When the Work Speaks for You

Kaizen Snapshot

Setting: Global Lean Summit at Indiana University
Challenge: Sustaining Kaizen momentum at scale
Stakes: Culture, credibility, and long-term capability
Approach: Hands-on Kaizen facilitation, leader development, culture building
Outcome: Public CEO endorsement, new relationships, expanded opportunities
Key Lesson: Consistent results build credibility and credibility opens doors

The Situation

At the 2025 Global Lean Summit, I was scheduled to deliver five workshops over two days. That alone made it a memorable event.

What made it even more meaningful was learning that Andrew Koenig, CEO of CITY Furniture, would also be speaking. I had worked closely with Andrew and his team for two years, helping them re-energize their Kaizen culture and build internal capability.

I reached out and let him know I’d be tracking him down when he arrived. He was happy to reconnect.

We finally met early on the final conference day at my booth.

What Happened Next

After catching up and sharing recent adventures, Andrew looked at me and said something I didn’t expect:

“Adam, you’ve done so much for us. What can I do for you?”

Honestly, I hadn’t thought about that. I felt he had already given me plenty through the opportunity to work with his organization.

Still, a few thoughts crossed my mind:

• It would be nice to be acknowledged as part of CITY Furniture’s Lean journey

• Introductions to leaders he thought I could help would mean a lot

• And maybe, just maybe, he’d wear the Kaizen Ninja socks I hand out

He smiled and said he’d do what he could.

The Moment I Didn’t See Coming

When Andrew took the stage later that morning, he began telling the story of CITY Furniture’s Lean journey.

Early in his talk, he shared how we met and how my work helped re-energize their Kaizen culture.

Later, he spoke again about the role I played in building their long-term Kaizen strategy.

Then he asked me to stand.

“Adam became part of how we grew our Kaizen capability not just our events.”

The response from the audience was immediate. After the talk, leaders came up to me wanting to understand my perspective, my approach, and how I supported CITY Furniture’s transformation.

Andrew’s words carried weight. Far more than anything I could have said myself.

What Changed

Later that day, Andrew came over, gave me a hug, and invited me to attend the CITY Furniture vendor conference.

I hadn’t been a vendor for more than two years. But I knew I needed to go, if for no other reason than to reconnect with the Kaizen team members and see how they were doing.

The conference itself was outstanding. But the real impact was something else entirely.

The Takeaway

When you do good work, consistently, respectfully, and with the long view in mind, others will tell your story for you.

Credibility isn’t built through self-promotion. It’s built through results.

Why This Matters

Leaders are flooded with claims and credentials.

What cuts through the noise is proof, especially when it comes from someone they trust.

Sustainable Kaizen cultures grow when results speak louder than words.

Want Results Like This?

If you’re looking to build Kaizen capability that leaders stand behind. Not just events that check a box:

Don't Go Down the Rabbit Hole

Kaizen Snapshot

Setting: Armstrong World Industries – St. Helens, Oregon plant
Challenge: Multiple simultaneous operational issues overwhelming leadership
Stakes: Safety, uptime, morale, and credibility
Approach: Prioritization, delegation, team ownership
Outcome: Clear focus, aligned action, stronger leadership discipline
Key Lesson: You don’t win by fixing everything. You win by fixing the right thing

The Situation

One thing you learn quickly in manufacturing is this:
Even when things are going well, there’s no guarantee they’ll stay that way.

People, processes, equipment, weather, raw materials, any one of them can tip a good day into a bad one.

At the St. Helens ceiling tile plant, we were in the middle of one of those weeks. Equipment downtime was high. Safety concerns were surfacing. People issues were piling up.

As Operations Manager, I felt responsible for all of it.

What Was Getting in the Way

I approached the situation the way many engineers do, by trying to solve every problem at once.

I believed:

• Every issue mattered equally

• I needed to stay on top of everything

• Speed meant touching everything personally

In our morning review meeting, I rattled off dozens of problems.

What I didn’t have was a clear direction.

The Moment That Changed Everything

As I started diving deep into a relatively small issue, one that wasn’t driving major loss, Olivia, our plant manager, stepped in.

“Adam, stop worrying about all the little details.
Let’s focus on the key problem, build the plan, and execute it.
Then we’ll move on to the next.”

It was obvious. And I had completely missed it.

What Changed

Olivia had the team identify the top three problems for the day.

Then she did something even more important. She had them self-assign ownership.

Suddenly:

• Focus replaced overwhelm

• The team leaned in

• Progress accelerated

I took one of the assignments myself and learned more about leadership that day than I had in months.

The Takeaway

Trying to fix everything is a fast way to fix nothing.

Strong leaders create focus, trust their teams, and resist the pull to dive into every detail.

Why This Matters

When leaders chase every problem, teams hesitate.

When leaders create clarity, teams act.

Focus isn’t avoidance, it’s discipline.

Ready to Build Focused Improvement?

If your organization feels overwhelmed by competing priorities, Kaizen may not be the problem, focus might be.

Tearing Down the Monuments of Poor Leadership

Kaizen Snapshot

Setting: Armstrong World Industries’ Lancaster, Pennsylvania vinyl flooring plant
Challenge: Low morale, poor discipline, and eroding trust
Stakes: Productivity, safety, and plant survival
Approach: Visible leadership action, standards reinforcement, symbolic reset
Outcome: Behavior change, improved discipline, productivity lift
Key Lesson: Culture changes when leaders make standards visible and non-negotiable

The Situation

When I became Business Unit Manager at Armstrong’s Lancaster vinyl flooring plant, the history was obvious.

Demand was down. Trust was low. Discipline was inconsistent.
And when people lose confidence in the future, they find ways to disengage.

During a leadership rotation through all shifts, we decided to experience the plant the way every employee did, including nights.

That’s when I found something I didn’t expect.

What Was Getting in the Way

During an overnight walk, I noticed lines running with missing crew members.

Breakrooms were empty. Work areas were quiet.

So I started looking in unused areas of the facility, nine floors of old industrial space.
On the sixth floor, I found stacks of fabric arranged into makeshift “beds.”

The rumors were true.

What We Did

Instead of calling people out, accusing, or lecturing, we took a different approach.

We formed a “bed-hunting” team and searched the facility. Over several days, we found six sleeping areas.

On a Wednesday morning, without announcement, we gathered all the beds and dragged them outside where everyone could see them.

Then we destroyed them in a controlled burn.

No speeches.

No accusations.
Just a clear message: this is not how we work here.

What Changed

Sleeping on the job stopped.

Productivity improved.
The mood lifted.
People saw that leadership was serious about standards.

Sometimes discipline, applied consistently and respectfully, creates stability that people actually crave.

The Takeaway

Culture doesn’t change with posters and speeches.

It changes when leaders remove the monuments to poor behavior.

Why This Matters

When standards are unclear or inconsistently enforced, people fill the gaps.

Visible, consistent leadership resets expectations and restores trust.

Ready to Reset Culture?

If inconsistent standards are holding your organization back, disciplined Kaizen can help reset expectations.