you like to facilitate your next work session with confidence and ensure that your leaders are leaving motivated, aligned, and action-oriented? Whether you're a continuous improvement practitioner, consultant, manager, or executive—facilitation is a crucial skill to master to become a transformational change leader. It’s the key to ho...
Oct 02, 2024•30 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Want to inspire action in your presentations and transform your message from boring to unforgettable? The secret: it’s not data and facts that create impact — it's your stories. As humans, we’re wired to remember and respond to stories because they connect with our emotions and drive our decisions. Storytelling is more than just a trending term; it’s the fundamental way to connect with your audience on a deeper...
Sep 18, 2024•40 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Do you and your leadership team feel burdened by solving all the problems that get in the way of achieving the results your organization needs? You’re not alone. This is the crux of the leadership challenge: transitioning from being the primary problem-solver to a transformational leader who creates the conditions for their people to achieve results. This requires a shift in mindset and a shift in behavior, and...
Sep 04, 2024•54 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ If you're passionate about continuous improvement, quality, or operational excellence, chances are Dr. W. Edwards Deming has shaped your journey—even if you haven't realized it yet. But do you know how this influence came about and the profound impact Deming’s management theories have had on shaping quality and improvement approaches such as Lean, Agile, and DevOps? I've invited John Willis, author of "Deming's...
Aug 21, 2024•54 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What does “winning” mean to you as a leader? And what is your leadership role in creating a winning strategy and organizational culture? According to Billy Ray Taylor , CEO and President at LinkedXL and former Goodyear Tire executive, winning is not only about setting a clear strategy and aligning on the goals and metrics, but engaging your team members and defining the actions to get there. Billy and I recorde...
Aug 07, 2024•39 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Have you ever paused to reflect on the critical moments of your life and realized their impact on your own trajectory and others' lives? In this special episode of Chain of Learning, I welcome back Isao Yoshino as we celebrate our decade-long partnership and the anniversary of our book " Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn ." Together, we discuss the power of hansei—reflection—as the cornerstone of learning and ...
Jul 24, 2024•58 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Today's guest, Isao Yoshino, a 40-year Toyota leader, has influenced thousands of leaders worldwide and inspired my book, "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn." Join us as we celebrate two anniversaries: our first meeting in July 2014 and the four-year anniversary of our book. In Part 1 of our conversation, Mr. Yoshino shares his insights on leadership, learning, and the Chain of Learning® concept. We'll discuss...
Jul 10, 2024•41 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Have you ever received blank stares from leaders when you’ve advocated that they adopt an improvement method or tool you know will help them? Perhaps the problem is not your idea but rather that you aren’t communicating in a way that connects these concepts with the business outcomes they need or in language that they understand. One hurdle that can hinder your effectiveness in influencing executives is the ver...
Jun 26, 2024•46 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Do you e 𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆-𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 — 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁? Or have you ever struggled with getting your senior team on board with your vision for change, getting support for a new initiative, or getting leaders to sign on to your services as a coach or consultant? Good news ...
Jun 12, 2024•51 min
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ What do you think of when you hear the word “kaizen”? An event? A process that you are working on improving? Something else? The Japanese word “kaizen” is usually translated to mean “continuous improvement.” But there is a deeper meaning. It’s actually the lynchpin to creating a real culture of continuous improvement. In this episode, I unpack the essence of kaizen, not only as a method for process improvement ...
May 29, 2024•27 min
