Best Bodek Podcasts (2026)

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Toyota Thinking for Knowledge Work: Don Kieffer on Dynamic Work Design 50:31

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27d ago50:31

50:31

Don Kieffer has spent more than fifty years redesigning how real work gets done. In this episode, he explains why so many improvement efforts stall—and how Dynamic Work Design offers a clearer, more practical way forward. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Don traces his path from machinist to Vice President of Operational Excellence at …

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Lean Leadership Routines That Sustain Results: Darren Walsh on Moving Beyond Firefighting 52:57

2M ago52:57

52:57

My guest for Episode #539 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Darren Walsh, author of Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work: A Leader’s Guide to Increasing Consistency and Getting Significantly More Done in Less Time. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Darren is the Director and Leadership Coach at Making Lean Work Ltd and holds…

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Why Leaders Get Trapped in Firefighting — Nelson Repenning on Lean and Dynamic Work Design 56:10

2M ago56:10

56:10

My guest for Episode #538 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Nelson Repenning, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center and co-creator of Dynamic Work Design. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Nelson describes himself as an "organizational engineer," helping leaders redesign the routines and decisions that determine how work re…

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Psychological Safety and Quality — C.J. Kaufman on the ASQ Cincinnati 2025 Conference 15:22

2M ago15:22

15:22

In this special bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, Mark Graban is joined by C.J. Kaufman, Education Chair for the ASQ Cincinnati Section, to preview the ASQ Southwest Ohio 2025 Conference, themed “Excellence Through Quality.” Episode page with transcript, video, and more Taking place Saturday, November 8, 2025, in Mason, Ohio, the event brings …

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Caroline Greenlee & Chris Butterworth on Caring Cultures, Psychological Safety, and Lean 51:05

3M ago51:05

51:05

My guests for Episode #537 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Caroline Greenlee and Chris Butterworth, two of the three co-authors (with Chris Warner) of the book Why Care: How Thriving Individuals Create Thriving Cultures of Continuous Improvement Within Organizations. Episode page with transcript and more In this conversation, we discuss the…

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Ask Us Anything! — Lean Coffee Talk with Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh 3:36

3M ago3:36

3:36

In this short bonus episode, I’m joined by my friend and Lean Coffee Talk co-host, Jamie Flinchbaugh. We’re inviting you — our listeners and fellow continuous-improvement thinkers — to help shape upcoming conversations. We’d love to hear your questions about Lean, leadership, culture, and problem-solving. The best discussions often start with the t…

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Carlos Scholz on Lean Healthcare Leadership and Psychological Safety 59:59

3M ago59:59

59:59

In Episode 536 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, Mark Graban talks with Carlos Scholz, the new CEO of Episode page with video, transcript, and more In this episode, Carlos shares lessons from his Lean journey—starting with one-piece flow in apparel manufacturing and continuing through large-scale healthcare transformations. He explains why lasti…

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Previewing the LPPDE 2025 Conference with Geoff Neiley & Andrew Wagner 14:05

4M ago14:05

14:05

In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban is joined by Geoff Neiley (chair) and Andrew Wagner (co-chair) of the Lean Product & Process Development Exchange (LPPDE). The 2025 North America Conference will be held October 27–30 in Milwaukee, bringing together Lean practitioners, leaders, and innovators to share insights on reduc…

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Profitable at Any Price: Lessons from Toyota, Daily Kaizen, and Safer Workplaces with Gregg Stocker 46:39

4M ago46:39

46:39

Episode blog post with video, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #535 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Gregg Stocker, a seasoned Lean practitioner, consultant, and author. Over the past 30+ years, Gregg has worked across industries, including oil and gas, energy services, manufacturing, and construction, guiding both independent operat…

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Dale Lucht on Leadership Habits That Sustain Lean Transformations 57:55

4M ago57:55

57:55

My guest for Episode #534 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dale Lucht, co-author of the new book Don't Repeat Our Mistakes: Nine Lessons for Leaders Championing Cultural Transformations. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Dale has led Lean transformations in manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services, and he brings decades o…

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Previewing the AME 2025 International Conference & Workshops with William Harvey 14:29

4M ago14:29

14:29

In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, Mark Graban is joined by William Harvey, AME 2025 Workshop Chair (and 2026 Conference Chair), to preview the AME Annual Conference coming up in St. Louis, October 6–9, 2025. Topics We Discuss ✅ Why AME is for all continuous improvement leaders—not just manufacturing ✅ The 2025 conference theme: Gateway…

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Building Independent, Empowered Teams Through 6 Transformational Leadership Habits, with Cheryl Jekiel 54:14

4M ago54:14

54:14

My guest for Episode #533 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Cheryl Jekiel, founder of the Lean Leadership Center and a longtime advocate for aligning continuous improvement with people-centered leadership. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Cheryl is the author of Lean Human Resources, and her latest book, Let Go to Lead: Six Habits…

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Coaching Relentless Problem Solvers and Building a Culture of Lean Thinking -- Anne Frewin's Leadership Approach 1:03:42

5M ago1:03:42

1:03:42

My guest for Episode #532 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Anne Frewin, a seasoned Lean leader with over 12 years of improvement experience in healthcare, laboratories, and manufacturing. Updated with the correct audio Episode page with video, transcript, and more Anne's background in finance and healthcare administration provided her with a …

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Patrick Adams Previews the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit in Detroit 20:26

5M ago20:26

20:26

In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban welcomes back Patrick Adams, founder of the Lean Solutions team and author of Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap—a Shingo Publication Award-winning book. Patrick joins the show to preview the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit, taking place September 23–25 in Detroit, Michigan, at the Wes…

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Jared Thatcher on Growing the Global Lean Summit and Partnering with Toyota 10:39

5M ago10:39

10:39

In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban talks with Jared Thatcher, founder of the Global Lean Summit, to preview the upcoming event taking place September 23–25, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana. Jared shares the Summit’s origin story—from a virtual event launched during COVID lockdowns to a high-impact in-person gathering that …

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Melisa Buie on Lean Culture, Scientific Thinking, and Empowering Engineers 54:53

5M ago54:53

54:53

My guest for Episode #531 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dr. Melisa Buie, a seasoned operations and engineering leader with decades of experience in high-tech manufacturing. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Melisa has held senior roles at companies like Lam Research, Applied Materials, and Coherent, where she led large-scale Le…

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Transforming Healthcare: Ken Segel on Lean, Shingo, and Operating Systems 48:52

6M ago48:52

48:52

My guest for Episode #530 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Ken Segel, Co-Founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Value Capture. Episode page with video and more With over two decades of experience in healthcare improvement, Ken has been instrumental in guiding Value Capture's mission: helping healthcare organizations pursue habitual excelle…