The Lean Learning Academy
Developing Team Leaders and Teams Who Can Improve the Work.
A structured improvement journey based on decades of experience working with operations teams.
Most organizations rely on hardworking people who were promoted into leadership roles without formal training in problem solving or process improvement.
The Lean Learning Academy helps develop those leaders — and the teams they guide — by working on real operational challenges inside their own organization.
This is not classroom training.
This is learning by doing — together.
A Different Approach to Developing Leaders and Teams
The Lean Learning Academy is a structured development program built around one idea:
People learn improvement best by improving real work.
Instead of separating training from daily operations, this program integrates learning directly into the workplace.
Participants work in teams, study their own processes, and apply what they learn to real operational challenges.
Over time, this creates something far more valuable than training alone:
A team that knows how to improve its work.
Who This Program Is Designed For?
The Lean Learning Academy is designed for organizations where daily operations depend on teams working together.
This includes environments such as:
• Manufacturing and production
• Food processing and commercial bakeries
• Hospitality and service operations
These organizations often reach a point where improvement can no longer depend on a few managers or outside consultants.
They need teams who can:
• Observe their work
• Identify problems
• Improve processes together
This program helps build that capability from within.
For Hospitality & Food Operations
If you lead a restaurant, hotel, or food operation…
We’ve developed a version of this program specifically designed for your environment.
Focused on:
Daily operational challenges
Team development during busy schedules
Practical improvement without disruption
How the Program Works
Participants from the same organization join the program and work in small improvement teams.
A typical team includes:
• Frontline employees
• Team leaders
• A manager sponsor
Each team works on real operational challenges inside their own organization.
The goal is not simply to teach improvement tools.
The goal is to develop teams that know how to improve their work — together.
The Learning Journey
Participants move through four stages of development.
Phase 1 — Foundations
Teams learn how to observe work, understand processes, and identify improvement opportunities.
Phase 2 — Structured Continuous Improvement
Teams begin testing small improvements using a simple improvement cycle often called PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Adjust).
This method helps teams test ideas, observe results, and refine their improvements step by step.
Phase 3 — Team Problem Solving
Teams solve meaningful operational challenges and present their results.
Phase 4 - Advanced Learning Opportunities
Teams help spread the learning throughout the organization
A Practical Learning Structure That Fits the Work
The Academy combines live weekly learning sessions with real operational improvement work.
Each week:
• Participants join a live online session to learn key concepts
• Teams apply what they learn directly to their own operations
Organizations enrolling a full team also receive dedicated coaching to support leaders and managers as improvement work progresses.
This approach solves two common problems:
• Taking people away from operations for training
• The high cost of travel and offsite programs
What Makes This Different
This program is based on leadership development practices originally learned at Toyota’s NUMMI plant and refined through more than 35 years of operational experience.
But more importantly:
It focuses on developing people — not just implementing tools.
Most organizations begin with one team and expand as they see the impact.
The Outcome
Over time, something important begins to happen.
Teams gain confidence in their ability to study the work and improve it.
Leaders begin thinking differently about how improvement happens.
The organization gradually becomes:
A Company That Knows How to Improve
This leads to:
• Fewer recurring operational problems
• More engaged employees
• Stronger team leadership
• More consistent operations
What Can Happen When People Are Given the Opportunity to Grow
Early in my career, while working in the training department at NUMMI (a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors), I saw something that shaped the way I think about developing people.
One employee stood out. His name was Terry.
Terry had a reputation for being disengaged. Many had quietly written him off.
When he was placed on a small improvement team, something unexpected happened.
As the team began observing their work and discussing problems together, Terry began to open up. He started sharing ideas. His teammates began listening.
Over time, their respect for him grew.
Eventually, Terry became the team leader.
By the end of the year, his team was recognized as one of the strongest in the plant — and Terry presented their work to over one hundred Toyota and NUMMI executives.
That experience reinforced something I have believed ever since:
When people are given the opportunity to think, contribute, and improve their work, they often grow far beyond what anyone expects — including themselves.
Program Investment
The Lean Learning Academy is a 24-week team development program designed to build long-term improvement capability
Full Team Cohort (10 Participants)
$18,000 for a six-month program
Includes:
• Weekly live learning sessions
• Dedicated team coaching
• Leadership support
• Structured improvement work using your organization’s real challenges
Smaller Groups
$1,995 per participant (24 weeks)
• Participate in shared learning sessions
• Does not include dedicated team coaching
Explore Whether This Is the Right Fit
Many organizations begin with a short conversation to explore whether the Lean Learning Academy is a good starting point.
We typically discuss:
• Your type of operation
• Current improvement opportunities
• Team size and structure
• How the Academy could support your goals
These conversations are valuable — even if you decide not to move forward immediately