The Lean Solutions Podcast

What You'll Learn:
In the first half of the episode, the conversation focuses on the foundations of effective change and project success. Dave shares insights on the importance of executive support, strong project management, and understanding the real problems teams are trying to solve. The discussion highlights why improvement efforts often stall and how leaders can create clarity by engaging the right stakeholders early.
Key Takeaways:
Why executive support can make or break improvement efforts
How a clear problem definition sets the foundation for success
Links:
Click Here for Dave Kippen's LinkedIn
Human, Pet, and Animal Nutrition Company: Website
Lean Solutions Website

The Lean Solutions Podcast hosts start off season 5 by addressing a common challenge: setting goals is easy, but making them stick is not. They emphasize that meaningful goal setting requires clarity, alignment, and intention, warning that vague goals and misaligned priorities often lead teams off track. From the start, they frame goals as something that must connect directly to daily work and organizational purpose.
They go on to highlight the importance of systems like leader standard work and visual management to support consistent execution. The hosts stress accountability rooted in psychological safety, regular check-ins, and a focused set of three to five goals supported by leading indicators. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to put these ideas into practice and ensure their goals align with both their organization’s objectives and culture.

What You’ll Learn:
Join the Lean Solutions Podcast hosts as they discuss the importance of reflection and goal-setting for 2026. They shared personal reflections on habits, such as overcooking presentations and non-use of talent, and the significance of being grounded and customer-focused. The team also discussed the eight wastes of lean to identify and improve personal habits.
Links:
Lean Solutions 2026 Summit
Lean Solutions Website
⁠Click Here For Catherine McDonald’s LinkedIn⁠⁠
⁠⁠Click Here For Andy Olrich’s LinkedIn⁠⁠
⁠⁠Click Here For Shayne Daughenbaugh’s LinkedIn⁠
⁠⁠⁠Click Here For Patrick Adams’ LinkedIn⁠⁠

What You’ll Learn:
In this episode, host Patrick Adams interviews Natalie Howden, a new team member at Lean Solutions, about her career journey and the importance of standard work in Lean environments. Natalie shares her background in pharmaceuticals, lithium-ion, and office furniture, highlighting her transition from a scientist to a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She emphasizes the value of standard work in achieving consistency and improving processes, using examples from her experience.
About the Guest:
As an Executive Lean Coach at Lean Solutions, Natalie Howden helps organizations transform how they operate by reducing waste, accelerating flow, and embedding continuous improvement into everyday culture. Lean Solutions’ mission is to empower people through training, coaching, and talent solutions. Building the skills, systems, and culture needed for sustainable success.
Partnering with organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, services, and professional industries, Natalie identifies inefficiencies and quality gaps and applies proven lean tools to redesign processes and deliver greater value with fewer resources. Through coaching leaders and teams, she builds lasting problem-solving capabilities and drives sustained performance by aligning systems, structures, and behaviors with lean thinking.
Links:
Natalie Howden's LinkedIn
Lean Solutions 2026 Summit
Lean Solutions Website

What You’ll Learn:
In this episode, host Catherine McDonald and guest Kelly Mallery discuss the importance of understanding and managing resistance to change in the workplace. They emphasize that resistance is a natural human reaction rooted in fear and that fighting it can be counterproductive, leading to eroded trust and failed change initiatives.
About the Guest:
Kelly Mallery has built her career helping teams and leaders navigate change—not by pushing harder, but by making the process easier, smarter, and even enjoyable. As the Operational Excellence Leader for two Viant Medical sites in New Hampshire and Michigan, she drives continuous improvement in high-stakes manufacturing environments. With over a decade of experience across solar, industrial consumer products, and aerospace, Kelly believes true transformation starts with mindset, not just tools.
Through her coaching and consulting work, Kelly helps women change leaders overcome resistance, build confidence, and create lasting impact with less struggle. A proud Kata geek, she joined Kata Girl Geeks in 2020 and founded Kata School Northeast in 2023 to expand scientific thinking and adaptability. She lives in the Upper Valley between Vermont and New Hampshire with her family, where she continues her mission to make change work for people—not against them.
Links:
Kelly Mallery Coaching & Consulting LLC
Kelly Mallery's LinkedIn