Leaning Out with Dr. Chris

A Continuous Improvement Manager in Continuous Improvement Role!

Send us Fan Mail Join us in this episode where Joey High gives us some insight on how to be a successful continuous improvement manager after the major improvement initiatives are completed. In other words, how do you continually improve after the big implementation push????

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A Great One-Piece-Flow Success Story with John McCracken

Send us Fan Mail This is a great success story! One-Piece-Flow works! Even when it is not exactly one piece.

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Getting Started with John Johnston

Send us Fan Mail I just met John in March of 2026. He has done some pretty cool things since March with going from Batch to One-Piece, facility change and material movement. This is a good one!

Catching up with Jim Fluellen

Send us Fan Mail What a great conversation with a colleague of ours from the early 2000's. Jim is an excellent lean leader implementing in many global roles over the years. Join us for this conversation discussing his experience and the importance of the PFEP.

Don't Run Your Material Flow Bus Route Blind!

Send us Fan Mail Continuing the discussion from the last episode on the elimination of floor lifts from the production floor, this episodes dives into an important part of the system, the INFORMATION. Running a route without information is like running the route blind. In this information Chris talks about why the pull signals are so important while also giving a book recommendation.

An Explanation of why forklifts should be restricted to shipping and receiving.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I attempt to provide better clarity as to why forklifts should be restricted to the shipping and receiving areas. hint: It is not only for safety!

Catching up with Chris Sgobbo

Send us Fan Mail Chris has experience implementing in 2 very different industries, not to mention his entrepreneurial efforts. He is a neat guy, I think you will enjoy this one!

Catching up with Keith Lang!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we catch up with Keith Lang. We have worked together about 20 years, through 4 different companies. Keith is a great leader and a very successful one in implementing lean production systems. He has great insight and some good stories!

Looking Forward to 2026 - Automation, Additive Manufacturing, and Cybersecurity

Send us Fan Mail We are back! Leaning out with Dr. Chris is back on a monthly cadence! Here is the first episode of 2026. It's been awhile, and it's good to be back!

Lawn Mowers, Snow Plows, and Witches????

Send us Fan Mail I get to talk with an old friend today from the Toro Company, Matt Colby. We have worked together a long time and he shares his insights on implementing the 12 steps, and capitalizing on new talent!

The Machine Health Plan

Send us Fan Mail Join me for a discussion on an overall machine health plan. We talk about proactive maintenance, preventative maintenance, reactive maintenance, SMED, and machine optimization in an era when people are scarce!

An Old Friend and Colleague Talks the Importance of Lead Time Compression!!

Send us Fan Mail WE ARE BACK!!! Take a listen to the first episode of the third season with Chris Hacker, the COO of Alcom Trailers! This is a good one, you can hear Chris's take on lead time compression and you may even learn a little about Bird Dogs!

Lean with the Dean!!

Send us Fan Mail Things are changing in the Harris household! Dr. Chris Harris has accepted the position of Dean at the University of Pikeville Coleman College of Business. In this episode, Dr. Harris talks with the President of the University Dr. Burton Webb and the Provost Dr. Lori Werth about how a College of Business can partner with organizations for win-win outcomes.

12 Steps, an Automotive Executive, and Tangible Results in Multiple Companies

Send us Fan Mail Join us early for the April edition of "Leaning Out With Dr. Chris"! Heather Lindell Klish is our guest this month. Heather discusses how the 12-step approach has assisted her in multiple successes across multiple organizations in the automotive industry. Heather is an accomplished executive and we think you will enjoy listening to her stories!

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS AND RETENTION???? An outside the box approach!

Send us Fan Mail Join us on this month's podcast as we talk to Dr. Jason Hunt, an orthopedic surgeon, to find out how he is transforming the way golfers approach wellness and how his methods can be used for overall employee health and wellness. Also, can this approach help corporations address the labor shortage by creating employee retention? We need to approach the labor issue differently, maybe this is an approach organizations should pursue. I do not know the answer to the labor shortage, but I do feel we should do something different!

VA Shark Tank Winner, A "Real" Doctor, And a Call I Don't Make After Work!

Send us Fan Mail This is a great podcast! I talk with my brother, Andrew Harris MD, who is a surgeon and doing a lot with continuous improvement systematic thinking. I learned a lot in this episode! It is sometimes good to get out of your industry and listen to how someone in another industry is being successful, implementing a lean enterprise system!!

Steel Toes and Stilettos.....What????

Send us Fan Mail Join this episode as Shannon Karles and Kathy Miller discuss their journey to writing the book Steel Toes and Stilettos. Both Shannon and Kathy are long time friends of Harris Lean Systems and convey how their lean journey and experiences have led to this point. You should listen to this one!

20 Years..........3 Things

Send us Fan Mail Chris Harris goes solo on this podcast to introduce Season 2 and discuss 3 things that companies should focus on to get better today, tomorrow, and forever. Take a listen.

A Tornado, Foreign Hackers, A Pandemic......Lean Implementation Success?

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a Tornado goes through the middle of your facility? Is there anyway it could be a positive? Beau May discusses the journey of Dayton-Phoenix through a few significant challenges and how the team in Dayton not only survived, but thrived in a really unbelievable situation!

"College Baseball, Customers, and Value Streams.....Oh My"

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode, we dive into understanding the customer with a different take. We talk with Cody Andreychuck, the head baseball coach and the University of Pikeville about how he designs his program around adding value to his 5 customers. Step out of the manufacturing world for a bit and listen about understanding customer value from a very different perspective!