Lean Focus Podcast

GE Aerospace is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, as well as integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. At any given time, there are approximately one million* people flying on GE Aerospace-powered aircraft. In Episode 9 of the Lean Focus Podcast, Damon Baker sits down with Phil Wickler, Chief Transformation Officer at GE Aerospace, to explore how the company is driving operational discipline across a global workforce of more than 57,000 employees. Despite strong results, leadership believed the company could operate with greater clarity, discipline and customer focus. Prior to becoming a standalone company in 2024, GE Aerospace launched FLIGHT DECK, their proprietary lean operating model. FLIGHT DECK is how the team delivers for their customers, with a relentless focus on safety, quality, delivery and cost, always in that order. In this conversation, Phil shares how GE Aerospace is: Driving a rigorous commitment to continuous improvement across the organization Offering immersive learning where leaders experience the power of Lean firsthand Scaling transformation across the business through transformation roadmaps tied to multi-year business objectives Leveraging Lean tools and behaviors to advance the company's culture Connecting daily management at the Gemba directly to enterprise performance and customer outcomes. Phil also explains why transformation at scale must be leader-led, and how managing operational drivers creates stronger and more sustainable performance. Because the best companies don't wait to change. They focus on continuous improvement every day to run the business better. * Figures include equipment made by GE Aerospace and Joint Ventures 📩 Subscribe to the Lean Focus Podcast 🔗 Follow Lean Focus: https://leanfocus.com 📌 Follow Lean Focus on LinkedIn for more CEO-level transformation insights: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-focus-llc/

FuelCell Energy has been a pioneer in clean energy for more than 50 years. But legacy, mission, and breakthrough technology alone don't ensure longevity. In this episode of the Lean Focus Podcast, Damon Baker sits down with Jason Few, President & CEO of FuelCell Energy, to tell the story of a transformation driven not by crisis—but by clarity. Jason reflects on a hard truth he recognized early in his tenure: the company had an enormous mission and opportunity, but no shared way of working to match the scale of what needed to be accomplished. Teams were overloaded, priorities competed, and previous attempts at change delivered surface-level improvements without altering the core operating system. Rather than waiting for a burning platform, Jason made a deliberate decision to change how work gets done—to slow down, ask better questions, and build a real business system grounded in visibility, problem solving, and shared language. In this conversation, we explore: Why maintaining the status quo was the biggest risk facing a 50+ year-old innovator, What led FuelCell Energy to move beyond OKRs toward a true Lean business system, Why committing to transformation before consensus is often required of CEOs, How daily management, A3 problem solving, and making work visible began changing behavior, What it means to build a system designed to support the next 50 years—not just the next quarter. One year into the journey, Jason shares what's already changing—and what still lies ahead. From earlier, more honest conversations about problems to stronger cross-functional collaboration, this episode offers a grounded, realistic view of transformation as a continuous learning process—not a finish line. This is essential listening for CEOs and senior leaders leading legacy organizations who know change is required—and want to build a system that endures. 📩 Subscribe to the Lean Focus Podcast 🔗 Follow Lean Focus: https://leanfocus.com 📌 Follow Lean Focus on LinkedIn for more CEO-level transformation insights: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-focus-llc/

What happens when Human Resources — not Operations — leads the Lean transformation? In this episode of the Lean Focus Podcast, host Damon Baker sits down with Rich Trojan, Chief Human Resources Officer at Holland LP, to explore how a people-first function became the driving force behind one of the most successful lean turnarounds in recent years. When Rich joined Holland, the company wasn't broken — it was busy. Hundreds of competing priorities, strong personalities, and no common operating rhythm. HR wasn't supposed to fix that. But Rich saw something others missed: without alignment, accountability, and a unifying system, even great people can't deliver great results. What followed was a total cultural shift by the entire Leadership Team: Implementing Policy Deployment and the Holland Business System across 800+ employees, Rebuilding trust between leadership and frontline teams through hands-on learning Creating a cadence of accountability that drove 25% sales growth and 60% profit improvement in two years, Transforming HR into a strategic partner that drives clarity, focus, and measurable business results, Building a self-sustaining lean culture — one that thrives even after leadership changes. Rich's story proves that Lean isn't just about processes and plants — it's about people, discipline, and belief. And sometimes, the most transformative change starts in the least expected place. If you're an HR leader, CEO, or anyone trying to align culture with execution, this episode will change how you see your role. 🎧 Listen now to hear how Rich Trojan turned HR into the engine of transformation at Holland LP — and how you can do the same in your organization. 🔗 Subscribe to the Lean Focus Podcast 📩 Learn more at: https://leanfocus.com 📌 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-focus-llc/ See the full transcript here: https://leanfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lean-Focus-Podcast_Episode-04_Rich-Trojan_.txt

What happens when you're asked to build a challenger brand inside a Fortune 500 company — and the stakes couldn't be higher? In this episode of the Lean Focus Podcast, Damon Baker sits down with Eric Conley, CEO of Chase Corporation, to unpack one of the most extraordinary growth stories in medtech: the launch and scale of Spark, Envista's answer to Align Technology's Invisalign. Eric didn't inherit a burning platform. He inherited something harder: a business with huge potential, enormous demand, and a delivery system already buckling under the weight. Lead times were two months in a market that expected two weeks. Customers were lining up faster than the company could deliver. It was "do or die" from day one. Eric shares how he: Scaled Spark from 200 trial accounts to over 5,000 orthodontists in four years, Launched seven manufacturing lines and hired 500+ people in California in just seven months — during a global pandemic, Expanded globally into Europe, Asia, Mexico, and China while building a 2,000-person team, Made the critical strategic bet to focus on orthodontists instead of chasing general dentists or direct-to-consumer models, Drove Mexicali's turnover from 50% down to 10%, proving culture change at scale, Leveraged automation, AI-driven treatment planning, and customer engagement to achieve both speed and quality This isn't steady-state leadership. It's leadership in the crucible — scaling at hyper speed, balancing legacy profit engines with future growth bets, and making bold decisions when failure wasn't an option. If you've ever wondered what it takes to lead under extreme pressure, this episode is a masterclass in speed, focus, and people-first leadership. Listen now and hear how Eric Conley turned Spark from a risky bet into Envista's growth story — and how that experience shapes his leadership today as CEO of Chase Corporation. 🔗 Subscribe to the Lean Focus Podcast 📩 Follow Lean Focus: https://leanfocus.com 📌 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-focus-llc/ See the full transcript here: https://leanfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lean-Focus-Podcast_Episode-03_Eric-Conley.txt

In this premiere episode of the Lean Focus Podcast, host Damon Baker sits down with Fawaz Khalil, CEO of ModusLink, a Steel Partners company, to explore one of the most compelling turnaround stories in recent years. When Fawaz took the helm, ModusLink was on life support—revenues were half of what they once were, the company hadn't turned a profit in over a decade, and customer confidence was shattered. The team had seen "transformation" efforts come and go—with little to show for it. Fawaz changed that. In this conversation, Fawaz shares exactly how he: Stopped the bleeding and rebuilt customer trust, Used strategy deployment and lean principles to drive cultural change, Shifted a skeptical, fatigued organization toward ownership and accountability, Navigated the challenges of executing a global transformation during a pandemic, Delivered consistent profitability and shareholder dividends after years of losses. This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to rescue a business from the brink—and the leadership it demands. If you're a CEO, executive, or business leader serious about real transformation—not just buzzwords—this is an episode you don't want to miss. See the full transcript here: https://leanfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Lean-Focus-Pocast_Episode-01_Fawaz-Khalil.txt