Lean Thinking: Boosting Productivity at Work and Home (Monday Mindset)

What if cutting just one step could unlock hours of productivity?

In this Monday Mindset episode, Nick and Wil break down the powerful concept of “Lean”, a methodology made famous in manufacturing but wildly effective in business, leadership, and everyday life. 

From eliminating wasted steps in your workflow to outsourcing laundry and freeing up time at home, this episode is packed with real-world stories, eye-opening examples, and smart strategies to help you lead with efficiency. 

Whether you're managing a team or managing a household, lean thinking might just change your life.

Key Takeaways:

• Lean methodology is about increasing efficiency by eliminating waste, not just in factories but in any environment.
• You don’t need consensus to get started.
• Taking imperfect action and adjusting as you go is often better than waiting for the perfect moment.
• The world rewards action, not endless deliberation.
• Toyota’s Kaizen model revolutionized auto manufacturing through continuous improvement, which can also apply to service industries.
• A post-it note exercise revealed that a client onboarding process had 133 steps; it was reduced to 31, drastically improving efficiency.
• Lean is a mindset, not a one-time event. Leaders must continuously assess, adapt, and empower their teams.
• Asking “Are we doing the right thing?”, “Are we doing it the right way?”, and “Do we have the right people?” can spark major improvements.
• Delegating specialized tasks to experts can improve results and free up leaders to focus on coaching and development.
• Automation tools like email scheduling can streamline follow-up, improve client engagement, and build trust without extra effort.
• Lean can reduce burnout, boost morale, and improve retention by matching people with meaningful work and measurable progress.