In this episode, we sit down with Sheila Montney — a 35-year State Farm veteran, Shingo Academy inductee, and city council member in Bloomington, IL — to explore how lean principles and the Shingo Model are reshaping local government operations. Sheila shares her journey from corporate continuous improvement leader to a trailblazer in the public sector, addressing a longstanding gap in tailored lean training and cultural transformation strategies for municipalities.

From developing custom e-learning modules to launching regional cohorts and championing public-private partnerships, Sheila provides deep insight into how respect for people, measurable outcomes, and sustainable cultural change are becoming cornerstones of more effective, resilient government services.

Key Highlights:

1. How the Shingo Model’s culture-first approach aligns with the needs of public service

2. Success stories from initiatives like the Cook County Forest Preserves

3. Innovative strategies to build capability in smaller municipalities through regional cohorts

and e-learning

4. The importance of linking improvements to ROI and requiring knowledge transfer in

consulting engagements

Whether you’re a public servant, CI practitioner, or just curious about how lean thinking can make government work better — this episode is for you.

In this episode of Optics in Action, Ryan Weiss talks with Peg Pennington, President of MoreSteam, about the powerful intersection of people, process, and technology. From real-world insights on operational excellence to the role of AI in future problem-solving, Peg shares how organizations can build critical thinkers and create lasting improvement.

In this episode of Optics in Action, host Ryan Weiss sits down with Kevin Dean, the founder and CEO of ManoByte. They dive into the rapidly evolving world of AI and how organizations can strategically leverage this technology to automate and optimize their business processes. Kevin shares his passion for innovation, the challenges companies face in navigating the AI landscape, and his advice for business leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Key Takeaways

• AI is rapidly evolving, with changes occurring weekly, leading to both excitement and fear in businesses
• Companies should focus on leveraging existing AI tools to automate and optimize current processes rather than waiting for future developments
• Business leaders need to adapt to AI integration, as poor decisions could lead to job losses more than AI itself
• Young generations are naturally adapting to AI, while current business leaders may struggle with the rapid pace of change