Behind the Curtain

Longtime manufacturing process engineer and trainer John Dyer discusses operational excellence and continuous improvement with Professor Mohamed Saleh, a Lean, Six Sigma and continuous improvement expert. Between them, they share nearly 60 years of continuous improvement expertise. IndustryWeek partners with Dyer and Saleh to bring their insights to manufacturing professionals.

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Is it true or is it a convenient excuse when progress is hard to see? It can be both, say the cohosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
Sept. 8, 2026
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Lean training is important, but "knowing lean is not the same as living lean," say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
Sept. 1, 2026
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The truth is that lean makes problems more visible, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement. The only way to improve is to develop a culture ...
Aug. 25, 2026
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IndustryWeek revisits the first installment of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement with this “best of” episode.
Aug. 18, 2026
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The truth is that many leaders resist team empowerment because they believe it diminishes their importance, argue the hosts of Behind the Curtain. The key is to redefine what ...
Aug. 11, 2026
Don't assume leadership's initial lean enthusiasm automatically translates to long-term support. Many headwinds could derail early commitment, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain...
Aug. 3, 2026
Neither statement is true, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, who offer compelling perspectives about why the division between lean and...
July 28, 2026
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the word lean on a blue, technology looking background
On the contrary, many disciplines can excel as lean facilitators. Qualities such as humility, critical thinking and the ability to work as a team are key, regardless of one's ...
July 21, 2026
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Don't believe it, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, who argue that lean applies to any process with inputs, outputs, suppliers and customers...
July 13, 2026
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Every culture presents its own challenges, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement. For that reason, a cookie-cutter approach to implementing...
July 7, 2026
In this episode of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh continue their exploration of symptoms that indicate an organization...
June 29, 2026
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In this episode of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh continue their discussion of common signals of a lean initiative...
June 23, 2026
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In this episode of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh point to symptoms within your daily management system—specifically...
June 15, 2026
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If "tool worship" is part of your lean transformation, it may be in trouble. But that's not the only worrying sign to watch out for.
June 9, 2026
Process mapping is a powerful improvement tool—but only when it reflects reality. Too often, ego, reputation management and fear prevent teams from exposing uncomfortable truths...
June 1, 2026
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5S plus the word 'safety' with a question mark
Safety is already foundational to 5S, argue the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, who say 6S may signal a weak safety culture.
May 27, 2026
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While 5S is a powerful lean tool, done wrong it becomes nothing more than "cosmetic theater" and fuels employee resistance.
May 18, 2026
If you think problems disappear in mature lean organizations, you'd be wrong. What changes is how organizations react to those problems and how leaders' roles evolve.
May 11, 2026
Has your organization fallen prey to the three threats of lean maturity models? Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer discuss maturity model risks in this episode of Behind the Curtain...
May 4, 2026
Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer, hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, discuss why the question 'When can we say we are lean?' is so concerning if...
April 27, 2026
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Consider standard work as a baseline for improvement, not a prison, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
April 20, 2026
Podcast hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer continue to explore difficult questions around lean, Six Sigma and continuous improvement, focusing their attention on the belt certificati...
April 13, 2026
If you're talking continuous improvement and want to spark passionate debate, try this question: Which is better—lean or Six Sigma? Our podcast hosts tackle this turbulent topic...
April 6, 2026
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One hint: It’s rarely an individual worker. Have you examined your system design lately?
March 30, 2026