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At its core, Lean is about people–respecting them, empowering them, and ensuring their well-being while driving continuous improvement. Recently, GE Aerospace's Lynn, MA, facility provided an inspiring example of what it means to put these principles into action, even under challenging circumstances.

Read more about this and/or watch a video at this link:

Keep the Line Moving: GE Aerospace's Lynn Facility Is Using FLIGHT DECK to Put Safety First

Episode blog post

A sad but true leadership tale:

“Unlike most CEOs who rely on their executive team to keep them informed, [redacted] relies on his team to keep him feeling good about himself.

And so whenever somebody would tell him something that he didn't know and make it very clear that he wasn't the smartest person in the room on each and every topic, he generally fired them.”

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During Katie Anderson‘s #JapanStudyTrip this past November, a participant shared an observation with me that resonated deeply:

“The biggest challenge is our blame culture. It's easier for people to do nothing because they don't get in trouble.

But if they make a mistake, they get punished.

And our company is successful enough that there's not a compelling reason for top leaders to change the culture.”

This isn't a story from the U.S., but the feeling is universal.

A workplace culture where individuals are punished for mistakes–especially when those mistakes have systemic causes–is a significant barrier to progress.

It's a global challenge, and addressing it requires rethinking how we approach leadership and learning.