FAQ Page
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lean
5S
A workplace organization method (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) that creates a clean, safe, and efficient environment where everything needed is easy to find and use.
Kaizen
A philosophy and practice of continuous, incremental improvement where everyone regularly looks for small, practical changes that reduce waste and improve performance.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
A visual map of the end‑to‑end flow of information and materials used to see waste in the system, compare current and future states, and design improvements to reduce lead time.
Kanban
A visual pull system that uses cards or signals to control the flow of work and inventory so items are produced or moved only when needed, reducing overproduction and excess stock.
Just‑In‑Time (JIT)
A production approach that aims to deliver the right product, in the right quantity, at the right time, minimizing inventory and aligning output with actual customer demand.
Poka‑Yoke (Mistake Proofing)
Techniques that prevent mistakes from occurring or make them immediately visible, reducing defects by designing processes so the “wrong way” is hard or impossible.
Standard Work
The documented, agreed‑upon best way to perform a task that establishes consistency, makes problems visible, and provides a baseline for further improvement.
SMED (Single‑Minute Exchange of Dies) or Setup Reduction
A method for reducing changeover time so equipment can switch between products quickly, enabling smaller batches and more flexible scheduling.
Takt Time
The pace of production needed to meet customer demand, calculated by dividing available production time by required units, and used to balance work and synchronize flow.
Andon
A visual alert system (lights, boards, signals) that shows the status of production and immediately calls attention to problems so they can be addressed quickly.
Jidoka (Autonomation)
A principle where machines and processes automatically detect abnormalities and stop, ensuring that defects are not passed forward and enabling quick problem resolution.
Gemba
The practice of going to the actual place where work happens (shop floor, office, service point) to observe reality, talk with people, and understand problems first‑hand.
TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)
An approach to equipment care that engages operators and maintenance to prevent breakdowns, improve reliability, and maximize overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Continuous Flow
Designing processes so products or services move smoothly from step to step with minimal waiting, batching, or buffers, exposing problems and stabilizing throughput.
Hoshin Kanri (Policy Deployment)
A strategic planning and alignment method that connects long‑term goals to daily activities, ensuring the whole organization focuses improvement efforts on key priorities.
What is Waste
Waste is anything that does not add value from the customer's perspective. Essentially anything that the customer is not willing to pay for. Waste is catagorized into 8 different types and these types are found in every process.
The 8 Wastes of Lean (DOWNTIME)
Defects: Manufacturing example: Producing parts that are out of tolerance, which results in scrap, rework, or rejected product. Service example: Entering incorrect customer information, which causes order errors, billing issues, or the need for rework.
Overproduction: Manufacturing example: Making more parts than the next process or the customer currently needs. Service example: Creating reports, emails, or documents that no one needs or producing them earlier than needed.
Waiting: Manufacturing example: Operators standing idle while waiting for materials, maintenance, setup completion, or inspection. Service example: Customers waiting on hold, or employees waiting for approvals, information, or system access.
Transportation: Manufacturing example: Moving raw materials, work-in-process, or finished goods long distances between operations unnecessarily. Service example: Transferring paperwork or information between departments multiple times without adding value.
Non-Utilized Talent: Manufacturing example: Failing to involve operators in problem-solving even though they know the process best. Service example: Not using employees’ ideas, experience, or problem-solving abilities to improve service processes.
Inventory: Manufacturing example: Storing excess raw material, work-in-process, or finished goods beyond what is needed. Service example: Building up backlogs of emails, applications, requests, or files waiting to be processed.
Motion: Manufacturing example: Operators walking, reaching, bending, or searching for tools and materials because of poor workplace layout. Service example: Employees repeatedly walking to printers, file cabinets, or other work areas because the workspace is not organized efficiently.
Excess Processing: Manufacturing example: Performing extra polishing, inspection, or processing steps that the customer does not require. Service example: Entering the same information into multiple systems or requiring unnecessary approvals and duplicate paperwork.
What is 5S?
5S is one of the most foundational elements of lean, it is a structured workplace organization method that uses five steps—Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain—to create a clean, safe, and efficient environment where people can focus on value-added work. When done correctly, 5S directly improves safety, quality, and flow by removing what is not needed, placing needed items in clear locations, and maintaining those conditions over time.
5S is a foundational Lean tool for organizing the workplace so that everything has a purpose, a location, and a standard. It improves:
Safety: Removing unneeded items and clutter eliminates trip hazards, blocked walkways, and other dangers; clear locations reduce awkward reaching and unsafe motion.
Quality: Having exactly what you need, where you need it, reduces mistakes and variability; people can focus on the job instead of searching, guessing, or improvising.
Flow/Throughput: When safety issues are minimized and operators can focus on value-added work with the right tools at hand, interruptions decrease and process flow naturally smooths out, increasing throughput as a result.
What is Kaizen?
Kaizen is a mindset and method of continuous, incremental improvement in which everyone is responsible for finding better ways to do the work every day. It comes from Japanese words meaning “change for the better” and, in business, refers to ongoing small improvements that reduce waste and improve how work is done.
Kaizen is both a philosophy and an action plan. As a philosophy, it says that processes can always be improved and that the best ideas often come from the people closest to the work. As an action plan, it uses structured activities (such as kaizen events and small daily improvements) to refine processes, enhance safety, improve quality, and strengthen flow.
Rather than waiting for large, top‑down projects, Kaizen encourages employees at all levels to regularly suggest, test, and adopt changes. These changes are typically run through a simple cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA). Teams plan the change, try it, check the results, and then either adopt, adjust, or abandon the idea. This creates a repeatable mechanism for incremental gains.
Kaizen is closely linked to Lean’s focus on eliminating waste. By continuously seeking and removing waste in processes, teams free up capacity, smooth flow, and build a stronger foundation for safety and quality. Over time, many small improvements add up to significant performance gains.
What is Value Stream Mapping (VSM)?
Value stream mapping is a planning tool used to visually map how a product or service flows from start to finish so you can see where waste occurs and design a plan to remove it. While creating the map, you are not actually changing the process—you are studying it to understand current performance and opportunities.
What value stream mapping is. Value stream mapping (VSM) is a high-level diagram of the end-to-end steps required to deliver a product or service to the customer. It focuses on how value flows through the system, typically captured in 5–10 major steps rather than every micro-task. The purpose is to see the whole, identify waste, and design a future state that shortens lead time while maintaining safety and quality.
A key point to emphasize with teams: value stream mapping is analysis and planning. You are not “doing Lean” by drawing the map; you are preparing to do Lean by deciding where and how to improve.
Focus on product flow. In VSM, the emphasis is on product (or service) flow—how the unit travels from request to delivery—more than on detailed work instructions at each step. You capture the major process blocks, queues, and handoffs to see how materials and information move. This is why starting with 5–10 high-level steps works well; it keeps people out of the weeds and focused on the system-level picture.
What is Leadership?
Leadership Overview: John Maxwell defines leadership very simply: “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Leadership is not primarily about title, position, or authority; it is about the ability to positively impact people and outcomes. The true measure of a leader is how they influence others, not the role printed on their business card. You start with leading yourself first.
Levels of Leadership: Maxwell teaches that there are different levels of leadership. At the lowest level is positional leadership, where people follow you because they have to. They follow due to your job title, reporting line, or formal authority. As a leader grows, they move beyond positional leadership to higher levels where people follow because they want to. At these higher levels, people follow because of what the leader has done for them and because of who the leader is and what the leader represents.
Servant Leadership: In Maxwell’s approach, effective leadership closely aligns with servant leadership. Servant leadership means the leader’s primary role is to serve, support, and develop others. The leader puts the needs of the team first, listens well, removes obstacles, and consistently looks for ways to add value to people. Leadership is seen as a responsibility and a stewardship, not a privilege or a status symbol.
Ownership and Taking Blame: True leaders take ownership. They accept responsibility for results and for the environment they create. When things go wrong, they take the blame rather than push it onto others. They protect their team from unnecessary fallout and use problems and failures as learning opportunities instead of occasions to point fingers. This ownership mindset demonstrates integrity and builds trust.
Giving Credit: At the same time, strong leaders give credit away freely when things go right. They highlight the contributions of their team members, publicly recognize effort and improvement, and make it clear that success is a shared outcome, not just the leader’s achievement. By taking blame while giving credit, leaders show that they are genuinely for their people, not just for themselves.
Putting It Together: Leadership, in John Maxwell’s view, is all about influence. Leaders build influence by serving others, taking responsibility, protecting their teams when things go wrong, and generously giving credit when things go right. When people experience this kind of leadership, they choose to follow not because they have to, but because they want to—and that is the essence of true leadership.
What is Maxwell Leadership Certified Team (MLCT)?
Lean is all about making incremental improvements by systematically eliminating waste. Waste is anything that does not add value for the customer. We categorize waste into eight types and use the acronym DOWNTIME to remember them: Defects, Overproduction, Waiting, Transportation, Non‑utilized talent, Inventory, Motion, and Excess processing. By eliminating these wastes, we improve the safety, quality, and flow of our processes. These wastes can be found in manufacturing operations, service processes, office environments, hospitals, and any place where work is performed. Wherever there is a process, there will be waste—and Lean is all about removing as much of that waste as possible and continuously getting better over time.
What are the tools of lean?
Yes. You can be a transformational leader at any level because transformational leadership is about influence and behavior, not title or position. At Maxwell’s Level 1 (Position) and Level 2 (Permission), you can begin leading transformationally by serving your team, building trust, and using Lean tools to remove waste and improve safety, quality, and flow. As you move up through Production, People Development, and Pinnacle, your transformational impact simply reaches more people and shapes more of the organization, but the core behaviors—casting vision, modeling values, taking ownership, and giving credit—are available at every level.
What is Transformational Leadership?
What is it?
The Maxwell Leadership Certified Team is a global community of coaches, speakers, trainers, and leaders certified to use John Maxwell’s leadership content to develop people and organizations.
Is it right for me?
It’s a fit if you want to:
Pivot into or grow a coaching, speaking, or training career.
Add proven leadership content to your work with teams, clients, or congregations.
Increase your influence and impact using a clear, values‑based framework.
What am I certified to do?
You are certified to use Maxwell’s materials in:
One‑on‑one and group coaching.
Workshops, seminars, and keynotes.
Leadership and personal growth training inside organizations.
What do I get?
You receive:
Structured leadership curriculum and tools.
Training on coaching, speaking, and facilitation.
Ongoing support and a global community of like‑minded leaders.
What’s the main benefit?
You gain a respected leadership framework, practical tools you can use immediately, and a recognized certification that helps you grow your influence, impact, and income.
What are the 5 Levels of Leadership?
Transformational leadership is a style of leadership where the leader inspires and equips people to grow, change, and achieve more than they thought possible, while aligning everyone around a clear vision and values. It focuses on influencing mindsets and behaviors, not just managing tasks or enforcing rules.
In Lean, transformational leadership is essential to both implement and sustain improvement. Lean tools like 5S, value stream mapping, Kaizen, and the 8 wastes show how to remove waste and improve safety, quality, and flow—but only strong leadership keeps those practices alive over time.
Transformational leaders:
Champion waste removal to improve safety, insisting on clean, organized areas that eliminate trip hazards and clutter.
Ensure people have exactly what they need, where they need it, so they can focus on doing the job right instead of searching, which improves quality.
Protect time and focus for value‑added work, attacking causes of waiting, rework, and overburden so flow and throughput increase naturally.
This aligns with John Maxwell’s view that “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Transformational leaders don’t rely on position; they serve their teams, add value, and earn trust. They take ownership—accepting blame when things go wrong—and give credit generously when things go right. That combination of influence, servant leadership, and ownership is what turns Lean from a short‑term initiative into a lasting culture of continuous improvement.
What is Leadership?
Can you be a Transformational leader at any level?
The 5 Levels of Leadership (John Maxwell)
Position – People follow you because they have to.
This level is based on title or role; you have authority on paper, but you generally receive only the minimum amount of people’s energy and commitment.Permission – People follow you because they want to.
At this level, you build relationships, listen, and show that you care, so people choose to follow you rather than simply comply with you.Production – People follow you because of what you have done for the organization.
You earn influence by getting results, solving problems, and improving performance, which builds credibility and trust.People Development – People follow you because of what you have done for them personally.
You intentionally develop others, helping them grow and succeed; your greatest contribution becomes the leaders you raise up.Pinnacle – People follow you because of who you are and what you represent.
Through consistent character and long‑term impact, you earn deep respect; your influence extends beyond your organization and endures over time.