KPI Fireside: A Continuous Improvement Podcast
Episodes
Darren Dolcemascolo on Turning Improvement Into Sustained Execution
08 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What separates organizations where continuous improvement fades after a leadership change from those where it becomes part of the company's DNA?In thi...
Karen Martin on Clarity First: Flow, Metrics, and Leading Improvement
01 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to design an organization where work actually flows and improvement never stops?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris s...
Danny Toney on Data Driven Leadership
25 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most leadership teams are flying blind. They have plenty of data but no clarity on what actually matters, who owns it, or what to do when things go of...
Katie Anderson on Building Teams That Think, Learn, and Improve
18 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What separates organizations that improve occasionally from those that build improvement into their DNA?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith No...
Jeff Gray on Building a Career in Continuous Improvement
11 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every company has problems. The difference is whether those problems become expensive failures or opportunities for innovation.In this episode of KPI ...
Duane Deason on Smarter Cost Management
04 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What separates companies that control costs from those constantly reacting to them?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with D...
Chris Keahey on The Value of Tracking ROI in CI
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when continuous improvement teams can clearly prove their impact?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Chris ...
Cheryl Jekiel on Letting Go To Lead
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if the biggest mistake leaders make… is trying to be the answer?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Cheryl Jekiel...
Jess Orr on What Leaders Get Wrong About Transformation
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do so many continuous improvement programs fail to deliver lasting impact?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Jess O...
Francine Bejarano on The Execution Gaps Leaders Don't See
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when teams deliver everything they were asked for—but still miss what the customer actually wanted?In this episode of KPI Fireside, hos...
Stan Bryant on Translating Vision Into Action
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Stan Bryant, a senior project management professional and principal of Strategic Ini...
Lyndsay MacLeod on Leadership That Sustains Change
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Lyndsay MacLeod, an award-winning continuous improvement professional with more than...
Christoph Roser on Why Improvement Fails Without Standard Work
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Chris Roser, a worldwide renowned expert for lean production; Toyota, McKinsey, and ...
Nick Belcher on Creating a People-First Lean Culture
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What separates short-term Lean initiatives from lasting Lean cultures?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Nick Belcher, ...
Marcial Portillo on Building Systems and Behaviors That Make Improvement Stick
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do Lean tools fade away in so many organizations? And what actually makes improvement stick?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sit...
Jennifer Ralston on Aligning Strategy and Culture
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What separates organizations that struggle from those that truly win?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Jennifer Ralsto...
Reed Shell on Combining AI, Agile, and Lean for Real Execution
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Is AI coming for your job—or just the parts of it you never liked doing in the first place?In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits d...
Dean Kynaston on Leadership Gaps That Kill Agile
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Agile fail even when teams are trained and processes are in place? In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris talks with Dean Kynasto...
Chris Gunderson on Putting Your Money Where Your Powerpoint Is
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do large organizations invest heavily in technology and still fail to deliver real value? In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits ...
Michael Stevens on Culture as a Leadership Tool
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do leaders unknowingly create cultures of compliance instead of commitment? In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Mich...
Evan Unger on Transforming Meeting Culture
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do bad meetings quietly destroy culture, morale, and execution? In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Evan Unger, a le...
Bryan Schmidt on Building Systems That Win
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Bryan Schmidt, a CPA, author, and finance transformation leader who spent more than ...
Claire Quigley on Fixing Failing Transformations
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you make innovation and transformation actually stick instead of stalling out in planning decks and dashboards? In this episode, Keith Norris t...
Keshawn Cupid on Mindset, Metrics, and Momentum
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build a continuous improvement system that works across industries, scales with growth, and actually changes how people think and act? In t...
Bob Emiliani on The Discipline of Lean Leadership
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How often do organizations say they are “doing Lean” while quietly undermining it through everyday leadership behaviors?In this episode of KPI Fir...
Dan Barata on The Leadership Discipline Missing In Most Transformations
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build a continuous improvement culture that actually sticks, especially across large, complex organizations? In this episode, Keith Norris ...
Janine LeaBarrett on Building Resilient Teams That Deliver
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build resilience and continuous improvement into your life and work, no matter the challenge? In this episode, Keith Norris talks with Jani...
Chris Hayes on How to Wire Your Organization for Excellence
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the key to sustaining improvement has less to do with tools and more to do with the brain itself? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with...
Adriana Girdler on Habits of Great Project Managers
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What actually makes projects succeed — and why do so many fail before they even begin?In this episode, Keith sits down with Adriana Girdler, Preside...
Tina Agustiady on What It Really Takes to Build a Culture of Excellence
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to build a culture of excellence? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Tina Agustiady, award-winning continuous impro...
Lorenzo Long on Making Sustainability Everyone's Job
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can sustainability become more than a buzzword and drive real improvement? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Lorenzo Long, Sustainabili...
Pete Gough on What Great Leaders Do Differently
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a culture where improvement sticks? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Pete Gough, retired transformation leader ...
Steve Burkle on What Makes Improvement Efforts Succeed (or Fail)
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes improvement efforts succeed or fail? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Steve Burkle, Global Director of Operational Excellence, ...
Darren Dolcemascolo on Coaching Leaders to Build Problem Solvers
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What separates companies that try Lean from those that live it? In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Darren Dolcemascolo, co-founder and manag...
Keith Norris on Lessons In Continuous Improvement
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special 30th episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris looks back on the most powerful lessons shared across thirty conversations with leader...
Jared Thatcher on Cost Improvement That Doesn't Burn People Out
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Jared Thatcher, Lean Business Consultant, founder of the Global Lean Summit, and aut...
Luca Guadagnuolo on Leading Lean Across Cultures
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Luca Giovanni Guadagnuolo, a seasoned consultant and Lean transformation leader with deca...
Bruce Hamilton on Toast Kaizen and the Power of Teaching Lean Through Story
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Bruce Hamilton, the legendary “Toast Kaizen” teacher, to explore how storytelling can...
Cindy Deekitwong on How to Inspire Teams and Connect With Customers
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Cindy Deekitwong, a global sales and marketing executive with over 20 years of exper...
Bob Luna on EQ, NPS, and the Metrics That Drive Real Improvement
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Bob Luna, a leader who has scaled businesses from $3 million to $500 million across indus...
Monika Mangla on How CI is Evolving In The Age of AI
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Monika Mangla, Managing Director at Accenture and a global leader in finance and digital ...
Christine Lavoie on How Great Leaders Build a Culture of Improvement
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Christine Lavoie, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Operational Excellence leader, to explore...
Heather Everton on Building Alignment Without Micromanagement
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of KPI Fireside, Keith Norris sits down with Heather Everton, Vice President of Product at Merrick Bank, to explore how daily standups...
Dr. Keith Clinkscales on The Human Side of Performance Management
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Keith Clinkscales shares his remarkable journey from electrical engineer and Lean Six Sigma consultant to Director of Strategic P...
Ken Snyder on What Every Executive Needs to Understand About CI
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Tyson Heaton on The Human Side of Lean Transformation
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Tyson Heaton, Senior Director of Co-Learning and Business Strategy at Lean Enterprise Institute, to explo...
Kevin Clay on The Belt System: What It Means & What It Doesn't
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Deve...
Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth on Leading Through Obeya and Metrics That Drive
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth—diving deeper into Obeya, visual leadership, and metrics that drive action. Missed P...
Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth on The Visual Language That Transforms Work
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 leaders...
Randy Kesterson on Explaining Lean Through Visual Storytelling
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris reconnects with Randy Kesterson—Lean strategist, consultant, and creator of the Lean Journey cartoon series—to explo...
Spencer Maybee on What Lean Looks Like From The Start
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Spencer Maybee—Vice President at Western Pipe Fabrication and second-generation small business leader—...
Andreas Mader on Being Better Tomorrow Than Today
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Andreas Mader—CEO of Aperia Corporation and longtime Lean transformation leader—to explore how real i...
Jesse Rendon on Turning Frontline Teams Into Change Leaders
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 e...
Catherine McDonald on The Habit of Curiosity That Drives Real Improvement
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Catherine McDonald—leadership coach, lean consultant, and expert in organizational behavior—to explor...
Ted Iverson on Sustaining Results Through Better Leadership
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Ted Iverson, veteran transformation leader, Shingo Prize examiner, and former McKinsey expert, to unpack ...
Matt Kroll on Structured Problem Solving That Scales
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 st...
Will Miller, PhD on Leading Change Without Losing Trust
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris sits down with Dr. Will Miller, Associate VP for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance at Embry-Riddle Ae...
Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth on The Power of Workplace Visuality
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth—visual workplace pioneer, Shingo Institute faculty fellow, and author of Visual W...
Dr. Alan Barnard on Solving the Right Problems with the Theory Of Constraints
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ex...
Randy Kesterson on Making Strategy Stick with Hoshin Kanri
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Randy Kesterson, executive coach, transformation leader, and author of The Basics of Hoshin Kanri, to explo...
Jared Raggozine on Turning Frontline Ideas Into Big Wins
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Keith Norris is joined by Jared Ragozzine, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, to explore how companies can turn everyday frontline ide...
Kevin Clay on Why Lean Fails (and How to Get It Right)
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Lea...
Andrei Anca on How To Build A CI Culture That Actually Works
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to KPI Fireside, the podcast where we talk with leaders who make work better through continuous improvement and real problem-solving.In this e...
Nick Katko on How Lean Accounting Unlocks Real ROI
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Guest: Nick Katko | Host: Keith NorrisIn this kickoff episode of KPI Fireside, host Keith Norris sits down with Lean Accounting expert Nick Katko—au...