The Yuri Group

05/19/2025

✨ Something truly special happened last week.✨

The very first Center to Shape workshop came to life—and with it, a room full of leaders willing to slow down, get their hands dirty, and shape something real.

Using clay as our teacher, we explored what it means to lead from within—through presence, tension, and creative resistance.

💬 One participant shared:
“There is a delicate balance between applying pressure and letting go.” Leadership, like pottery, is about finding that edge—not too much, not too little.
Another said “Mistakes are just mistakes—and you can always start again.”
Isn’t that the truth?

The feedback has filled my heart:
🫶 “I could still feel the clay in my hands before I went to bed.”
🫶 “Transformational? 100%.”
🫶 “Everyone felt the care you put into our experience.”

This wasn't your typical workshop—it was quiet, messy, surprising, and deeply human. And we’re just getting started.

🌀 Center to Shape is perfect for executive teams, leadership retreats, and anyone looking to reconnect with their voice and vision.

Want to bring this experience to your group?
Let’s talk.

02/21/2025

Shaping Clay, Shaping Change

Last night in the studio, hands covered in clay, I was reminded—again—how much transformation depends on patience, pressure, and the willingness to adapt.

Pottery isn’t just about forcing clay into a shape; it’s about working with the material, understanding its limits, and making small, intentional adjustments to get the result you want. Sound familiar?

In change management and operational excellence, we see the same principles at play. Sustainable transformation isn’t about forcing change—it’s about creating the right conditions, applying steady guidance, and allowing systems (and people) to take shape in a way that lasts.

Just like in pottery, if we rush the process, the structure collapses. If we neglect alignment, the form becomes unstable. But when we approach it with care, consistency, and the right touch, we create something truly remarkable.

What’s a transformation you’ve been shaping lately—at work or in life?

02/20/2025

Excited to host this exclusive executive roundtable breakfast, where we will explore how the Shingo Model helps organizations move beyond tools and build a culture that drives sustained high performance and competitive advantage.

Free to Greater Fort Wayne Inc. members!

How the Shingo Model Transforms Culture & Results

01/22/2025

Excited to be a part of this awesome free event. I've seen a preview of the speakers and topics and you will want to be sure to check it out.

2023 Shingo Conference, Utah: Lean, Operational Excellence, Culture

01/10/2025

Happy Friday!

This week we are talking about a continuous improvement tool that isn't the most widely used, but could be just the most basic and effective one you reach for.

01/06/2025

🌟 New Year, New Opportunity to Design Better Systems 🌟

As we step into 2025, let’s talk about something critical yet often overlooked: the gap between training and ex*****on in leadership.

Here’s a common pain point I see: despite extensive leadership training programs, frontline leadership remains inconsistent. This can lead to disengaged teams, missed goals, and a culture that feels fragmented.
The problem often isn’t the training itself—it’s the lack of systems design to operationalize those behaviors.

In the Shingo framework, we understand that systems drive behaviors, and behaviors drive results. Without systems that reinforce and sustain desired leadership practices, even the best training won’t stick.

For example, consider creating a system that ensures regular coaching interactions between managers and team members, using a simple structure for feedback and follow-up. This doesn’t just hope leaders apply their training—it ensures they do.

In 2025, let’s shift from “fixing people” to designing systems that empower them. When systems align with principles, excellence becomes inevitable.

01/03/2025

Happy New Year!

If you are like me, you are still trying to navigate the transition from vacation mode and full speed ahead energy for an exciting new year. So, I'm keeping it light for the first Fundamentals Friday of 2025, and sharing a blooper reel.

I hope that this year you dare to be a beginner again, and remember to laugh and be a little silly along the way.

Taking the leap from a VP role to a consulting role has definitely put me back in the beginners mindset. While it can be scary, it's reminded me of the power of not thinking you know what to do and how to do it most of the time. I have more natural access to curiosity, have no choice but to be vulnerable, and creativity and innovation are a natural byproduct.

Do something at work or in your personal life that you haven't done before, that maybe scare you a little bit, and step into your vulnerability. I bet you will discover how very creative and capable you are!

12/19/2024

Who is ready for 2025? I'm thrilled to announce a hands-on workshop I'll be leading with the brilliant Jennifer Hunter from Gensyn Design! Join us to get a strong start on your year:

- Aligning strategy across your organization
- Optimizing systems for scalable success
- Building a culture that drives performance

This is a working session where you'll walk away with practical tools, a 2025-readiness checklist, and actionable strategies to bridge the gap between vision and ex*****on.

Limited spots available! DM me for more details or register at the link.

Align your strategy, systems, and culture to ensure success for your midsize business in 2025!

12/13/2024

For the final Fundamemtals Friday post of 2024 we are discussing a critical aspect of the strategic planning process, strategy deployment.

Does your organization have a process to cascade the vision and goals set in your strategic planning process? Does every employee know where the organization is headed and how the work they do everyday contributes to the vision?

12/06/2024

In today's Fundamentals Friday, we are talking about one of the most essential practices in operational excellence: Going to the Gemba.

11/22/2024

Happy Friday!

This week we are talking about how to design our systems to get both ideal results AND ideal behaviors.

Many companies have key performance indicators that are well understood, communicated and measured. But when it comes to the single most predictive indicators of whether or not they will actually hit those targets, behaviors, they lack the same structured approach.

Today we are going to dive into the often misunderstood area of key behavioral indicators (KBI's).

KBITracking

11/15/2024

Fundamentals Friday: Don't let your lean initiatives become the 8th waste.