LEAN 911
Tune in as Mark DeLuzio, pioneer of the modern Lean movement, answers all of your pressing Lean questions.
Recent Lean 911 Episodes
Problem Solving VIII – Defining the Span of Control to Enable Problem Solving
In this episode, Mark DeLuzio talks about Lean Horizons’ Managing Director Jon Boucher discussing the span of control necessary for problem-solving. In particular, Mark and Jon address the following:
Why Don’t Your Leaders Listen to You?
In this episode, Mark DeLuzio talks about why Lean/CI people are not being listened to and gives sage advice as to how to reverse this trend.
Mark’s Favorite Lean Financial Metric – Free Cash Flow as % of Net Income
Do you want to get the attention of leadership? Then you need to speak their language. In this episode, Mark DeLuzio discusses FCF %NI and why this measure is key to a successful Lean transformation.
Death by Point Kaizen – Why You Need Kaikaku
You will never transform your company by point kaizen alone. Learn why traditional Japanese consultants were not enough in order to propel Danaher into a space all by themselves. Kaikaku (radical change) was a hallmark of Danaher’s Strategy Deployment process.
The Games We Play With On-Time Delivery Metrics
Mark discusses how companies develop On-Time Delivery KPIs (OTD) that do not reflect the customer’s needs. Learn how Mark calls these “Watermelon KPIs” – GREEN on the outside and RED on the inside. Do your OTD metrics truly drive customer satisfaction?
Target Costing – Make Money on Job #1
Mark discusses building profitability into the design process via the Target Costing methodology. Roughly 70% of a product’s cost is baked into the product’s design and process, leaving only 30% to Kaizen (post-design). Learn from Mark’s experience as CFO of Danaher’s JAKE Brake, where Target Costing played a significant role in JAKE’s profitability.
Why Aren’t There More Value Stream Organizations?
Mark talks about the types of Value Stream organizations and their benefits. But why are organizations reluctant to move to a Value Stream structure? Mark discusses the reasons why.
Jerry Wright – Book Review: “The Insanity Trap – What Your MRP Consultant Won’t Tell You”
Mark talks with Jerry Wright on his new book about the ills of MRP. Jerry talks about his experience of seeing failure after failure with companies trying to perfect MRP. He argues that a Lean Transformation is impossible if MRP is used as the primary resource planning tool. MRP was first introduced in 1964 and despite its failures, is still the tool of choice for so many companies today.

Meet the Host of Lean 911
Mark DeLuzio
Mark DeLuzio—known as a pioneer of Lean and the principal architect of the Danaher Business System—serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders in global manufacturing organizations whose financial and operations metrics have flatlined. Leveraging his unmatched and inventive experience, Mark helps them think differently about how to optimize their approach system-wide.