A leader's guide to making lean and continuous improvement work Based on the Shingo Publication Award-winning book
Overview
Many lean and continuous improvement initiatives struggle to achieve lasting results—not because organizations lack improvement tools, but because leadership systems and daily management practices fail to evolve alongside them.
Drawing on concepts from his Shingo Publication Award-winning book, Darren Walsh will examine why improvement efforts often lose momentum and explore the leadership practices that help sustain long-term organizational change. Through practical examples and facilitated discussion, participants will examine the relationship between leadership behaviors, daily management, and continuous improvement.
Topics will include:
Why improvement initiatives often produce localized results without broader organizational impact.
How daily management systems support effective PDCA and sustained improvement.
Leadership routines that reduce firefighting and improve organizational flow.
Practical approaches for strengthening leadership systems that support continuous improvement.
Rather than focusing on tools or implementation frameworks, this interactive session encourages participants to evaluate their own leadership practices, challenge existing assumptions, and identify opportunities to strengthen daily management within their organizations.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
Differentiate between improvement challenges and leadership system challenges.
Evaluate how daily management practices influence continuous improvement efforts.
Identify leadership routines that support sustained improvement and organizational performance.
Develop practical ideas for strengthening leadership systems within their own organizations.
Darren Walsh has more than 30 years of experience helping organizations build leader-led management systems that support continuous improvement and sustainable operational performance. His work spans manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, technology, and financial services, where he has helped leaders align strategy with daily management practices.
Throughout his career, Darren has held transformation leadership roles with Sony Aiwa, Sega, Boston Scientific, Parker Hannifin, and Zodiac Aerospace. He also spent nearly nine years supporting organizations internationally through the Lean Institute.
Darren is the author of A Leader's Guide to Making Lean & Continuous Improvement Work, recipient of the Shingo Publication Award. He holds a master's degree in Lean Operations from the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC) at Cardiff Business School.
As Regional Board President of AME UK & Ireland, Darren works to strengthen leadership capability and operational excellence by helping organizations develop practical, leader-led approaches to continuous improvement.
