Practicing Lean · Edited by Mark Graban
Getting better at Lean takes practice.
Learn from people who remember what it was like to get started—and are willing to share what they got wrong.
Practicing Lean: Learning How to Learn How to Get Better… Better brings together honest, firsthand stories from 16 contributors in manufacturing, healthcare, software, and other settings.
Paperback · Hardcover · eBook · Audiobook
Approximately $6,840 donated to date.
100% of author royalties support the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation.
Learning through practice
You don’t have to pretend you’ve mastered it.
Doctors practice medicine. Lawyers practice law. Shouldn’t those of us leading improvement also practice Lean?
When I started, the principles and methods were new to me. I struggled to help change happen. This collection gives contributors room to describe their early efforts, reflect on mistakes, and share what they learned.
If you’re getting started, these stories can help you recognize challenges others have faced. If you’ve been practicing for years, they offer a reason to look again at your own assumptions.
Read with one improvement in mind.
As you read, consider a change you’re trying to make at work:
- What have you assumed about the people or the problem?
- What could you try on a small scale?
- How will you study the result and adjust?
Bring one story to a team discussion. Compare experiences before deciding what to try next.
A book that gives back
Approximately $6,840 donated to date.
Your reading supports patient safety.
100% of author royalties are donated to the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation. Mark serves on the foundation’s board.
Find your copy
Choose how you’d like to read—or listen.
Keep a copy nearby for reading and reflection.
eBook
Read on your preferred device.
Audiobook
Start by listening to the podcast preview.
Meet the contributors
Different starting points. A shared willingness to learn.
The contributors bring experiences from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including healthcare, manufacturing, software, and startups.
See the contributors and chapters
- Chapter One – Mark Graban
- Chapter Two – Mark Graban
- Chapter Three – Nick Ruhmann
- Chapter Four – Michael Lombard
- Chapter Five – Paul Akers
- Chapter Six – Jamie Parker
- Chapter Seven – Harry Kenworthy
- Chapter Eight – Bob Rush
- Chapter Nine – Samuel Selay
- Chapter Ten – David Haigh
- Chapter Eleven – Joseph Swartz
- Chapter Twelve – Cameron Stark
- Chapter Thirteen – Harvey Leach
- Chapter Fourteen – Andy Sheppard
- Chapter Fifteen – Mike Leigh
- Chapter Sixteen – Jamie Flinchbaugh
- Chapter Seventeen – Lesa Nichols
- Chapter Eighteen – Summary of the Book and Key Themes
- Chapter Nineteen – Highlights from LeanBlog.org
Hear why we put this book together.
Listen to Ron Pereira interview Mark on the Gemba Academy Podcast
Jamie Flinchbaugh on the book
Start with a sample
See what another practitioner’s experience brings to yours.
Explore the book preview or listen to the podcast sample before choosing a format.
Keep learning with Mark.
Explore Mark’s other books, including The Silence Tax, about making speaking up both safe and worthwhile.
Work on your next improvement together.
Bring your team’s questions to a workshop or coaching conversation.