Summary

In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Graban, he’s an expert in Lean Leadership, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement.

Mark and I discuss the idea of the “smallest test of change,” a principle rooted in lean thinking that can be applied far beyond manufacturing. Speaking of manufacturing, we sort of geek out on what we’ve learned from being around Toyota and seeing how they work in practice, not just in theory.

We also dive into why organizations reward people for sounding certain, how leaders unintentionally punish experimentation, and why psychological safety is essential if you expect people to admit what they don’t know.

Mark shares how he’s applying these ideas to his own work by testing a new book through iterative publishing.

If you want to learn more about creating a culture where people feel safe to speak up and use smaller tests to drive meaningful change, this episode is for you.

Takeaways

1. Start with the smallest test of change - something quick, inexpensive, and focused on learning.
2. Separate knowledge from assumptions by asking, “How do we know this is true?” before acting with certainty.
3. Psychological safety is essential for experimentation because people must feel safe admitting mistakes, asking for help, and challenging ideas.
4. Leaders shape culture through their reactions. Saying failure is acceptable means little if people are punished when a test does not work.
5. Even experienced practitioners can overbuild. Mark’s AI coaching experiment reinforced the need to test demand and usefulness before adding more features.

Guest Links

Website: https://www.markgraban.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgraban/