Mike Meyers has over 24 years of manufacturing experience filling a variety of leadership roles. For 17 years, Mike worked at Donnelly Corporation where he focused on mastering and implementing the Donnelly Production Sysstem (DPS) company-wide. The DPS system is a lean philosophy modeled after the Toyota Production System. Starting as a Production Supervisor and being promoted to positions of Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager and Plant Manager, Mike developed his skills for continuous improvement through a combination of comprehensive training sessions and shop floor experiences. He used these techniques and his distinct ability to work with teams to drive change and successfully turn around non-performing plants. Mike managed the benchmark production plant at Donnelly based on successful implementation of Lean Systems. Mike also supervised the start-up and expansion of a "Greenfield" facility while managing multiple consecutive and concurrent major models launches. During this period, plants he managed were awarded Toyota's coveted "Most Improved Supplier of the Year" award based on implementation of Lean Systems and were the subject of a worldwide benchmarking tour looking for Lean best practices by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Mike's primary focus over the past 7 years has been applying Lean at underperforming or distressed organizations, assisting them in either focused process improvement events or providing them with crisis or interim management. His knowledge and understanding of all levels of the manufacturing world give him a unique perspective and range of expertise to assist companies in ensuring that they emphasize speed, sustainability, team work, alignment, structure and a disciplined approach to implementation of a complete system. Charles Protzman spent over 13 years with AlliedSignal and has a total of 32 years experience in Materials and Operations Management. The first Lean Master and a Strategic Operations Manager for AlliedSignal, he received several special recognition and cost reduction awards. Charlie was an external consultant for the Maryland World Class Consortium and a contributor to the resulting World Class Guidelines. As CEO of Business Improvement Group, LLC, he has spent the last 18 years implementing successful lean product, and administrative implementations and World Class Kaizen events across the U.S. in all types of industries. He has taught Lean Thinking principles to students from all over the World. Mr. Protzman is following the footsteps of his grandfather, Charles W. Protzman, Sr. who, as part of the CCS, under the direction of MacArthur, in 1948 surveyed over 70 Japanese companies and in 1949, taught CEO's of over 50 prominent Japanese telecommunications companies an eight week course in the American Management Techniques which paved the way for Deming's visit in 1950. Daniel Protzman is Director of Customer Solutions for Business Improvement Group, LLC. In addition to benchmarking companies around the world, Daniel has consulted with a multitude of clients including Foundries, Manufacturing companies and those in the Service and Healthcare Industries.

• Foreword by Ritsuo Shingo Foreword Nigel ThurlowChapter 1. The Leadership Development Path Chapter 2. The BASICS® Model Lean Overview Chapter 3. The BASICS® Model Methodology Chapter 4. BASICS® BASELINE - Introducing Team Member Self Reliance (TSR) Chapter 5. BASICS® Analyze and Suggest for Improving Business Practices Chapter 6. Jidoka - The Logical Extension of Improving Business Practices Chapter 7. BASICS® Implement - Skills and System DeploymentChapter 8. Implement - Skills & System Deployment via On the Job Development Chapter 9. BASICS® Check by Implementing Leadership Development and Standard Work Chapter 10. How to Maximize Your Profitability While Developing Your Leaders Chapter 11. The Organization Required to Support the group leader Chapter 12. SUSTAIN Through Continuous Leadership Development Chapter 13. Secrets to Sustaining Chapter 14. Sustaining - The New Hiring Process & Expectations-Chapter 15. Sustain - Managing the Change Chapter 16. Becoming a New Team Member Appendix

"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a transformation model that gives leadership and influencers the ability to take a deep dive into the people side of Lean, enhancing the thinking behind the tools necessary to measure improvement in daily work; as it cascades to the organizational goals. I recommend this book to all levels of lean learners out there wanting to understand and implement lean thinking on the shop floor for long-term growth and sustainability."Tracey Richardson, co-owner of Teaching Lean Inc, and author of The Toyota Engagement Equation"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a comprehensive guide for leaders at all levels to learn the principles, practices, and systems underlying a lean enterprise. Leaders' actions set the culture of an organization, and Lean Leadership BASICS® describes tangible practices and behaviors leaders can take to develop to create a learning organization. The BASIC model and the authors' shared years of wisdom are a resource that will enable many more leaders to successfully create people-centered organizations that embrace continuous learning."Katie Anderson, leadership & learning coach, author of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning""Many organizations attempt to apply continuous improvement tools only to be met with failure. Lean Leadership BASICS® is the missing link to the human aspect component necessary to sustain a continuous improvement culture. This book is the "go-to" guidebook for every leader. It not only answers the "why" but also drives the reader to daily execution of the right behavior. This book should be in the hands of every shop floor leader."Patrick Adams, CEO, Patrick Adams Consulting"This book is a must read for any leader or aspiring leader in any type of organization, large or small! Many know the critical role of leaders in Lean systems and developing a Lean culture, but what are the specific behaviors and leadership practices which are required? And, how do you develop these desired leader behaviors throughout the organization, at every level? This book takes the reader on an enlightening journey to answer these vital questions. Due to the authors' direct experiences, the reader feels that he or she is walking side by side with the company leader and observing the activities of supporting and improving the process and developing people. At times, the reader actually feels like they are put into the shoes of the leader in the story, and directly learning! This book provides a detailed account of the hiring process at one of the Toyota facilities. This firsthand account not only describes their rigor in hiring an entry-level employee, but the story also details how the leadership development process begins early in the life of a Toyota employee...even before they are hired! I began by stating that this book should be read by any leader or aspiring leader. Actually, this book should be read by anyone who wants to learn about organizational excellence and how the Lean tools combine with the people development component to create an integrated system of continuous improvement."David Rizzardo - Associate Director - The Maryland World Class Consortia"The Authors have written a book that won’t sit on the shelf but actually fills a much needed gap and should be in continuous use. Charlie and the Team have many decades of experience that has been masterfully written and synchronized such that group leaders can use this book starting day one. The book, Lean Leadership BASICS®, is a very practical and useful book that reinforces the importance of Leadership and the human aspects of Lean Thinking. The tools that are used are described and integrated with the behaviors needed from implementation to sustaining. The book provides a clear view into the importance of Leadership, focusing on the Shop Floor and utilizes the BASICS Lean® Implementation Model as the primary foundation for the book. The group leader is a critical role and the book effectively describes the behaviors and processes needed to go beyond the traditional first line supervisor. Every Lean Leader, starting with the group leader should ensure they have a copy and embrace the learning as part of their Lean Journey."Fred Whiton, BSME, MSME, MEA, MBA, PE, Chief Engineer – Raytheon Technologies, Former Commissioner, Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, Past Board Member, Regional Manufacturing Institute, Board Member, First Maryland Disability Trust"This is yet another book written by Charlie and his fellow Lean lovers that appeals to Lean experts as much as it does to those who are just beginning their Lean journey. This book is a collection of fascinating stories which make it easy to read, remember, and apply in everyday life. If you tried to "implement" Lean, "do" Lean, or "teach" the Lean tools and found it unsustainable, this book will take you back to the original premise of Lean: LEAN is all about the People. It's a mindset, a way of life, a culture, and vital behaviors - all described by the authors using real life examples and easy to follow tips. And while some may call it a "must read", I think it is a "love to read" kind of book."Evelina Edmundson - Healthcare Lean Coach"The Magic Fix All" rarely exists. Why? Because everything is changing with time: markets, people’s needs, people’s skills, designs, supply chains, and the world around us. The 2nd law of thermodynamics sums it up quite nicely: entropy always increases. Therein lies the value in "Basics Lean Shop Floor Leadership Development". It addresses the process of developing the positional leadership to remain flexible and driving for continuous improvement. This book emphasizes the importance of developing the mind set in the team around us to reflect on and to implement those tools and processes that create long term value. Of course, it begins with me. Temporary successes can be certainly be achieved with personal mastery of the tools and processes. However, entropy will win out much quicker with the absence of shop floor leadership development. Without it, there is no sustainable culture. If you do nothing else, post the "Ten Rules to Live By" at your desk and read them daily." Joe McNamara, PE, Ttarp Co. - President"This book provides a breadth of knowledge that captures much of the authors’ wealth of experience into a concise applicable source of knowledge that can be useful in all businesses. Lean Leadership BASICS® here will be useful in its application to develop the leadership in your organization maximizing performance in both productivity and employee involvement. The anecdotes and examples provide a link between the overall steps and application on the floor with individuals in specific circumstances. This book will be one we continue to reference in development of the next generation of Company Leaders."Mike Bland – Senior Project Manager, Amsted Rail"The pages of Lean Leadership BASICS® are full of deep wisdom from many sources and are a joy to consume. The anecdotes and stories in this book are worth the read alone but combine them with the years of research and knowledge applied to the BASICS(R) approach proposed, and you will have the thinking to create an organization that will be distinguished as a great Lean company, and not just another poor copy of Toyota." Nigel Thurlow, CEO, The FLOW Consortium, Author of The FLOW System, http://flowconsortium.com/"As a Lean practitioner and trainer, I have always taught that Lean is easy to learn. The tools are simple and in the early days significant changes can be made overnight. That is always followed by letting people know Lean is very difficult to implement and sustain. Why? Leadership and training. Finally! We have the book that ties the BASICS Lean Implementation Model of Lean tools together with the Leadership education, development and skills needed to drive Lean success in your organization. Whether you’ve been working on Lean for years or are just thinking about introducing it to your organization. Read this now and keep it handy. This book will realign your efforts and provide the best guide for long-term continuous improvement success."Maureen Harte, Lean Six Sigma MBB, Improvement Specialist at ARUP Laboratories

Mike Meyers has over 24 years of manufacturing experience filling a variety of leadership roles. For 17 years, Mike worked at Donnelly Corporation where he focused on mastering and implementing the Donnelly Production Sysstem (DPS) company-wide. The DPS system is a lean philosophy modeled after the Toyota Production System. Starting as a Production Supervisor and being promoted to positions of Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager and Plant Manager, Mike developed his skills for continuous improvement through a combination of comprehensive training sessions and shop floor experiences. He used these techniques and his distinct ability to work with teams to drive change and successfully turn around non-performing plants. Mike managed the benchmark production plant at Donnelly based on successful implementation of Lean Systems. Mike also supervised the start-up and expansion of a "Greenfield" facility while managing multiple consecutive and concurrent major models launches. During this period, plants he managed were awarded Toyota's coveted "Most Improved Supplier of the Year" award based on implementation of Lean Systems and were the subject of a worldwide benchmarking tour looking for Lean best practices by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Mike's primary focus over the past 7 years has been applying Lean at underperforming or distressed organizations, assisting them in either focused process improvement events or providing them with crisis or interim management. His knowledge and understanding of all levels of the manufacturing world give him a unique perspective and range of expertise to assist companies in ensuring that they emphasize speed, sustainability, team work, alignment, structure and a disciplined approach to implementation of a complete system. Charles Protzman spent over 13 years with AlliedSignal and has a total of 32 years experience in Materials and Operations Management. The first Lean Master and a Strategic Operations Manager for AlliedSignal, he received several special recognition and cost reduction awards. Charlie was an external consultant for the Maryland World Class Consortium and a contributor to the resulting World Class Guidelines. As CEO of Business Improvement Group, LLC, he has spent the last 18 years implementing successful lean product, and administrative implementations and World Class Kaizen events across the U.S. in all types of industries. He has taught Lean Thinking principles to students from all over the World. Mr. Protzman is following the footsteps of his grandfather, Charles W. Protzman, Sr. who, as part of the CCS, under the direction of MacArthur, in 1948 surveyed over 70 Japanese companies and in 1949, taught CEO's of over 50 prominent Japanese telecommunications companies an eight week course in the American Management Techniques which paved the way for Deming's visit in 1950. Daniel Protzman is Director of Customer Solutions for Business Improvement Group, LLC. In addition to benchmarking companies around the world, Daniel has consulted with a multitude of clients including Foundries, Manufacturing companies and those in the Service and Healthcare Industries.

• Foreword by Ritsuo Shingo Foreword Nigel ThurlowChapter 1. The Leadership Development Path Chapter 2. The BASICS® Model Lean Overview Chapter 3. The BASICS® Model Methodology Chapter 4. BASICS® BASELINE - Introducing Team Member Self Reliance (TSR) Chapter 5. BASICS® Analyze and Suggest for Improving Business Practices Chapter 6. Jidoka - The Logical Extension of Improving Business Practices Chapter 7. BASICS® Implement - Skills and System DeploymentChapter 8. Implement - Skills & System Deployment via On the Job Development Chapter 9. BASICS® Check by Implementing Leadership Development and Standard Work Chapter 10. How to Maximize Your Profitability While Developing Your Leaders Chapter 11. The Organization Required to Support the group leader Chapter 12. SUSTAIN Through Continuous Leadership Development Chapter 13. Secrets to Sustaining Chapter 14. Sustaining - The New Hiring Process & Expectations-Chapter 15. Sustain - Managing the Change Chapter 16. Becoming a New Team Member Appendix

"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a transformation model that gives leadership and influencers the ability to take a deep dive into the people side of Lean, enhancing the thinking behind the tools necessary to measure improvement in daily work; as it cascades to the organizational goals. I recommend this book to all levels of lean learners out there wanting to understand and implement lean thinking on the shop floor for long-term growth and sustainability."Tracey Richardson, co-owner of Teaching Lean Inc, and author of The Toyota Engagement Equation"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a comprehensive guide for leaders at all levels to learn the principles, practices, and systems underlying a lean enterprise. Leaders' actions set the culture of an organization, and Lean Leadership BASICS® describes tangible practices and behaviors leaders can take to develop to create a learning organization. The BASIC model and the authors' shared years of wisdom are a resource that will enable many more leaders to successfully create people-centered organizations that embrace continuous learning."Katie Anderson, leadership & learning coach, author of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning""Many organizations attempt to apply continuous improvement tools only to be met with failure. Lean Leadership BASICS® is the missing link to the human aspect component necessary to sustain a continuous improvement culture. This book is the "go-to" guidebook for every leader. It not only answers the "why" but also drives the reader to daily execution of the right behavior. This book should be in the hands of every shop floor leader."Patrick Adams, CEO, Patrick Adams Consulting"This book is a must read for any leader or aspiring leader in any type of organization, large or small! Many know the critical role of leaders in Lean systems and developing a Lean culture, but what are the specific behaviors and leadership practices which are required? And, how do you develop these desired leader behaviors throughout the organization, at every level? This book takes the reader on an enlightening journey to answer these vital questions. Due to the authors' direct experiences, the reader feels that he or she is walking side by side with the company leader and observing the activities of supporting and improving the process and developing people. At times, the reader actually feels like they are put into the shoes of the leader in the story, and directly learning! This book provides a detailed account of the hiring process at one of the Toyota facilities. This firsthand account not only describes their rigor in hiring an entry-level employee, but the story also details how the leadership development process begins early in the life of a Toyota employee...even before they are hired! I began by stating that this book should be read by any leader or aspiring leader. Actually, this book should be read by anyone who wants to learn about organizational excellence and how the Lean tools combine with the people development component to create an integrated system of continuous improvement."David Rizzardo - Associate Director - The Maryland World Class Consortia"The Authors have written a book that won’t sit on the shelf but actually fills a much needed gap and should be in continuous use. Charlie and the Team have many decades of experience that has been masterfully written and synchronized such that group leaders can use this book starting day one. The book, Lean Leadership BASICS®, is a very practical and useful book that reinforces the importance of Leadership and the human aspects of Lean Thinking. The tools that are used are described and integrated with the behaviors needed from implementation to sustaining. The book provides a clear view into the importance of Leadership, focusing on the Shop Floor and utilizes the BASICS Lean® Implementation Model as the primary foundation for the book. The group leader is a critical role and the book effectively describes the behaviors and processes needed to go beyond the traditional first line supervisor. Every Lean Leader, starting with the group leader should ensure they have a copy and embrace the learning as part of their Lean Journey."Fred Whiton, BSME, MSME, MEA, MBA, PE, Chief Engineer – Raytheon Technologies, Former Commissioner, Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, Past Board Member, Regional Manufacturing Institute, Board Member, First Maryland Disability Trust"This is yet another book written by Charlie and his fellow Lean lovers that appeals to Lean experts as much as it does to those who are just beginning their Lean journey. This book is a collection of fascinating stories which make it easy to read, remember, and apply in everyday life. If you tried to "implement" Lean, "do" Lean, or "teach" the Lean tools and found it unsustainable, this book will take you back to the original premise of Lean: LEAN is all about the People. It's a mindset, a way of life, a culture, and vital behaviors - all described by the authors using real life examples and easy to follow tips. And while some may call it a "must read", I think it is a "love to read" kind of book."Evelina Edmundson - Healthcare Lean Coach"The Magic Fix All" rarely exists. Why? Because everything is changing with time: markets, people’s needs, people’s skills, designs, supply chains, and the world around us. The 2nd law of thermodynamics sums it up quite nicely: entropy always increases. Therein lies the value in "Basics Lean Shop Floor Leadership Development". It addresses the process of developing the positional leadership to remain flexible and driving for continuous improvement. This book emphasizes the importance of developing the mind set in the team around us to reflect on and to implement those tools and processes that create long term value. Of course, it begins with me. Temporary successes can be certainly be achieved with personal mastery of the tools and processes. However, entropy will win out much quicker with the absence of shop floor leadership development. Without it, there is no sustainable culture. If you do nothing else, post the "Ten Rules to Live By" at your desk and read them daily." Joe McNamara, PE, Ttarp Co. - President"This book provides a breadth of knowledge that captures much of the authors’ wealth of experience into a concise applicable source of knowledge that can be useful in all businesses. Lean Leadership BASICS® here will be useful in its application to develop the leadership in your organization maximizing performance in both productivity and employee involvement. The anecdotes and examples provide a link between the overall steps and application on the floor with individuals in specific circumstances. This book will be one we continue to reference in development of the next generation of Company Leaders."Mike Bland – Senior Project Manager, Amsted Rail"The pages of Lean Leadership BASICS® are full of deep wisdom from many sources and are a joy to consume. The anecdotes and stories in this book are worth the read alone but combine them with the years of research and knowledge applied to the BASICS(R) approach proposed, and you will have the thinking to create an organization that will be distinguished as a great Lean company, and not just another poor copy of Toyota." Nigel Thurlow, CEO, The FLOW Consortium, Author of The FLOW System, http://flowconsortium.com/"As a Lean practitioner and trainer, I have always taught that Lean is easy to learn. The tools are simple and in the early days significant changes can be made overnight. That is always followed by letting people know Lean is very difficult to implement and sustain. Why? Leadership and training. Finally! We have the book that ties the BASICS Lean Implementation Model of Lean tools together with the Leadership education, development and skills needed to drive Lean success in your organization. Whether you’ve been working on Lean for years or are just thinking about introducing it to your organization. Read this now and keep it handy. This book will realign your efforts and provide the best guide for long-term continuous improvement success."Maureen Harte, Lean Six Sigma MBB, Improvement Specialist at ARUP Laboratories

Mike Meyers has over 24 years of manufacturing experience filling a variety of leadership roles. For 17 years, Mike worked at Donnelly Corporation where he focused on mastering and implementing the Donnelly Production Sysstem (DPS) company-wide. The DPS system is a lean philosophy modeled after the Toyota Production System. Starting as a Production Supervisor and being promoted to positions of Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager and Plant Manager, Mike developed his skills for continuous improvement through a combination of comprehensive training sessions and shop floor experiences. He used these techniques and his distinct ability to work with teams to drive change and successfully turn around non-performing plants. Mike managed the benchmark production plant at Donnelly based on successful implementation of Lean Systems. Mike also supervised the start-up and expansion of a "Greenfield" facility while managing multiple consecutive and concurrent major models launches. During this period, plants he managed were awarded Toyota's coveted "Most Improved Supplier of the Year" award based on implementation of Lean Systems and were the subject of a worldwide benchmarking tour looking for Lean best practices by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Mike's primary focus over the past 7 years has been applying Lean at underperforming or distressed organizations, assisting them in either focused process improvement events or providing them with crisis or interim management. His knowledge and understanding of all levels of the manufacturing world give him a unique perspective and range of expertise to assist companies in ensuring that they emphasize speed, sustainability, team work, alignment, structure and a disciplined approach to implementation of a complete system. Charles Protzman spent over 13 years with AlliedSignal and has a total of 32 years experience in Materials and Operations Management. The first Lean Master and a Strategic Operations Manager for AlliedSignal, he received several special recognition and cost reduction awards. Charlie was an external consultant for the Maryland World Class Consortium and a contributor to the resulting World Class Guidelines. As CEO of Business Improvement Group, LLC, he has spent the last 18 years implementing successful lean product, and administrative implementations and World Class Kaizen events across the U.S. in all types of industries. He has taught Lean Thinking principles to students from all over the World. Mr. Protzman is following the footsteps of his grandfather, Charles W. Protzman, Sr. who, as part of the CCS, under the direction of MacArthur, in 1948 surveyed over 70 Japanese companies and in 1949, taught CEO's of over 50 prominent Japanese telecommunications companies an eight week course in the American Management Techniques which paved the way for Deming's visit in 1950. Daniel Protzman is Director of Customer Solutions for Business Improvement Group, LLC. In addition to benchmarking companies around the world, Daniel has consulted with a multitude of clients including Foundries, Manufacturing companies and those in the Service and Healthcare Industries.

• Foreword by Ritsuo Shingo Foreword Nigel ThurlowChapter 1. The Leadership Development Path Chapter 2. The BASICS® Model Lean Overview Chapter 3. The BASICS® Model Methodology Chapter 4. BASICS® BASELINE - Introducing Team Member Self Reliance (TSR) Chapter 5. BASICS® Analyze and Suggest for Improving Business Practices Chapter 6. Jidoka - The Logical Extension of Improving Business Practices Chapter 7. BASICS® Implement - Skills and System DeploymentChapter 8. Implement - Skills & System Deployment via On the Job Development Chapter 9. BASICS® Check by Implementing Leadership Development and Standard Work Chapter 10. How to Maximize Your Profitability While Developing Your Leaders Chapter 11. The Organization Required to Support the group leader Chapter 12. SUSTAIN Through Continuous Leadership Development Chapter 13. Secrets to Sustaining Chapter 14. Sustaining - The New Hiring Process & Expectations-Chapter 15. Sustain - Managing the Change Chapter 16. Becoming a New Team Member Appendix

"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a transformation model that gives leadership and influencers the ability to take a deep dive into the people side of Lean, enhancing the thinking behind the tools necessary to measure improvement in daily work; as it cascades to the organizational goals. I recommend this book to all levels of lean learners out there wanting to understand and implement lean thinking on the shop floor for long-term growth and sustainability."Tracey Richardson, co-owner of Teaching Lean Inc, and author of The Toyota Engagement Equation"The authors of Lean Leadership BASICS® have created a comprehensive guide for leaders at all levels to learn the principles, practices, and systems underlying a lean enterprise. Leaders' actions set the culture of an organization, and Lean Leadership BASICS® describes tangible practices and behaviors leaders can take to develop to create a learning organization. The BASIC model and the authors' shared years of wisdom are a resource that will enable many more leaders to successfully create people-centered organizations that embrace continuous learning."Katie Anderson, leadership & learning coach, author of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning""Many organizations attempt to apply continuous improvement tools only to be met with failure. Lean Leadership BASICS® is the missing link to the human aspect component necessary to sustain a continuous improvement culture. This book is the "go-to" guidebook for every leader. It not only answers the "why" but also drives the reader to daily execution of the right behavior. This book should be in the hands of every shop floor leader."Patrick Adams, CEO, Patrick Adams Consulting"This book is a must read for any leader or aspiring leader in any type of organization, large or small! Many know the critical role of leaders in Lean systems and developing a Lean culture, but what are the specific behaviors and leadership practices which are required? And, how do you develop these desired leader behaviors throughout the organization, at every level? This book takes the reader on an enlightening journey to answer these vital questions. Due to the authors' direct experiences, the reader feels that he or she is walking side by side with the company leader and observing the activities of supporting and improving the process and developing people. At times, the reader actually feels like they are put into the shoes of the leader in the story, and directly learning! This book provides a detailed account of the hiring process at one of the Toyota facilities. This firsthand account not only describes their rigor in hiring an entry-level employee, but the story also details how the leadership development process begins early in the life of a Toyota employee...even before they are hired! I began by stating that this book should be read by any leader or aspiring leader. Actually, this book should be read by anyone who wants to learn about organizational excellence and how the Lean tools combine with the people development component to create an integrated system of continuous improvement."David Rizzardo - Associate Director - The Maryland World Class Consortia"The Authors have written a book that won’t sit on the shelf but actually fills a much needed gap and should be in continuous use. Charlie and the Team have many decades of experience that has been masterfully written and synchronized such that group leaders can use this book starting day one. The book, Lean Leadership BASICS®, is a very practical and useful book that reinforces the importance of Leadership and the human aspects of Lean Thinking. The tools that are used are described and integrated with the behaviors needed from implementation to sustaining. The book provides a clear view into the importance of Leadership, focusing on the Shop Floor and utilizes the BASICS Lean® Implementation Model as the primary foundation for the book. The group leader is a critical role and the book effectively describes the behaviors and processes needed to go beyond the traditional first line supervisor. Every Lean Leader, starting with the group leader should ensure they have a copy and embrace the learning as part of their Lean Journey."Fred Whiton, BSME, MSME, MEA, MBA, PE, Chief Engineer – Raytheon Technologies, Former Commissioner, Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, Past Board Member, Regional Manufacturing Institute, Board Member, First Maryland Disability Trust"This is yet another book written by Charlie and his fellow Lean lovers that appeals to Lean experts as much as it does to those who are just beginning their Lean journey. This book is a collection of fascinating stories which make it easy to read, remember, and apply in everyday life. If you tried to "implement" Lean, "do" Lean, or "teach" the Lean tools and found it unsustainable, this book will take you back to the original premise of Lean: LEAN is all about the People. It's a mindset, a way of life, a culture, and vital behaviors - all described by the authors using real life examples and easy to follow tips. And while some may call it a "must read", I think it is a "love to read" kind of book."Evelina Edmundson - Healthcare Lean Coach"The Magic Fix All" rarely exists. Why? Because everything is changing with time: markets, people’s needs, people’s skills, designs, supply chains, and the world around us. The 2nd law of thermodynamics sums it up quite nicely: entropy always increases. Therein lies the value in "Basics Lean Shop Floor Leadership Development". It addresses the process of developing the positional leadership to remain flexible and driving for continuous improvement. This book emphasizes the importance of developing the mind set in the team around us to reflect on and to implement those tools and processes that create long term value. Of course, it begins with me. Temporary successes can be certainly be achieved with personal mastery of the tools and processes. However, entropy will win out much quicker with the absence of shop floor leadership development. Without it, there is no sustainable culture. If you do nothing else, post the "Ten Rules to Live By" at your desk and read them daily." Joe McNamara, PE, Ttarp Co. - President"This book provides a breadth of knowledge that captures much of the authors’ wealth of experience into a concise applicable source of knowledge that can be useful in all businesses. Lean Leadership BASICS® here will be useful in its application to develop the leadership in your organization maximizing performance in both productivity and employee involvement. The anecdotes and examples provide a link between the overall steps and application on the floor with individuals in specific circumstances. This book will be one we continue to reference in development of the next generation of Company Leaders."Mike Bland – Senior Project Manager, Amsted Rail"The pages of Lean Leadership BASICS® are full of deep wisdom from many sources and are a joy to consume. The anecdotes and stories in this book are worth the read alone but combine them with the years of research and knowledge applied to the BASICS(R) approach proposed, and you will have the thinking to create an organization that will be distinguished as a great Lean company, and not just another poor copy of Toyota." Nigel Thurlow, CEO, The FLOW Consortium, Author of The FLOW System, http://flowconsortium.com/"As a Lean practitioner and trainer, I have always taught that Lean is easy to learn. The tools are simple and in the early days significant changes can be made overnight. That is always followed by letting people know Lean is very difficult to implement and sustain. Why? Leadership and training. Finally! We have the book that ties the BASICS Lean Implementation Model of Lean tools together with the Leadership education, development and skills needed to drive Lean success in your organization. Whether you’ve been working on Lean for years or are just thinking about introducing it to your organization. Read this now and keep it handy. This book will realign your efforts and provide the best guide for long-term continuous improvement success."Maureen Harte, Lean Six Sigma MBB, Improvement Specialist at ARUP Laboratories