Lean Residency Program

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The intent of the program is to help leaders understand the basic principles of Lean including its impact on problem solving, leadership, engagement and culture. Following the completion of this program, leaders will be able to identify waste, manage projects efficiently, utilize Lean tools, engage and empowering their staff, and develop a team of change agents. The impact of this program has potential to spark positive change within departments, across various levels of patient care and ultimately your overall culture.

The next Lean Residency Program will be held March-August 2026. Registration information will become available in Fall 2025. See schedule of session content below.

Four 2-day and one 1-day in-person learning sessions, plus three 3-hr virtual coaching sessions.

The first day of each learning session is held from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm CT, and the second day from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm CT.

Program Objectives

Understand the principles of Lean including its impact on problem solving, leadership, engagement and culture
Identify and use Lean tools that help aid in problem solving
Discover how to empower and coach staff to utilize the Lean tools
Understand how to engage staff in owning their work and using the tools to improve their work
Identify leadership skills needed to create highly engaged teams
Differentiate what it means to lead versus manage others
Identify your social style, how it impacts your leadership style and how to engage team members and work collaboratively with others

Learning Session	Focus
SESSION 1: Lean Leadership “How do I show up as a Lean Leader?” “What is Lean and how does it apply to me as a leader in healthcare?"	Introduction of Coaching Coach vs. Manager Social Styles – learning more about ourselves as leaders and how we can impact our teams Humble Inquiry Building Trust & Safety Increasing Engagement Through: Autonomy Mastery Purpose Removing Blame and Judgment Creating the “Why” Support with Change Introduction of Lean Concepts of Value and the Voice of the Customer
SESSION 2: Lean Tools and Environment “What tools can we utilize to help my team move toward a specific goal?” “How do I set my environment up for success?”	9 Wastes 4 Rules in Use PDSA Cycle Observation Data Collection Value Stream Map A-3 Process Flow Chart SIPOC Understanding Flow Standard Work
SESSION 3: Lean Daily Management “How do we make Lean a part of how we work?”	6S Visual Management Kamishibai Board Kanban System Measuring Performance Cascading metrics/Strategic alignment Key Performance Indicators Leading vs. Lagging Data & Metrics - How do you know how your business is doing today? Huddle Board Elements Performance Metrics Problem Solving Recognition Safety Concerns Daily Operations Team Huddles Brilliant Ideas – Encouraging Front Line Problem Solving Gemba Walks
SESSION 4: Lean Leadership “How do we make Lean a part of how we lead?”	Leadership Standard Work 1:1s Dealing with Conflict/Managing difficult conversations Coaching on the Spot Communication Across Departments Coaching and guiding performance improvement Assessing Engagement Stay Interview Questions
SESSION 5: Lean Future “How do we make it part of our culture?”	Putting it all together: Leadership philosophy, coaching and the tools Building an engaged team Champions of Change Strategy Alignment Identifying organizational, personal and Lean values and alignment with leadership style Creation of a personal commitment and action plan to take forward learnings Sharing Key Learnings, Project Outcomes, Personal “wins” Graduation

Contact:

Erin Smital, RN, Nursing Professional Development Educator, Nurse Residency Coordinator, RWHC, Click here to contact Erin, or call 608-643-1066.