6 | Inside the Lean Mindset: Behind-the-Scenes Transformational Change Insights from GE's Leadership Event

Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/Have you ever wondered what it would be like to listen in to "hallway conversations" to discover what senior leaders actually say and reflect on with each other?If so, you're in the right spot. In this episode, I take you behind-the-scenes with exclusive conversations I had with transformational change leaders and executives in attendance at GE’s The Lean Mindset. This exciting leadership event, hosted by Larry Culp, Chairman and CEO of GE and GE Aerospace, brought together executives from some of the world’s top companies, professional athletes, and thought leaders all focused on pursuing excellence through continuous learning. Thanks to GE's generosity, I was invited to both share my knowledge and to collect knowledge, by bringing my microphone to glean insights from the leaders in attendance during the spaces between the mainstage events. I can’t wait to share them with you here! You’ll hear highlights from my conversations with leaders including: Chef Eric Klein – Culinary Vice President and Partner at Wolfgang Puck Catering Dr. Lisa Yerian – Chief Improvement Officer at The Cleveland ClinicBetsy Bingham – Vice President of Lean Operations at GE Aerospace Phil Wickler – Chief Transformation Officer for GE AerospacePat Byrne – Senior Vice President for Operational Transformation at GEWhat you’ll learn:The importance of embracing and learning from failureThe power of humility, empathy, and making daily connections with your teamStrategies to empower problem-solving and teamwork, including going to gemba, leveraging meaningful metrics, and creating structured approaches to improvementThe mindset and behavior shifts leaders need to make to build effective leadership habits and lead by exampleBeing an effective leader doesn’t mean you have all the answers; it means you’re willing to ask questions, go see, and always keep learning.If you are trying to create a high-performing learning organization, you won’t want to miss these invaluable insights. Hit play now to be inspired about how you can embed a lean mindset in your organization and accelerate your impact as a change leader.Important Links:Full show notes and links on: http://chainoflearning.com/6GE’s The Lean Mindset Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP2WkL0W-BA My key takeaways from The Lean Mindset event  https://kbjanderson.com/highlights-the-lean-mindset-event/My Book: “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/Timestamps 00:55 – Delving into the Insights from GE’s The Lean Mindset Event01:27 – Reflecting on personal interactions at the event01:40 – A deep dive into the principles of lean management02:38 – Presenting the esteemed lineup of leaders03:10 – Overview of themes covered at The Lean Mindset04:14 – Excerpt from Chef Eric Klein: Exploring the Lean Mindset in a Kitchen05:14 – Emphasizing the importance of humility and the willingness to embrace failure to evolve as a learner05:59 – Dr. Lisa Yerian discusses balancing humility and hunger in leadership07:16 – Betsy Bingham on problem-solving and the human element08:04 – Phil Wickler shares Insight on the significance of Gemba08:55 – Pat Byrne explores the importance of Gemba for both employees and customers09:35 – Betsy Bingham on problem-solving efficiency10:57 – Recognizing the value of repetition to build lean mindset skills11:42 – Dr. Yerian reinforces the importance of quality repetition12:35 – Leveraging metrics to drive operational improvements15:35 – Embracing challenges and how to approach to problem resolution16:35 – Benefits of breaking the telling habit for effective leadership17:35 – Insights on cultivating a lean mindset within Your qrganizational culture22:30 – Larry Culp's three key takeaways23:50 – Closing thoughts on the event and inspiring team dynamics Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/