My guest for Episode #528 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mark Reich, a Senior Lean Coach with the Lean Enterprise Institute and former Toyota leader with over two decades of experience.

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Mark spent six years working in Japan, including helping launch the Lexus brand and later leading Hoshin Kanri strategy processes during Toyota's rapid growth in North America. He also played a pivotal role at the Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC), helping bring the Toyota Production System to manufacturing, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. In our conversation, we dive into his career journey, his approach to Lean leadership, and the practical lessons behind his new book, Managing on Purpose: Using Hoshin Kanri to Develop Strategy, Align Teams, Grow Leaders, and Innovate Your Enterprise.

You can get a 25% discount on the book via LEI using the code LBIPODCAST25.

Mark shares compelling stories from his early days at Toyota, including working on the front lines of assembly, learning by doing, and his first experience pulling the andon cord. These moments shaped his appreciation for Toyota's deep respect for frontline work and its commitment to developing people. He reflects on how Toyota embeds learning and support into problem solving, where pulling the cord is seen as a learning opportunity, not a failure. That mindset became foundational for his later work, especially when managing enterprise-wide strategy through Hoshin Kanri.

We also explore what Hoshin Kanri really is--and what it isn't. Mark challenges the overemphasis on tools like the X-matrix and instead advocates for focusing on purpose, alignment, and leadership behavior. He explains how strategy deployment at Toyota was never a one-way cascade, but a dialogue grounded in humility, curiosity, and shared responsibility. Whether you're new to Hoshin or struggling to sustain it, Mark offers insights that can help any leader make strategy a living, breathing part of organizational culture.

• How did you end up working for Toyota, and what led you to Japan?
• What was your educational background, and did you already speak Japanese before moving there?
• What was your initial role at Toyota, and how did it relate to their global expansion?
• Did you meet or work with John Shook during your time in Japan?
• How did Toyota develop you into an industrial engineer despite your background in English writing?
• What was it like working in a Toyota plant, and what did you learn from that experience?
• Did you experience any early mistakes or learning moments while working the line?
• How did your role evolve after leaving Japan, and how did you get involved with Hoshin Kanri in North America?
• What challenges was Toyota North America facing that made Hoshin Kanri so essential?
• How did you facilitate alignment and catchball between Toyota's plants and leadership teams?
• How do you define Hoshin, strategy, and Hoshin Kanri?
• Why do you prefer not to use the term "strategy deployment," and what's the issue with top-down-only thinking?
• How do you coach executives to embrace catchball and bottom-up engagement?
• How do you balance executive direction with frontline input in strategy development?
• What role does psychological safety play in making Hoshin Kanri work?
• How does A3 problem solving fit into the Hoshin process, and how does it help build capability?
• Why is it important for executives to practice PDCA and engage in direct problem solving?
• What's the difference between long-cycle and short-cycle PDCA, and how should leaders manage both?
• Why does it take most organizations a couple of years to fully embed Hoshin Kanri?
• What lessons do companies learn when they start with too many strategic initiatives?
• Why did you choose not to include the X-matrix in your book, and what are your thoughts on its use?
• What business problems does Hoshin Kanri best help organizations solve?
• How can Hoshin Kanri help clarify the distinction between daily management and long-term strategic work

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.

My guest for Episode #527 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dave Fitzpatrick, co-founder of Zenkai Improvement Partners and a 30-year resident of Japan. Dave brings a unique perspective as a Canadian Lean practitioner who has worked extensively in both manufacturing and healthcare, guiding international leaders on immersive study experiences throughout Japan.

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In this episode, Dave and I share details about a new collaboration we're leading together--the Lean Healthcare Accelerator Experience. This is a jointly developed series of immersive visits to high-performing organizations in Japan, designed specifically for healthcare executives who want to see Lean principles in action across both hospitals and manufacturing settings. We talk about why we're creating this experience, what makes it unique, and how cultural context, leadership behaviors, and intentional long-term commitments drive sustainable improvement--not because it's "just Japan," but because of the systems and mindsets these organizations have cultivated.

Dave shares his personal Lean journey, including how he transitioned from working in aeronautics to leading study tours for visiting professionals. He reflects on the differences between Japanese and Western companies when it comes to employee engagement, psychological safety, and respect for people. We also preview the first Accelerator trip taking place in June 2025 and discuss what makes these experiences so valuable and transformational for participants.

Whether you're in healthcare or another industry, this conversation is packed with insights about creating a culture of continuous improvement--and how a visit to Japan can accelerate your learning.

• Can you share your origin story--how did you first get involved with Lean, Kaizen, or the Toyota Production System?
• What initially stood out to you when you began visiting Japanese manufacturing and healthcare organizations?
• From your experience, what cultural factors give Japanese organizations an advantage--or do they?
• How do successful Japanese companies build deep employee engagement and commitment to improvement?
• What lessons can visitors take home from Japan--and why is it not just about being "Japanese"?
• What are some common misconceptions people have before visiting Japan on these study experiences?
• How does hierarchy or seniority in Japanese companies affect psychological safety and speaking up?
• What kinds of organizations will we be visiting during the Lean Healthcare Accelerator?
• What role will Reiko Kano play in these visits, and how does her expertise go beyond translation?
• What's the value of including manufacturing visits in a healthcare-focused learning experience?
• How do Japanese companies view improvement work in relation to headcount and job security?
• Why is respect for people and time such a noticeable theme in Japanese customer service and operations?
• What do you hope participants in the Lean Healthcare Accelerator take away from this experience?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.

My guest for Episode #526 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Bill Canady, a seasoned global business executive, U.S. Navy veteran, and current CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products.

Bill has led over 30 operating companies and thousands of employees across the industrial and consumer products landscape. Formerly CEO of OTC Industrial Technologies, he helped drive impressive growth-boosting revenues by 43% and earnings by 78%.

Bill is also the author of The 80/20 CEO and the upcoming From Panic to Profit, and he's a vocal advocate for using Lean and the 80/20 principle as complementary tools for transformation.

We discuss Bill’s personal Lean journey, which began with Six Sigma and evolved into a deep appreciation for the power of Lean and continuous improvement. He shares how daily management, Kaizen events, and a focus on flow became core to his leadership toolkit—not just on the shop floor but also across the “carpeted” functions like order-to-cash and sales. As CEO, Bill doesn’t just support Lean; he expects it. He talks candidly about making continuous improvement a condition of employment, not through fear, but by creating a culture where people feel safe, engaged, and energized by problem-solving.

You’ll hear Bill’s insights on applying Lean as a strategic enabler for profitable growth—not just a cost-cutting tool. He explains how the 80/20 principle helps companies focus their improvement energy on what really matters and how Lean helps teams sustain those improvements. He also shares real-world lessons on leadership, cultural alignment, and navigating resistance to change—especially among those clinging to old firefighting habits.

Whether you’re a Lean practitioner, an executive, or someone aspiring to lead, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom. Bill offers a compelling blueprint for how to lead with humility, clarity, and purpose—using Lean and the 80/20 mindset to build resilient, high-performing organizations.

• Can you share your origin story with continuous improvement and Lean?
• What was the context in which you were first introduced to these methodologies?
• How did your role evolve from operations into broader P&L responsibility?
• How did your perspective on Lean shift when you became a CEO?
• What role does daily management play in sustaining operational excellence?
• How do you apply Lean principles outside the factory floor—especially in “carpet land”?
• As a CEO, how do you strike the balance between solving problems yourself and enabling others to be problem solvers?
• How do you respond when leaders or team members resist Lean thinking or default to old firefighting habits?
• What does it mean to make Lean a “condition of employment,” and how do you introduce that mindset?
• How do you ensure people understand Lean isn’t about layoffs, but about redeployment and growth?
• How do you connect Lean initiatives with business growth, not just cost reduction?
• Do you have an example of how improving quality or delivery led directly to business growth or profitability?
• What inspired you to write your first book, The 80/20 CEO?
• Why are the first 100 days so critical for a new leader?
• How does the 80/20 principle help leaders prioritize improvement efforts?
• What’s the relationship between 80/20 analysis and Lean execution in your approach?
• What can we do to help more CEOs understand and embrace Lean as a strategic business system?
• How can companies start building momentum with Lean—even if they’re just getting started?
• What’s the focus of your new book From Panic to Profit, and how does it expand on your first?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.