For over 30 years, companies have relied on Lean thinking principles to drive successful business models and become more competitive globally. Lean Thinking, based on Japanese manufacturing techniques, aims to handle work more efficiently and create value with fewer resources and less waste.

What do you call a leader with no followers? A guy taking a walk. It is a line from The West Wing that I often think about. Within the context of the scene and the character, it is a response to a potential loss of leadership. 

Today, in his remarks at General Motors in Detroit, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette announced $139 million in federal funding for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies. Six of these innovative projects will be led by teams in Michigan.

The truck was already loaded and ready to be delivered to an important customer when a quality issue came to light. When the operations leader found out about the problem, he quickly arranged a solution.

SEATTLE – Where were you on the night of August 5, 2012? At this time the Curiosity Rover was landing on Mars.

General Electric (GE), founded 125 years ago by Thomas Edison and others, has succeeded in part because of the company’s willingness to take risks and embrace new technology. The most recent example of this mindset is a new startup called Fuse.

In 1984, I joined the wafer quality group at Motorola Semiconductors Sector in Austin, TX. My first quality act was to join the American Society for Quality. 

Creativity, much like success, must be accomplished through perseverance and hard work.