Practical Lean leadership grounded in psychological safety, learning from mistakes, and real-world experience
Mark Graban is an internationally recognized consultant, published author, professional speaker, blogger, podcaster, and entrepreneur.
His work draws on a deep education in engineering and management, combined with hands-on experience working with executives and frontline employees across multiple industries. Topics include Lean leadership, learning from mistakes, statistical thinking, and people-centered management—applied in ways that resonate with leaders responsible for real results.
The emphasis is on improvement that lasts. In healthcare, this means safer care, higher quality, and better work environments for clinicians and staff—not short-term cost-cutting. Across industries, the focus is on leadership behaviors, daily improvement, and management systems that support learning, adaptability, and sustained performance.
These ideas are grounded in experience across manufacturing, healthcare, and technology startups. Independent since 2010, Mark frequently partners with organizations and consulting teams on larger engagements. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the software company KaiNexus and holds a small equity stake.
Books and Publications
Mark's latest book (June 2023) is The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. It was named a recipient of the Shingo Publication Award in February 2025.
His previous book, Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, teaches how to use practical, straightforward statistical methods to help leaders at all levels overreact less to their metrics, freeing up time for real, focused, sustainable improvement.
Mark is also the author of the book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award, the first healthcare book to win this award. The book has been translated into eight languages. A 3rd edition was released in 2016.
Mark's second book, Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements, is also a Shingo Award Recipient. A revised and condensed edition, The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen: Leadership for a Continuously Learning and Improving Organization, is also available.
He also edited and contributed to an anthology titled Practicing Lean: Learning How to Learn How to Get Better… Better a book of reflections and lessons learned about change, growth, and Lean management, written by Mark and 15 other authors from various industries.
He is the founder, lead blogger, and podcaster at LeanBlog.org, which started in January 2005. See a list of his other articles and publications. Mark is also recognized as a “LinkedIn Top Voice.”
Education
- Northwestern University:
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):
- Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Fellow in the MIT Sloan Leaders for Global Operations Program.
Previous Experience
Mark has also worked in the automotive industry (General Motors), the PC industry (Dell), and industrial products (Honeywell). At Honeywell, Mark was certified as a “Lean Expert” (equivalent to “Lean Black Belt”). He has also worked for two software and technology startup companies.
From 2005 to 2009, Mark was a senior consultant with ValuMetrix Services, then a division of Johnson & Johnson, where he led many successful improvement projects and coached leaders in the United States, Canada, and England.
From June 2009 to June 2011, Mark was a Senior Fellow with the Lean Enterprise Institute. In that role, he served as the Director of Communication & Technology for the Healthcare Value Network, a collaboration of healthcare organizations across North America, a partnership between LEI and Catalysis (formerly the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value).
Mark has also worked for two software and technology startup companies:
- Factory Logic (acquired by SAP), 2000 to 2004
- KaiNexus, 2011 to present
Speaking and Teaching
Mark is a popular speaker at conferences and private company events. Mark has been a speaker and coach for organizations across the U.S., in multiple provinces across Canada, and in other countries, including Finland, Holland, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, and China.
He has guest lectured at schools including MIT, Wharton, the UT Health Science Center Clinical Safety and Effectiveness course, and Ohio State University. He has served as a faculty member for the Lean Enterprise Institute, Catalysis, and Studer Group. He has been quoted and interviewed in many publications, including Health Affairs and the New York Times.
Honors and Boards
Mark has been honored as a Diplomate member of the Society for Health Systems.
He serves on the board of the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation.