My 10 Favorite Problem Solving Quotes

I love problems solving. It was my favorite thing to learn and work on early in my career and still is today. Something about the feeling and sense of accomplishment whenever you are able to wrestle a problem into submission and eliminate it from recurring. Most of my books and work I do for clients involves problem solving in some form or other. Everything is problem solving i...
Read More

Situational Leadership, Toyota Style Coaching, & 4 Types of Problems

Here is an 18 minute video I made about my experiences with Situational Leadership Theory, Coaching Styles in Toyota, and my latest book 4 Types of Problems. If you enjoy the video please hit like and subscribe on YouTube and that will be my signal to make more of these. And for those interested please sign up for the free introductory course on 4 Types of Problems over at Prob...
Read More

Problem Solving Interview with LEI

Chet Marchwinski of LEI conducted a short interview with Art Smalley regarding problem solving and improvement. The video was just posted on-line by LEI at the following link: http://www.lean.org/LeanPost/Posting.cfm?LeanPostId=628 The book on the 4 Types of Problems is due to be published by LEI later this year. I will announce any updates when we hear of a release date ...
Read More

Lean Conference Brazil 2015

I'll be one of the key note speakers in Brazil this month at a major lean conference in Sao Paulo. The conference theme deals with improving during slow economic times. There will be a mix of attendees from various industries and service sectors. During my 90 minute presentation I will talk about the importance of leadership thinking and "shaping" routines required to drive res...
Read More

Lean Coaching Summit: 4 Types of Problems

I gave a presentation at the 2015 Lean Coaching Summit in Seattle Washington earlier this summer. The contents deal with establishing a logical frame work for various types of problems and coaching routines overall. The contents are part of a workbook I am collaborating on with John Shook and the Lean Enterprise Institute. We hope to have it ready to publish by the end of this ...
Read More

Houshin Kanri and PDCA Management

In this month's question over on the Lean Edge Klaus Peterson, Solar's Group process manager asks how do we ensure focus on constant momentum on our lean journey? My response over on the Lean Edge: This question centers upon how do you maintain focus and momentum on a Lean journey. In a nutshell that is why Toyota developed and utilized its form of Houshin Kanri and PDCA ...
Read More

Toyota’s Functional Organization

In this month's question over on the Lean Edge Klaus Peterson, Solar's Group process manager asks about how to transform a silo based organization into a more horizontal one focusing on business practices. Here is my response posted over on the Lean Edge. I don’t have a very snappy answer with five insightful key points for the question posited this month. The question po...
Read More

Standardized Work Confusion

This month's question over over on the Lean Edge comes from Cécile Roche, Thales LEAN Director - Probasis and she asks about Standardized Work and whether it is an individual effort or collective effort. My response posted over at the Lean Edge: If I had five dollars for every question I ever had to answer about Standardized Work or Standards inside of Toyota I’d be a ver...
Read More