1st Edition
The Lean Kōhai Meditations for Strategy, Practice, and Balance in Living Change Management
The book consists of 76 statements on various issues and practices encountered by process improvement/operational excellence (PI-OpEx) practitioners, managers, and leaders. Many of the issues are also encountered by those outside of PI-OpEx as they are leadership-focused. There is also an instructions page encouraging readers to write and journal in the book. The key benefits of the book fuel the unending learning journey of PI-OpEx practitioners and leaders.
They face issues regarding practice, methods, leadership, management, and purpose -- These reflections allow them to either tackle the issue upfront and be prepared or seek a reflection out of the book to develop an approach to an issue encountered, individually or as a team. For example, the practitioner may have a problematic team member, and using a reflection from the book and having the group discuss it may resolve the issue. Or, the practitioner can read the reflection and use their response to develop a strategy for handling the team member.
Essentially, this book provides readings that could form the basis of daily meditation, consulted for perspective when a specific issue arises, or both. It seeks to instill a mindset of emotional intelligence that can then fuel the pursuit of meaningful, lasting change.
1. Title
Tool: Your Library
2. Purpose
3. Pursuit
4. Opportunity
5. Self-Importance
Tool: Quote Archive
6. Perspective
7. Role
8. Duty
9. Perception
10. Pretense
11. Work
12. Obstacle
Tool: Know Your Path
13. Achievement
14. Reward
15. Humility
16. Versatility
Tool: Pocket Cards
17. Diplomacy
18. Flexibility
19. Agility
20. Nurture
21. Intentionality
Tool: Impact Matrix
22. Hypotheticals
23. Progress
24. Scope
Tool: Envision Your Customer
25. Resurrect
26. Increments
27. Value
28. Dissent
Tool: Grief and Change
29. Simplicity
30. Weaponization
31. Favoritism
32. Drive
33. Resources
Tool: Force Fields
34. Conservation
35. Success
36. Unity
Tool: Change is a Team Sport
37. Strength
38. Acceptance
39. Elevation
40. Impact
41. Role
Tool: Visualize Everything
42. Enmity
43. Control
44. Fault
45. Manipulation
46. Conceit
47. Substance
48. Gossip
49. Arrogance
Tool: Perception is Your Reality
50. Waves
51. Braggadocio
52. Ramifications
53. Experience
54. Learning
55. Coaching
Tool: PIN Feedback
56. Introspection
57. Growth
58. Power
59. Ownership
60. Stewardship
Tool: The Right Fit
61. Journey
62. Readiness
Tool: “Firefighting” – Rapid Response Change
63. Character
64. Ripples
65. Questioning
66. Evolution
67. People
68. Action
69. Honesty
70. Protection
71. Team
72. Practice
Tool: Change Perspective
73. Accessibility
74. Commands
75. Effort
76. Advancement
Biography
Don Arp, Jr., Ph.D., is currently the executive director of the Nebraska Brand Committee for the state of Nebraska. He is a writer, researcher, and leader, with years of experience in public and private sector compliance, oversight, investigations, operational excellence, management assessment, and executive leadership. Don is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts with Highest Distinction in history and a Master of Arts in anthropology (specializing in archaeology). In 2019, Don received his doctorate in transdisciplinary writing from Middlesex University in London. Don is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has had his work published in Six Sigma Forum Magazine and Lean & Six Sigma Review.
