KPI Fireside: A Continuous Improvement Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Keith Clinkscales shares his remarkable journey from electrical engineer and Lean Six Sigma consultant to Director of Strategic Planning and Performance Management at Palm Beach County. With insight shaped by decades of experience in both private industry and public service, Dr. Clinkscales unpacks the real driver of performance: how people feel, think, and show up to work.

From building metrics that empower rat...

What does it really take to build a culture of continuous improvement that lasts?

In this episode, Keith sits down with Ken Snyder—Executive Director of the Shingo Institute—to unpack the leadership behaviors, cultural systems, and guiding principles that separate companies who talk about improvement from those who actually achieve it.

From Toyota’s legacy to modern AI integration, Ken shares hard-earned lessons from five decades of ...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Tyson Heaton, Senior Director of Co-Learning and Business Strategy at Lean Enterprise Institute, to explore why the most powerful part of Lean isn't the tools, it's the people.

Drawing from his experiences at OC Tanner and LEI, Tyson shares how his perspective shifted from technical solutions to human capability, and why that shift is essential for lasting transformation. From the value o...

Is your belt more than just a piece of paper?

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Kevin Clay—Master Black Belt and founder of Six Sigma Development Solutions—to break down the real meaning behind Lean Six Sigma belt certifications.

From white to black belt, Kevin shares why the value of a belt isn’t in the color or the test—but in the capability it represents. Whether you're an aspiring Green Belt, a hiring manager, or a CI ...

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth—diving deeper into Obeya, visual leadership, and metrics that drive action. Missed Part 1? Check out Episode 16: The Visual Language That Transforms Work.

In this second installment, Gwen and host Keith Norris explore one of the most misapplied tools in the Lean toolbox: the Obeya Room. Together, they unpack what makes it powerful, where most efforts go wrong, and why v...

This is Part 1 of a special two-part conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth on the power of visual thinking to transform work, culture, and leadership. Don’t miss Part 2 in Episode 17—check it out here when you're ready.

In this episode, host Keith Norris welcomes back visual workplace pioneer Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth for a rich, wide-ranging conversation on the language of visual work—and how it transforms people, processes, and ...

In this episode, Keith Norris reconnects with Randy Kesterson—Lean strategist, consultant, and creator of the Lean Journey cartoon series—to explore how visual storytelling can simplify, clarify, and challenge the way we think about Lean.

🔻 A deep dive into The Lean Journey: A cartoon series inspired by the Star Wars Franchise

🔻 Closing the gap between Lean theory and everyday reality

🔻 The role of AI in Lean thinking and predictiv...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Spencer Maybee—Vice President at Western Pipe Fabrication and second-generation small business leader—to explore what Lean looks like when you’re just getting started.

🔻 Why Lean clicked the first time Spencer heard it explained through welding

🔻 What it takes to push change inside a multi-generational family business

🔻 How small changes like shared spreadsheets made a big impact

🔻 Wha...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Andreas Mader—CEO of Aperia Corporation and longtime Lean transformation leader—to explore how real improvement happens: not through perfection, but through progress.

From global manufacturing to executive coaching, Andreas shares stories and insights on building CI cultures that sustain, developing leaders who stay curious, and creating systems that don’t just improve processes—but peopl...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Jesse Rendon, CI leader and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, to unpack what it really takes to turn frontline employees into empowered agents of change.

Jesse shares how he went from loading trucks to building enterprise-wide CI systems, and why believing in people’s potential is more powerful than any tool or certification.

🔻 How to turn operators into problem solvers

🔻 Why coaching beats tra...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Catherine McDonald—leadership coach, lean consultant, and expert in organizational behavior—to explore why curiosity and reflection are the true building blocks of continuous improvement and effective leadership.

Drawing from her experience coaching leaders across industries—from hospitality to healthcare—Catherine breaks down how small habits, intentional space, and respectful conversati...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Ted Iverson, veteran transformation leader, Shingo Prize examiner, and former McKinsey expert, to unpack what it really takes to sustain results through leadership—not just tools or tactics.

🔻 Why cutting costs is the lowest form of consulting (and what to do instead)

🔻 How to build self-funding CI systems that actually last

🔻 The leadership behaviors that turn stars into star builders

🔻...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Matt Kroll, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and founder of Chalmers Street Consulting, to explore how structured problem solving can be scaled across teams, industries, and maturity levels—without overcomplicating it.

🔻 DMAIC vs. PDCA — and how to know which one fits

🔻 How to make Gemba walks work beyond the factory floor

🔻 Why waste walks are still one of the most underused CI tools

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In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Dr. Will Miller, Associate VP for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, to explore what it really takes to lead meaningful change inside complex, high-stakes environments.

🔻 Why people don’t resist change—they resist being changed

🔻 How to lead innovation in a bureaucracy-heavy environment

🔻 What higher ed can teach us about tailo...

In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth—visual workplace pioneer, Shingo Institute faculty fellow, and author of Visual Workplace and Work That Makes Sense. Together, they dive deep into the world of “visuality,” the often misunderstood backbone of operational excellence that enables clarity, flow, and empowerment at every level of the organization.

🔻 Why visuality is not just a tool—but a strategic inter...

In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Dr. Alan Barnard—decision scientist, CEO of Goldratt Research Labs, and one of the world’s leading experts on the Theory of Constraints—to explore how organizations can solve the right problems, not just the most obvious ones. Drawing on decades of research, consulting, and direct work with Dr. Eli Goldratt, Alan shares practical insights into how TOC helps companies focus their improvem...

In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Randy Kesterson, executive coach, transformation leader, and author of The Basics of Hoshin Kanri, to explore how companies can finally make their strategy stick—by linking it to execution, culture, and change management that works.

🔻 Why most strategic plans fail (and how to focus on what really matters)

🔻 The power of Hoshin Kanri to align teams and cut through initiative overload

🔻 What...

In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Jared Ragozzine, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, to explore how companies can turn everyday frontline ideas into real, measurable wins—and build a culture of continuous improvement that actually sticks.

🔻 Why suggestion boxes and Kaizen events aren’t enough to sustain improvement

🔻 How the A6 card helps teams capture, prioritize, and act on quick wins

🔻 The key to unlocking frontline eng...

In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Kevin Clay, founder of Six Sigma Development Solutions and author of Why They Fail, to explore why most Lean and CI efforts fall short—and how to build a culture where they actually thrive.

🔻 Why most Lean initiatives fail (and how to avoid the common traps)

🔻 The mistake of training belts without building the right infrastructure

🔻 What executives must do to make CI stick—from KPIs to pro...