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Future of People at Work Blog
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From Conference to Movement: Infrastructure for Sustained Transformation
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 9 "We came expecting a conference and found ourselves co-creating a movement." This reflection from a symposium participant captures the unexpected evolution that unfolded at O.C. Tanner in June 2025. Six months later, eleven active initiatives continue advancing, monthly community gatherings draw consistent cross-sector participation, and the infrastructure we built together proves that sustained transformation is possible when structure
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From Conference to Movement: Infrastructure for Sustained Transformation
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 9 "We came expecting a conference and found ourselves co-creating a movement." This reflection from a symposium participant captures the unexpected evolution that unfolded at O.C. Tanner in June 2025. Six months later, eleven active initiatives continue advancing, monthly community gatherings draw consistent cross-sector participation, and the infrastructure we built together proves that sustained transformation is possible when structure
Year-End Reflections: What Should FPW's New Year's Resolution Be?
"Get more tangible results from our experiments." "Showcase progress from workgroups in monthly meetings." "Get more people involved - bring a friend." "Get a couple of potential groups lined up to do this work." These weren't predictions for 2026 - they were answers to a single question posed at the December Future of People at Work community meeting: "What should FPW's New Year's resolution be?" As approximately 20 practitioners gathered for the final monthly meeting of 202
Open Space Magic: How Initiatives Emerged and Evolved
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 8 "Who wants to work on making lean accessible to coffee shop managers?" "I'm passionate about bridging AI and continuous improvement." "We need to figure out this generational succession crisis." These were the voices heard on Friday afternoon at the symposium. After two days of identifying challenges through Lean Coffee, learning from O.C. Tanner's journey, and recognizing universal patterns, 110 participants faced a critical transition:
Opening the Door: Making Improvement Accessible to Everyone
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 7 "I almost didn't enter this field. Every conference felt like a foreign language class with no one who looked like me." This young practitioner's confession at the FPW Symposium struck a nerve. As symposium participants shared observations about workforce demographics—noting that the majority of continuous improvement professionals are nearing retirement age while recruitment of younger practitioners lags—the room confronted an uncomfort
From AI Anxiety to Partnership: Time Creation Through Design
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 6 "Will AI replace me?" The continuous improvement professional's question during our CI collaboration session captured a fear that rippled through every sector group. Yet in the same breath, participants complained about having no time for improvement work. The irony was stark: we simultaneously feared replacement by technology while drowning in work that technology could help manage. This paradox—fearing AI while desperately needing its.
When Methodologies Compete, Organizations Lose
Insights from the Shingo Institute Webinar on Harmonizing Process Improvement [Webinar video: Register and watch here ] "We're trying to understand how work is going to occur," Bruce Hamilton explained to webinar participants. "We see it as really critical." This straightforward statement captures the essence of an unprecedented collaboration among eight partner organizations working to address a challenge facing organizations worldwide: navigating the overwhelming proli
Five Initiatives, One Mission: Building the Future of People at Work
On a Sunday afternoon in October, in Manchester, New Hampshire, something remarkable happened. Twenty-six continuous improvement practitioners gathered—some in person, others joining virtually—not for another conference session, but to actively build the future they want to see. The FPWork Sunday Working Session ahead of the Northeast Lean Conference demonstrated what happens when organizations stop competing and start collaborating. Beyond Presentation: Working Together This
The AI Skeptic's Dilemma: When Continuous Improvement Leaders Can't Improve Together
"I can't believe that I haven't been able to do this before." Marc Braun's confession during the second Lean Into AI webinar caught everyone's attention. Here was a CEO coach with 30 years in continuous improvement, someone who built cultures of coaching and problem-solving for a living, admitting he'd been stuck. Not stuck technically—his team members played with AI individually and saw its potential. They were stuck collaboratively. Despite being continuous improvement exp
The O.C. Tanner Story: 35 Years Proving People Have More to Give
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 5 "We were weeks from shutting down U.S. manufacturing. We'd tried everything—except truly listening to our people." Gary Peterson stood before 110 symposium participants, sharing what many executives avoid: a story of near-failure, discovery, and transformation. His 38 years at O.C. Tanner, including 35 years of continuous improvement practice, offered something rare—longitudinal proof that the principles we'd been discussing actually wo
Nine Sectors, One Process: How Structured Dialogue Generated Breakthroughs
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 4 By Future of People at Work Symposium Participants and Claude AI* This article is the fourth in a series exploring the key insights and discussions from the Future of People at Work Symposium 2025, a groundbreaking event that brought together the Lean Community to address the pressing challenges facing today's workplace. Read the first , second , and third articles in the series. A healthcare administrator placed a pink Post-it note on
The Impact Timeline: Understanding When Change Hits Different Sectors
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 3 "US manufacturing is going to die on the current pathway." The statement hung in the air during...
Building Bridges Across Improvement Communities: Three Months Later
FPW Symposium 2025 Blog Series, Part 2 "I've been thinking about our conversation in Salt Lake City," Bruce Hamilton began during the...
Breaking Down Silos: Why Cross-Functional Problem Solving Remains Our Biggest Challenge
"Help me understand how this approach helps the patient's needs being met." This simple question from Deb Thompson during this month’s...
When 110 Professionals Discovered We're All Solving the Same Problems
First in a nine-part series exploring how the FPW Symposium 2025 transformed shared challenges into collaborative action The...
Where Human Ingenuity Meets Machine Intelligence: The Future of Continuous Improvement
"It all boils down to people. People have to review data, input data, solve problems, and make improvement." Jamie Bonini's words during...
From Symposium to Action: How FPW Initiatives Are Reshaping the Future of Workplace Improvement
Two weeks after our transformative symposium at O.C. Tanner's Salt Lake City facility, the Future of People at Work (FPW) community is...
Collaborative Innovation in Action: Initiatives Shaping the Future of People at Work
The Future of People at Work (FPW) movement has always been about more than just hosting events—it's about catalyzing real change through...
Beyond Passive Participation: Your Active Role in Shaping the Future of Work
Picture a conference where every voice matters, where your workplace challenge becomes the catalyst for breakthrough solutions, and where...
The Purpose-Context Matrix: Bringing Structure to Workplace Innovation
This blog has been updated and reposted in preparation for potential additional discussions on knowledge architecture and how to manage...
Beyond Individual Expertise: How AI and Collaboration Are Reshaping Improvement Knowledge
In higher education, we've grown accustomed to conferences where brilliant insights emerge during hallway conversations—only to disappear...
The Entry-Level Paradox: What MBA Students Reveal About Workplace Transformation
In a recent Cal Poly MBA classroom session exploring the Future of People at Work, one post-it note captured a sentiment that resonated...
Building Understanding Through Conversations: A New Model for Learning Organizations
The traditional approach to building organizational knowledge often relies heavily on documentation and structured learning. But what if...
"AI Conversation Capture" at the Symposium
Be Part of Our Collective Intelligence Initiative! At the Symposium, we're taking collaborative learning to the next level. Using our...
Lean Higher Ed (HE) Quick Takes
Lean Higher Ed (HE) Quick Takes Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Time: 4:00-5:00 PM ET Cost: Free Please take a moment to register for the...
Redesigning the Future of Work—Better Together: Insights from Improvement Leaders
In an era of rapid technological change and evolving workplace dynamics, organizations face unprecedented challenges in maintaining...
Beyond Tools: The Human Side of Lean - Insights from Central Coast Lean Summit 2025
In today's rapidly evolving workplace landscape, organizations are discovering that technical excellence alone isn't enough. The 15th...
Travel Guide: Salt Lake City, Utah
Future of People at Work Symposium 2025 | June 26-27, 2025 This straightforward guide will help you plan your trip to Salt Lake City for...
Building Problem-Solving Cultures: Insights from the OSU COE Summit
In today's rapidly evolving workplace, organizations face a critical challenge: how to create cultures where improvement is everyone's...
Better Together: A Transformative Journey in Workplace Improvement
Symposium Story Arc The Future of People at Work (FPW) Symposium takes participants on a purposeful journey from connection to...
Bridging Generations and Breaking Barriers: Insights from Recent LEI summit 2025 Future People at Work Symposium
In a world where technological disruption and generational shifts are transforming the workplace, how do we ensure improvement...
Future of People at Work: A Series Overview
Future of People at Work: A Series Overview
Lean in Action: The Innovative Process Behind the Future of People at Work Symposium
Lean in Action: The Innovative Process Behind the Future of People at Work Symposium
Refreshing Lean: Attracting the Next Generation of Practitioners
Refreshing Lean: Attracting the Next Generation of Practitioners
Lean Beyond the Workplace: Addressing Societal Challenges
Lean Beyond the Workplace: Addressing Societal Challenges
The Future of Lean: Adapting to Evolving Workplace Models
The Future of Lean: Adapting to Evolving Workplace Models
Bridging the Education-Industry Gap for Future Lean Leaders
By Future of People at Work Symposium Participants and Claude AI* This article is the third in a series exploring the key insights and...
The Future of Lean in the Age of AI and Automation: Insights from Collaborative Discussions
The Future of Lean in the Age of AI and Automation: Insights from Collaborative Discussions
Lean thinkers, doers unite to discuss workplace challenges
Lean thinkers, doers unite to discuss workplace challenges
Customer Lean
Moving Beyond Customer Engagement - Unleashing the power of customer knowledge and creativity
developed by Eric O Olsen, PhD
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