What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, hosts Andy Olrich, Shayne Daughenbaug, and guest Alex Suchman discuss how play can serve as a powerful tool for continuous improvement and stronger team performance. They highlight how workplace disagreement often stems from interpersonal dynamics and different communication styles. They also emphasize that play can foster trust, accountability, and psychological safety.

About the Guest:

Alex Suchman is the CEO and co-founder of Barometer XP, whose mission is to create cultures where people are excited about their work because they feel a strong sense of purpose and belonging. She uses games and play to strengthen interpersonal dynamics, such as trust, accountability, and psychological safety, in the workplace. She was a finalist for the Metro DC ATD Award for Excellence in Innovative Learning, has been featured in Forbes, and is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on using play as a tool for organizational effectiveness and employee success.

Links:

Alex Suchman LinkedIn

Barometer XP Website

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, hosts Patrick Adams and Andy Olrich discuss the importance of soft skills in leadership, emphasizing empathy, communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

About the Guest:

Andy Olrich brings over 25 years of expertise in engineering trades, services, manufacturing, mining and logistics processes and support. With qualifications in Continuous Improvement and LEAN Six Sigma, he is also a Certified Scrum Master. Andy finds fulfillment in witnessing the positive outcomes that result from teams collaboratively working towards shared and individual goals.

Patrick Adams is an internationally recognized leadership coach, consultant and professional speaker. He is best known for his unique human approach to sound team building practices, creating consensus and enabling empowerment.Patrick has been delivering bottom-line results through specialized process improvement solutions for over 20 years. He’s worked with all types of businesses from private, non-profit, government, and manufacturing ranging from small business to billion-dollar corporations. Patrick is an Author of the best selling book, Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap.

Links:

⁠Click Here For Andy Olrich’s LinkedIn⁠

⁠⁠Click Here For Patrick Adams’ LinkedIn⁠

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, hosts Catherine McDonald, Andy Olrich, and guest Leire Martinez discuss the importance of sustaining culture and connection in organizations. They emphasize that culture is crucial for continuous improvement and can vary across different departments and regions.

About the Guest:

With a strong Lean Six Sigma background, she is experienced as an Operations Director managing multi-site operations, as well as a Plant Manager, Production Manager, and Continuous Improvement Manager in the automotive sector within a VUCA environment and during challenging periods such as COVID, the chip crisis, and material shortages. Her aim is to inspire the teams she works with to achieve results as one, always acting with integrity, a willingness to win, and a commitment to making tomorrow better.

Links:

Click Here For Leire Martinez LinkedIn

What You’ll Learn:
Patrick Adams discusses his experience on the "Blox" show, a live startup competition. He was motivated by the opportunity to learn and apply new skills to his business, Lean Solutions. The show, which features 100-150 businesses, is hosted by Wes Bergman and involves daily classroom sessions and challenges. Patrick emphasizes the importance of simplifying business explanations and making them accessible to non-lean practitioners. He highlights the value of networking, the competitive yet supportive environment, and the exhaustion from the intense week-long filming. The show is available on the Blocks app, Facebook, and their website.

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, host Patrick Adams welcomes Andy Olrich and John Dyer to discuss their experiences at the Lean Excellence World Championship. They share insights into the diverse strategies teams employed to tackle a common challenge and emphasize the critical roles of customer engagement and supplier analysis. Despite early obstacles, the winning team distinguished itself through data-driven decision-making. The competition’s real-world scenarios and collaborative dynamics offered valuable learning opportunities for all participants.

Links:

Lean Summit | Findleansolutions

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, host Patrick Adams and guest Craig Tedrow discuss the importance of long-term sustainment in organizational processes. Craig shares his journey from resisting Lean practices to embracing them, emphasizing the need for leaders to involve employees and revisit improvements regularly. They highlight the significance of clear expectations, enabling action, and sustaining improvements.

About the Guest:

Craig Tedrow is an experienced Continuous Improvement professional with a strong background in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries. Known for his ability to bridge the gap between frontline workers and organizational goals, he brings expertise in training coordination, process improvement, and team development. With an Associate’s degree in Computer and Information Sciences from Grand Rapids Community College, Craig combines technical understanding with a people-centered approach to leadership.

Links:
Click Here For Craig Tedrow's LinkedIn

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, hosts Patrick Adams and Andy Olrich discuss Andy's recent trip to the US for the Lean Solutions Global Summit. Andy, was a speaker and judge at the summit’s Lean Solutions Competition. He notes the success of advanced manufacturing centers and the importance of lean and best practice tools. Patrick and Andy reflect on the new Lean Solutions office, emphasizing its immersive training environment and community service.

About the Guest:

Andy Olrich is a Business Improvement Specialist with over 25 years of experience driving meaningful change across industries including Mining, Manufacturing, Ports, Supply Chain and Logistics, Health, and Government services. With a strong foundation in trades and engineering, Andy has led Operations and Maintenance teams while leveraging formal expertise in Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Agile, and related disciplines.

Known for his energetic facilitation and people-focused approach, Andy combines a customer-centric mindset with a deep commitment to community engagement. As an international speaker, coach, and co-host of the Lean Solutions Podcast, he empowers individuals and organizations to enhance processes, reduce risk, improve customer experiences, and deliver sustainable outcomes.

Links:

North St. Partners Website

Click Here For Andy Olrich's LinkedIn

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, host Shayne Daughenbaugh and guest Lee Campe discuss the application of military leadership principles to continuous improvement. Lee shares his extensive experience across various industries, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, training, and decision-making under pressure. They discuss the need for leaders to be part of the team, set a good example, and ensure effective training and communication to drive continuous improvement.

About the Guest:

Lee Campe is one of the nation’s leading experts in metric development, KPIs, problem solving, and process management. A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Lee brings decades of experience across industries, including retail, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, and even space exploration. His unique perspective blends technical excellence with practical leadership drawn from his service as a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, and as a proud father of two daughters. In this episode, Lee shares how military leadership principles, forged through experience in both the Army and Marine Corps, can be applied to continuous improvement in honor of the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday.

Links:

Lee Campe's Website

Click Here For Lee Campe's LinkedIn