17/10/2026
🌐I’ll be honest.
It’s been a long and busy year.
And recently, I was starting to flag a little.
I’m still a little tired from a lack of sleep ;)
But my energy levels have definitely been restored.
Thanks to a cracking few days in West Michigan, speaking and learning alongside leaders, managers and improvement practitioners at the Lean Solutions Global Summit.
What stood out?
When it comes to Lean and continuous improvement...
Michigan rocks.
There’s a strong improvement community being built there.
People genuinely hungry to learn, challenge their thinking and make work better.
And I came away with plenty to think about.
At Menlo Innovations, a digital software business, they still use paper for day-to-day project planning and visual management.
Why?
Because technology should support the work, not become a barrier between people and the work.
And perhaps more importantly, managers have a responsibility to create meaningful work and remove bureaucracy and fear.
At Elevate Construction, the message was equally powerful:
Don’t start work until you can finish it in flow.
They use takt planning on large, bespoke construction projects and insist on standards.
Not because they want more bureaucracy.
Because standards help people work safely, successfully and with confidence.
At Disher, I heard about steward leadership.
Leaders are not empire builders.
They are stewards, entrusted with the organisation, its people and its resources, with a responsibility to leave them better than they found them.
Jeff Liker shared his latest thinking on Lean and technology, particularly the difference between a Fast Tech and Smart Tech approach.
And John Dyer reminded us why Deming’s thinking remains so relevant today, decades after his 14 principles were developed.
Different organisations, different sectors, different approaches.
But one common thread:
Lean and continuous improvement are ultimately about how we lead and manage.
My own breakout sessions focused on something I’ve spent years trying to understand:
Why do so many leaders and managers struggle to make Lean and continuous improvement work?
Even in organisations with big improvement teams, extensive training and awards?
And more importantly:
What do leaders need to do differently?
Tools and technology matter.
But they are enablers.
The bigger challenge is creating the management systems, leadership behaviours and meaningful work that allow people to improve every day.
That’s what I’ll take away from West Michigan.
Along with renewed energy, some great new connections and a reminder of why I love this work. Michigan, you were brilliant.
Great speaking with Patrick Adams, Shayne Daughenbaugh, Joe Dyer, Rich Sheridan, Jason Schroeder, John Dyer, Jeffrey Liker, Dana McGovern, MBA Cindy Darnell and so many more.
