Your success, my mission | 3x founder & CEO | Former CIO $4B company | DEIB ally | Sharing 24 years of hard-earned leadership & self-mastery wisdom

My purpose is to inspire and empower individuals to unleash their potential and create a positive impact in the world.

I believe success is a byproduct of helping others, and the best leaders create other leaders.

When you:
set a clear vision,
lead by example, and
empower your people,
they give you their best
and you all win together.

🔭 Former Corporate Exec | 🌱 Entrepreneur | 💡 Founder | 📚 Lifelong Learner

After 22 years of corporate life and reaching the pinnacle, I stepped off the high-wire to begin a new chapter.

Trading the executive suite of a $4B global powerhouse for the excitement of entrepreneurship, I'm now spreading knowledge, innovation, and transformation.

Through 5 major career transitions, I evolved from a VP of Marketing & Sales to Division President, and ultimately, CIO.

But behind every business transaction, there's a face. I firmly believe that people are the heart and soul of any endeavor. I owe my success to the great teams I've been a part of and the wise mentors who guided me. My advice for aspiring leaders:

Be bold.
Be curious.
Be authentic.
Be respectful.
Be transparent.
Be growth-minded.
And success will follow.

Today, as an entrepreneur, I've swapped corporate structure for startup passion, partnering with my wife as co-owners of a holding company, founding multiple business ventures, crafting 3 new brands, consulting growing companies, and extending my love of mentoring into coaching.

In between, you’ll find me nurturing my four personal passions: learning, writing, traveling, and gardening. They keep me rooted and help me grow. After all, isn't life one big, beautiful garden? Here’s to growing together! 🌱

Justin Wright

9 seconds could change your life.

That's how long it takes to make a choice that
defines your character.

I once worked with someone who taught me this lesson.

Aaron was always the first to help, even when no one
was watching.

He'd stay late to finish a project, refusing to cut corners.

In meetings, he'd give credit to others before himself.

One day, I asked him why he bothered.

His answer stuck with me:

"If you can't be trusted with the small stuff,
how can anyone trust you with the big stuff?"

He was right.

Good character isn't about:
— Grand gestures
— Public recognition
— Doing the right thing when it's easy

It's about:
— Quiet integrity
— Consistent kindness
— Doing the right thing, especially when it's hard

The truth is, we all face character tests daily:
— Do we own up to mistakes?
— Do we gossip about a coworker?
— Do we help without expecting anything?

These small decisions shape who we become.

Remember:

Your character is your real resume.

It's what people say about you when
you're not in the room.

So, next time you're faced with a choice,
take those 9 seconds. Make them count.

Build a character that makes you proud.

Agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts below.

♻️ Repost to inspire someone in your network. Thanks!

Your success, my mission | CEO @ Polished Carbon | Former CIO $4B company | DEIB ally | Sharing 25 years of hard-won wisdom on people-first leadership + emotional intelligence + self-mastery

98% of successful people share this 1 thing:


Someone who believed in them before they "made it."

Think about that for a moment.

Behind every success story is someone who:

➟ Saw the spark early
➟ Took a chance
➟ Opened a door
➟ Stood up and said "I believe in them"

These people change lives.

Sometimes it's a manager who gives you that first shot at leadership.

Sometimes it's a mentor who says "You can do this" when you're ready to quit.

They see your potential.

Not your resume.
Not your track record.
Just pure, raw potential.

And here's the beautiful thing:

You can be that person for someone else.

Look around your workplace:

Who needs a chance?
Who shows up every day ready to learn?
Who has the right attitude but lacks experience?

Don't wait for others to discover them.

Be the one who says "I see something in you."
Be the one who takes a chance.
Be the one they remember years from now.

Because success isn't just about what you achieve.
It's about who you help achieve their dreams.

Who believed in you? And more importantly...

Who needs you to believe in them today?

♻️ Repost to inspire someone in your network.

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Most people never realize they're terrible listeners
until it costs them something important.

A promotion they deserved.
A relationship that mattered.
A team that stopped being honest with them.

I've watched leaders lose talented people
not because of strategy or compensation,
but because their team never felt heard.

And I've been that leader.

My wife will tell you I've perfected the art of
nodding while mentally drafting emails.

She's called me out more than once for
asking a question she literally just answered.

"Were you even listening?"

The honest answer? No.

I was performing listening while planning
something else.

Real listening happens in layers.
Most of us get stuck at the surface.

Level 1: Waiting to Talk
You're silent, but your mind is rehearsing your
response. The other person can feel it.

Level 2: Hearing Words
You catch fragments. You nod at the right moments.
But you're mentally somewhere else.

Level 3: Understanding the Message
You're actually focused. You listen to comprehend,
not to counter. This is where most people think
they've arrived. (They haven't.)

Level 4: Recognizing Emotions
You read between the lines. You notice the frustration
behind "I'm fine" or the fear behind "I'm not sure."

Level 5: Hearing What's Unsaid
You're fully present. You catch the hesitation,
the shift in tone, the thing they're struggling
to express.

The leaders who operate at level 5 don't just
hear problems faster. They prevent them entirely.

They build the kind of trust that makes
hard conversations possible.

They create environments where people speak up
before small issues become disasters.

Getting to level 5 doesn't require new skills.

Just caring enough to shut up and pay attention.

I'm still working on this.
Some days I nail it.

Other days my wife gives me that look
that says "you did it again."

Next time someone's talking to you,
notice where your mind goes.

Notice if you're crafting your response
while they're mid-sentence.

That self-awareness alone will change
how you lead.

♻️ Repost to help someone become a better listener.

P.S. Want a PDF of my 99 best cheat sheets?
Get them free: brilliancebrief.com

Happy at work? These 8 phrases might be why.

The culture can make your job fulfilling or draining.

In a healthy culture, certain phrases stand out.

They reflect values like:

➟ Trust 
➟ Growth 
➟ Respect 
➟ Recognition

When you hear these phrases, you feel valued.

You feel safe to share ideas and learn from mistakes.

You feel supported to collaborate and succeed.

These phrases create a positive environment.
One where people lift each other up.

A healthy workplace culture is powerful.
It starts with the words leaders choose.

Leaders, choose phrases that:

➟ Build trust
➟ Empower
➟ Inspire
➟ Unite

Words have the power to shape your team's success.

Use them wisely.
Use them often.

And always be sincere.

Be the leader who brings out greatness.

♻️ Agree? Repost to inspire someone in your network.

P.S. What phrase would you add to the list?

I used to think teamwork was just about
getting things done. Boy, was I wrong.

In my first leadership role, I pushed hard.

We hit every deadline.
But the energy was off.

People looked drained.
Disconnected.

Done, but not proud.

That’s when it hit me:

A group of people working together isn’t a team.
It’s just individuals sharing a calendar.

Real teams are built on something deeper:
✅ Trust that has your back
✅ Respect that values your voice
✅ Care that sees you as a person (not just an employee)

So I changed how I showed up.

I started listening more.
Asking questions that weren’t about work.
Showing appreciation without a reason.

The outcome?
More ideas
More smiles
More support

And yes, more results.
 
We weren’t just working together.
We were in it together.

Look...

You can force people to collaborate.
But you can’t force them to care.

That part is earned.
By how you show up.

True teams are built on relationships, not just results.

What’s your #1 tip for building real team trust?

♻️ Enjoy this? Repost to help a leader in your network.

To me, leadership is about believing in people.

It's looking for the best in them, and giving them
opportunities to show it.

Celebrating their wins as if they were your own.

Success comes from lifting others up.

A leader's true impact is seen in their team's growth.

Help others win.
Cheer for them along the way.

It doesn't take away from you.
It adds to you.

A leader's superpower is to bring out
the superpowers in others.

When you lift others, you rise too.

♻️ Agree? Repost to help others be better leaders.

Less than 25% of leaders show authenticity consistently.

A leader's style can be the difference between:
An employee quitting their dream job,
or growing into their true potential.

Most leaders obsess over what they accomplish.
Few pay attention to how they show up.

In my 24 years in business, I've learned:

True leadership isn't about perfection.
It's all about connection.

Own your vulnerability.
Admit when you're wrong.
Ask for help when you need it.

It's okay to be human.

Think about the best leader you ever had.

I bet they made you feel:

➟ Heard
➟ Valued
➟ Capable

That's the power of authentic leadership.

It's not about having all the answers.
It's about being real. Building trust. Inspiring growth.

Maya Angelou was right:

"People will forget what you said,
they'll forget what you did,
but they'll never forget
how you made them feel."

Be the leader who brings out the best in others.

Not by demanding perfection,
but by showing what's possible through authenticity.

The best part?

You already have everything you need.

Just be you.

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Thank you!

The moment fear enters your workplace,
something valuable walks out.

I see it in workplaces everywhere.

⛔ A leader who rules by intimidation.
⛔ A team that's too afraid to innovate.
⛔ Meetings filled with silence instead of ideas.

When you manage by fear:
• People focus on avoiding mistakes
• Energy goes to self-protection
• Growth becomes impossible

This isn't leadership. It's control.

True leaders understand that:
✅ Support produces better results than threats
✅ Kindness builds stronger teams than fear
✅ EQ spots problems before they grow

The numbers back this up.

Teams led with empathy consistently:
• Solve problems more creatively
• Perform better under pressure
• Adapt to change faster
• Stay together longer

Fear might get short-term compliance.
But it kills long-term excellence.

The choice is simple.

Lead with fear, and watch people shrink.
Lead with heart, and watch them soar.

Your team is capable of brilliance.
But only when they're not afraid to shine.

♻️ Repost if this resonates with you.
Thank you!

Trust is a leader's only real job.

Not strategy. Not vision. Not goals.

Trust.

You can have the best plans in the world.
But if your people don't trust you.
They won't follow you.

If they don't trust each other.
They won't collaborate.

And without trust,
even brilliant strategies
produce mediocre results.

I've seen it happen.

A team with all the talent in the world.
Great ideas. Clear direction.
But no trust.

So people held back.

Played it safe.
Watched their own backs.
Nothing moved forward.

Trust is the multiplier.
Without it, everything else falls flat.

Here's how great leaders build it:

1. Do what you say you'll do.
Always.
Consistent actions speak volumes.

2. Own it when you're wrong.
Your team already knows.
Admitting it builds respect.

3. Share information freely.
Hoarding it creates suspicion.
Transparency creates safety.

4. Have hard conversations early.
Avoiding them erodes trust.
Having them with compassion build it.

5. Back your people publicly.
Defend them when they're not in the room.

6. Give credit generously.
Take blame personally.
This is non-negotiable.

7. Be consistent.
Predictability isn't boring.
It's the foundation of psychological safety.

Your people are always watching.

Not what you say. What you do.

Lead with trust. Everything else follows.

What would you add to this list?
Let's learn from each other.

♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network.
Thanks!

You can't control much in life,
but these 22 things you always can:

1. Your Attitude
Opt for a positive outlook.
 
2. Your Integrity
Stick to your values, even when it's hard.
 
3. Your Courage
Face your fears and grow.
 
4. Your Kindness
A small act can change someone's day.
 
5. Your Influence
Be the leader you'd follow.
 
6. Your Actions
Make decisions you'll be proud of later.
 
7. Your Boundaries
Say no when you need to.
 
8. Your Effort
Push through when it gets tough.

9. Your Circle
Surround yourself with supportive people.
 
10. Your Self-Belief
Believe you can, and you will.
 
11. Your Excuses
Kill them before they kill your dreams.
 
12. Your Goals
Set them high, but achievable.
 
13. Your Focus
Choose where you direct your attention.
 
14. Your Limits
Break them, then set new ones.
 
15. Your Time
Prioritize what matters most to you.
 
16. Your Words
Speak positively to yourself and others.
 
17. Your Self-Care
Make time for yourself every day.
 
18. Your Silence
Speak up, even when it's unpopular.
 
19. Your Inner Critic
Put it in its place.
 
20. Your Mindset
Shift from fixed to growth thinking.
 
21. Your Purpose
Align your actions with your mission.
 
22. Your Gratitude
Count your blessings, no matter how small.

Your power starts and ends with you 💪.

Master these... and your world transforms.

You're not a passenger in life.
You're the driver.

P.S. Which of the 22 is most important to you?
Any I missed that you'd add?

♻️ If this resonates with you, repost for others too.
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Great leaders change lives.

12 things that make them memorable:

1. They Believe in You
↳ They see the potential you may not see in yourself.

2. They Trust You
↳ They give you the freedom to learn and grow.

3. They Lead by Example
↳ They show you the way through their own actions.

4. They Listen With Empathy
↳ They listen to understand, not just to reply.

5. They Respect Your Personal Life
↳ They value your time outside of work.

6. They Offer You Flexibility
↳ They make it easier to manage your responsibilities.

7. They Welcome Your Ideas
↳ They encourage you to share your perspective.

8. They Invest in Your Growth
↳ They support your development and career growth.

9. They Give You Honest Feedback
↳ Their constructive guidance helps you improve.

10. They Challenge You to Be Your Best
↳ They push you to stretch and reach your potential.

11. They Forgive Your Mistakes
↳ They create a safe environment for you and your team.

12. They Admit When They're Wrong
↳ They take responsibility for their mistakes.

Great leaders are human too.

They have bad days and make mistakes.

But you know they genuinely care about you.

They inspire you to be a better version of yourself.

If you've had a leader like this, you know how valuable they are.

They're the ones you remember long after you've moved on.

And if you're a leader now, be one like this for others.

Agree? Repost to share with your network ♻️. Thanks!

P.S. Know a leader like this? Tag them in the comments.

Want PDFs of my 99 best cheat sheets?
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This teacher does something that puts most leaders to shame.

Every morning, she stands at her classroom door.
Each student gets to choose how they're greeted.

A hug.
A bow.
A high-five.
A fist bump.
A silly dance.

17 kids. 17 different preferences. Zero assumptions.

She doesn't greet them the way she wants.
She greets them the way they need.

That's emotional intelligence in action.

It starts with curiosity.

Caring enough to learn what each person needs.
Not treating everyone the same.
Treating each as an individual.

The best leaders I know do this:
They learn each person's "greeting."

They ask:
→ How do you prefer to receive feedback?
→ What does support look like for you?
→ How do you want your wins celebrated?

It takes more effort than a one-size-fits-all approach.

But it builds something you can't fake:
Trust.

When people feel seen as individuals,
(not just workers filling a role)
they show up differently.

They give more.
They stay longer.
They fight for your success.

Emotional intelligence isn't a soft skill.

It's a leadership superpower.

♻️ Repost to help leaders in your network.

(Video credit: Unknown)

Brutal truth: Your customer experience will never
exceed your employee experience.

Most leaders get it backward.

They obsess over customer satisfaction while
their teams burn out in the background.

25 years in business have taught me one thing
more than anything else:

Your customers will never be happier than your people.

Think about it.

Who's answering that support call at 8pm?
Who's staying late to fix that urgent problem?
Who's going above and beyond for your clients?

Your team.

And when they feel

➟ Undervalued
➟ Underpaid
➟ Unheard

That energy shows up in every customer interaction.

I learned this the hard way at a previous company.

We lost 3 top performers in one month.

Customer complaints doubled.
Response times tripled.
Revenue took a hit.

So we flipped our priorities:

✓ Team wellbeing before quarterly targets
✓ Investment in people before new tech
✓ Flexibility before rigid policies
✓ Recognition before criticism

The results?
Customer satisfaction hit record highs.
Employee turnover dropped 90%.
Profits followed naturally.

Look... your employees are your first customers.

When you take care of them,
they take care of everything else.

Start there. Always start there.

♻️ Repost to help others build a positive culture.
Thanks!

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9 mindsets I see in every successful person:

They're not born with them.

They develop them through daily habits.

And you can too. Here's how:

1. Embrace curiosity.
↳ Ask questions. Invite new perspectives.
↳ Learning isn't a phase. It's a lifelong pursuit.

2. Focus on solutions.
↳ When problems arise, take a breath.
↳ Then ask: What can I do to fix this?

3. Reframe failure.
↳ Setbacks happen. Success is how you respond.
↳ Persistence beats talent every time.

4. Prioritize ruthlessly.
↳ Set clear goals. Say no to distractions.
↳ Consistency compounds. Small steps = big results.

5. Be resilient.
↳ Challenges will come. Prepare yourself mentally.
↳ When they hit, dig deep. Stay strong.

6. Seek wisdom.

↳ Surround yourself with people who inspire you.
↳ Listen to their stories. Learn from their mistakes.

7. Invest in yourself.
↳ Your health is your greatest asset.
↳ Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and exercise.

8. Keep your commitments.
↳ Long-term success is built on integrity.
↳ Do what you say. Show up on time.

9. Take responsibility. Give gratitude.
↳ Own your life. Your wins. Your losses.
↳ And be thankful for all of it.

Mindset is a choice.

You can't control everything that happens.
But you can always control your response.

Success is the sum of your daily choices.

It's not easy. But it's always worth it.

Agree? Repost to share with others ♻️.

P.S. Which trait do you see as most important?

Want PDFs of my 99 best cheat sheets?
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Your mindset decides your success.

I used to think success was about
skills and strategy.

Then I watched brilliant people fail
while "average" ones soared.

The difference? Their mindset.

6 steps to build a success mindset that works:

1. Know yourself. Really know yourself.
What lights you up?
What drains your energy?
Where are you holding back?

2. Get crystal clear on your non-negotiables.
These aren't just boundaries.
They're your compass for every decision.

Most people stop here. But there's more.

3. Master the 80/20 rule.
Focus on the few things that create real impact.
Cut the busywork that keeps you stuck.

4. Learn to say "no" without guilt.
Every "yes" to something unimportant
is a "no" to something that matters.

5. Choose your circle carefully.
The right people challenge you to grow.
The wrong ones keep you comfortable.

And here's the big one:

6. Show up. Especially when it's hard.
When motivation fades (it will),
let discipline carry you forward.

Small steps on tough days build
the resilience others envy.

Remember:

Your mindset isn't just how you think.
It's how you show up every day.

That's how you build success that lasts.

Make 2026 the year you master your mindset.

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Bad leaders think they wear a crown.
Good leaders wear a hat.
Great leaders?

They wear 10.

Because your team doesn't need just one kind of support.

They need the right kind. At the right time.

That’s what great leaders understand.
They don’t cling to one identity.
They adapt. They serve.

They know when to wear:

1/ The Mentor
➟ Share wisdom without preaching
➟ Guide, don’t control
➟ Help them find their own answers

2/ The Coach
➟ Spot potential before they do
➟ Push when they hesitate
➟ Invest in their growth

3/ The Defender
➟ Shield them from politics
➟ Fight the battles they shouldn’t have to
➟ Protect without hovering

4/ The Translator
➟ Speak their language, not yours
➟ Bridge gaps between levels
➟ Simplify the complex

5/ The Cheerleader
➟ Spot the effort before the result
➟ Recognize in public, correct in private
➟ Make appreciation your daily habit

6/ The Therapist
➟ Hold space for human moments
➟ Listen before solving
➟ Show it's okay not to be okay

7/ The Janitor
➟ Clean up the mess without blame
➟ Fix first, debrief later
➟ Roll up sleeves when needed

8/ The Student
➟ Learn from everyone
➟ Admit when you don't know
➟ Make curiosity contagious

9/ The Mirror
➟ Reflect their best self back
➟ Show potential, not limits
➟ See who they're becoming

10/ The Compass
➟ Point to true north in chaos
➟ Stay steady when others panic
➟ Remind them of the why

Leadership isn't a rank or role.

It's how you treat people.
Your service. Your support.

You don't need a promotion.
You don't need permission.
You don't even need a title.

Just the courage to step up.
And serve.

Because the best leaders aren't wearing a crown.
They're switching hats.

One at a time.
Exactly when their team needs it most.

P.S. What did I miss? Which hat would you add?

♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network.
🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on servant leadership.

Want PDFs of my 80 best cheat sheets?
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We obsess over numbers.
Revenue. Margins. Forecasts.
But the truth?

Business is 100% about people.

Yet most leaders still focus on:

KPIs
Metrics
Dashboards
Profit margins
Quarterly results

And they lose sight of the very thing
making those numbers possible:

People.

➟ The ones solving the problems
➟ Delivering those numbers
➟ Building the systems
➟ Closing the deals

Want your business to thrive?
Start with your people.

Show them you care about:

➟ Their growth
➟ Their dreams
➟ Their wellbeing
➟ Their challenges

Because when people feel valued as humans
(not just employees)...

➟ They bring their best work
➟ They go the extra mile
➟ They stay longer
➟ They care more

If you want people to care about your business,
show them first that you care about them as people.

Business is personal.
It always was.
It always will be.
(even with AI)

Lead with heart.
The results will follow.

P.S. Tag a leader who gets this.
♻️ Repost to inspire your network.

Kind leadership isn't soft.

It's the hardest kind there is.

I used to think being a kind boss meant avoiding hard conversations.

Letting things slide.
Keeping the peace.

I was wrong.

That's not kindness.
That's cowardice in disguise.

Real kindness requires courage.

The courage to tell someone the truth they need to hear.

The courage to protect your team's time when everyone wants a piece of it.

The courage to sit with someone in their mess instead of disappearing.

9 Signs of a Kind Leader:

1. They have hard conversations early (before small issues become big problems)

2. They share their own failures (because vulnerability builds trust better than "faking" perfection)

3. They listen to understand, not to respond (put the phone down)

4. They shine the spotlight on others (and stay in the shadows themselves)

5. They cancel the meetings that waste everyone's time (and defend their team's focus)

6. They show up when things fall apart (not just when things go well)

7. They expect excellence AND provide the support to achieve it

8. They know their people as humans first (not just job titles)

9. They grow people who don't need them anymore (that's the goal)

And the hardest part is...

Kind leadership means putting someone else's growth above your own comfort.

Most leaders won't do it.

It's easier to bark orders.
Demand results.
Take credit.

But those "leaders" wonder why their best people leave.

Kind leaders build teams that stay, grow, and thrive.

Choose your legacy wisely.

Because people will forget your title.

They'll never forget how you made them feel.

P.S. Know a kind leader? Tag them in the comments.

♻️ Repost to inspire a leader in your network.

Want a PDF of my Kind Leadership Cheat Sheet?
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Leadership isn't about your title.
It's about how you make people feel.

11 signs you're a leader others (actually) want to follow:

01/ You defend them when they're not in the room.
02/ You give credit in public and coach in private.
03/ You fight battles they don't even know about.
04/ You shut down toxicity before it spreads.
05/ You see their potential before they do.
06/ You make their success your priority.
07/ You stay kind when times get tough.
08/ You apologize when you mess up.
09/ You show up when it matters.
10/ You let them outgrow you.
11/ You keep your promises.

I've known "leaders" with fancy titles
who made me feel invisible.

And others who led by influence 
and changed entire careers.

The difference?

One cared about their position.
The other cared about their people.

Here's what real leaders know:

Your team's success is your success.
Their growth is your legacy.
Their trust is what makes you a leader.

Not your title.

Be the leader who makes people believe
in themselves.

That's the kind of impact that lasts forever.

♻️ Repost to inspire a leader in your network.

Want PDFs of my 99 best cheat sheets?
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The most powerful thing a leader ever said to me
was 5 words.

"I think you'll do great."
That's it.

No long speech. No formal meeting.

Just a quick comment before I walked
into my first big presentation.

I was terrified.
700 pairs of eyes on me.

But my boss saw something different.

He didn't just say "good luck."
He said "I think you'll do great."

And something shifted.

I stood a little taller.
Spoke a little clearer.
Believed a little more.

That presentation changed my career.
Not because I was ready.
Because someone believed I was.

That's the day I learned...

Your belief in someone can unlock
what they can't see in themselves.

You see, belief is contagious.

Behind every confident, successful person
is someone who believed in them first.

When someone believes in you,
you start believing in yourself.

And when you believe in yourself,
you become unstoppable.

Think about who gave you that gift.

A parent. A coach. A boss. A friend.

Someone who saw your potential before you did.

Now think about who needs that from you.

Who's waiting for permission to believe in themselves?

Who needs to hear "I think you'd be great"?

You have that power.
Use it.

Lift someone up today.

Watch what happens when they finally see what you see.

It might just change their life.

Like it changed mine.

P.S. Know a leader like this?
Tag them in the comments.

♻️  Repost to inspire a leader who needs to hear this.
Thank you!

Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence | Follow for posts on Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Hi - I'm Ivan, an industrial engineer with 7+ years of experience in Operations Management and Kaizen.

I serve two main groups of people:

1. Executives tired of broken processes burning money - I show them how to fix it and recapture 15-30% in Muda

2. Founders in Continuous Improvement who know their stuff but can't crack LinkedIn - I show them how to turn it into a legit revenue channel

(send me a direct message for more info)

I started writing on LinkedIn in October 2023. Since then, I have been sharing actionable, educational, and entertaining content to support LinkedIn community members in their Kaizen journey. It helped me grow my audience from 9,000 to 100,000 followers in 2024.

I have been posting around:

	• Continuous Improvement
	• Lean Manufacturing
	• Growth Mindset
	• Innovation

Including insights on 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Leadership, Industry 4.0, and Problem Solving. 

Now I'm building Gemba Walk AI to make every Gemba Walk part of a learning system, where collective insights drive faster, better decisions than any single expert could achieve.

For free weekly tips, subscribe to The Kaizen Geek newsletter.

Ivan Carillo

You've got the organizational pyramid upside down.
 
Most organizations look like this:
 
-CEO 
-VPs
-Managers 
-Supervisors
-Frontline Workers
 
But successful Kaizen companies flip it:
 
+Frontline Workers
+Supervisors
+Managers
+VPs
+CEO
 
Why does this matter?
 
Traditional Thinking:
"Management knows best"
 
Kaizen Thinking:
"Those doing the work know best"
 
In the flipped pyramid:
 
+Decisions flow UP from the Gemba
+Leadership serves those who serve customers
+Managers become obstacle removers, not order givers

Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence

If your processes are broken, stop blaming people.

(do this instead)

To solve a problem, 
you must first become aware of it.

Here's yours: your standardization sucks.

Taiichi Ohno once said:
"Without standards, there can be no Kaizen."

Yet most "standards" are..

→ 47-page documents nobody reads
→ Outdated procedures from 2019
→ Tribal knowledge in someone's head

Standardization is something different.

I learned this watching a subway crew in Asia last year:

→ 9 minutes to clean an entire train.
→ 50+ people doing it identically.
→ Zero supervision needed.

Their secret?

Visual standards everywhere.

→ Floor marks for equipment placement
→ Colour codes for cleaning sequences
→ Shadow boards for every tool

Not robots.
Empowered humans with solid methods.

When problems occur, they ask:

"How did the standard fail?"
Not "Who failed?"

P.S. Can a new employee follow your standards on day one?

If not, you don't have standards.

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Founder

Advisor

Writer

Amazon

Junior Research Assistant

Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence  | Follow for posts on Continuous Improvement and Innovation

English

Italian

Don't overcomplicate things.
Choose Wisely.
Build Simple.
Think Lean.

Kaizen vs. Innovation 

Both are essential, but they serve different purposes. 

Kaizen:  

+Incremental improvement  
+Low risk  
+High involvement  
+Low investment  
+Immediate results  
+Continuous process 

Innovation:  

+Breakthrough change  
+Higher risk  
+Specialized teams  
+Larger investment  
+Delayed results  
+Periodic events 

Best companies don't choose between them. 

They use Kaizen to optimize current operations  
and Innovation to create new value. 

Kaizen builds the foundation that makes Innovation possible. 
Innovation creates the leap that Kaizen then refines. 

Together, they form a powerful system for sustainable growth.

Never invent rules from the Ivory Tower. 

Go to the Gemba instead.

When British colonizers faced a cobra problem in Delhi, they had a 'brilliant' idea: 

Pay people for every dead cobra.

It worked. At first.

Then someone realized: 
Why hunt cobras when you can farm them?

Cobra farms sprouted up. 
The government stopped the bounty. 

The farmers released their snakes. 
Delhi ended up with MORE cobras than before.

This is the Cobra Effect. And it happens in your plant too.

You create a metric. 
Your team hits the target. 
The real problem gets worse.

Why? 

People game bad metrics instead of solving problems.

I've seen it hundreds of times on the Gemba:

-operators hiding defects to hit quality targets
-teams rushing through audits to meet completion rates
-supervisors closing tickets without fixing root causes

PS: What's the worst metric gaming you've seen?

Do you wanna start your Continuous Improvement journey?

Learn to see the 3M's of Lean.

Most leaders can't see waste.
Because they don't know the 3M's:

The 3M's of Lean refer to  

+Muda
+Mura
+Muri

Three Japanese terms used in the Toyota Production System (TPS).

These concepts are key to identifying why your processes are broken:

1/ Muda → Waste

What customers won't pay for.

Muda can be further classified into:

→ Type I: Muda which cannot be eliminated immediately
→ Type II: Muda which can be eliminated quickly through Kaizen

Example: 

I watched a nurse walk 2.7 miles per shift.
Not caring for patients. Just fetching supplies.

That's Muda.

***
2/ Mura → Unevenness

Mura can be seen as variation in quality, cost, or delivery.

It often leads to Muri and Muda.

Example:

Monday: Skeleton crew drowning
Friday: Full staff standing idle

Creating both overtime costs AND wasted wages.
That's Mura.

***
3/ Muri → Overburden

Unreasonable stress or burden placed 
on workers and processes.

Muri often results in safety and quality issues.

Example:

Expecting 60 minutes of work
in 45-minute windows.

Guaranteeing mistakes and burnout.
That's Muri.

P.S. Which M is killing your operation?

Look closer. It's all three.

Companies waste millions on complex automation while ignoring 5S. 

(which could solve 80% of their efficiency problems) 

This doesn't mean automation is wrong. 
But it should build upon, not replace, solid 5S basics. 

5S is a systematic method for workplace organization. 
It uses 5 principles starting with 'S':  

1/ SEIRI (Sort) 
 ↳ Remove unnecessary items 
 ↳ Keep only what's needed 
 ↳ Eliminate clutter 

2/ SEITON (Set in Order) 
 ↳ Organize remaining items 
 ↳ "A place for everything" 
 ↳ Label and mark locations 

3/ SEISO (Shine) 
 ↳ Clean thoroughly 
 ↳ Regular maintenance 
 ↳ Inspect while cleaning 

4/ SEIKETSU (Standardize) 
 ↳ Create consistent procedures 
 ↳ Document best practices 
 ↳ Visual management 

5/ SHITSUKE (Sustain) 
 ↳ Maintain the system 
 ↳ Regular audits 
 ↳ Make it habitual 

Most teams stop at Shine.

Clean up. Celebrate. Move on.

But without standards, there's no way to maintain it. 
Without discipline, it's just another "program."

Programs come and go. 
5S should be daily practice.

Most people are standing in the wrong line.

Look at this image ↓

Where do you stand when change hits?

Five doors. 
Five lines.
Five responses to change.

Two are packed: resist and complain. 
These lines never get shorter.

Acceptance? A few people. 
Advocacy? Even fewer.
Leadership? Nearly empty.

This is about human nature.

We gather where it feels safe.
But impact lives in the empty lines.

Fast, Cheap, Good - Pick two.

(trade-offs are inevitable)

"We need it fast, under budget, and perfect."

Everyone knows it's impossible. Nobody says it.

Three months later: 

The project is late, over budget, or broken.

You can't have everything.

The worst project managers? 

They promise all three. 
Then they blame the team when it doesn't work.

The most common tendency? Falling into the blame trap. But Deming proved this decades ago:


85% of performance problems come from broken systems and processes. Only 15% stem from workers themselves.

Yet when something goes wrong, we immediately ask: "Who messed up?" Wrong question.

The right question: "What in our process allowed this to happen?"

When you blame people for system failures, you fix nothing. You destroy morale and ensure the same problem happens again.

Your people want to do good work. Give them a process that makes it possible.

PS. Gemba Walks make processes visible. 

I wrote Gemba Moonwalker, a 55-page ebook that can help you build your Kaizen culture (one walk at a time).

Download it here, it's free: https://lnkd.in/dj8wmpQS

Data already shows what is about to break, but you are too distracted to look elsewhere (and that's why same problems keep coming back)

Credit to Oleksandr Khimiak (give him a follow)

Problems keep coming back because your team members ignore what the data is already showing them.

Your machines send five signals before problems escalate:

1/ Sequence deviations

The cycle completes, but the order or timing shifts. This is your earliest warning of instability.

2/ Rising servo power draw

Load increases slowly. No alarm trips. Then suddenly you're firefighting.

3/ Micro-stops

60 seconds here, 30 seconds there. Over a shift, you've lost hours in performance loss.

4/ Parameters drifting inside tolerance

Everything stays "in spec." But quality gradually drops, or throughput falls.

5/ Manual interventions

Every workaround leaves a fingerprint in your process, even when operators don't write it down.

This data exists in your systems right now. But teams stay in reactive mode. 

They lack tools to turn signals into insights. So they rely on opinions in root-cause meetings. 

PS. What signals is your team missing?

47 times I walked past it. Third week at the plant. Same operator, same station same routine. Everything looked "normal." Then my mentor asked:


"What do you see?"

"An operator doing his job well."

He smiled. "Count the steps."

That's when it hit me:

Worker picking up part → 3 steps
Getting tool → 7 steps
Processing part → 0 steps (machine does the work)
Returning tool → 7 steps
Placing finished part → 5 steps

22 steps total. 
Only 1 activity added value.

So, obviously, this layout sucks.

PS. What waste are you walking past every day?

Everyone wants to jump straight to solutions. But you can't improve what you don't understand. Before building your continuous improvement culture, answer this:


Where exactly are you now?

Rate your organization (0-10) on:

→ "We" vs "Me" mindset
→ Accountability vs Blame
→ Continuous Learning vs Know-It-All
→ Standardization vs Chaos
→ Prevention vs Fire-Fighting
→ Data-Driven vs Gut-Feel

The gaps you find are your roadmap.

Think about this morning. How much time did you spend searching for your phone, a file, or a tool? That's Muda.

Looking for things adds no value. It wastes skills and creative potential. Every minute searching creates frustration and dissatisfaction.

Now multiply one person's search time by the number of people who search and how often they search. By every day of the year.

That's the real cost of disorganization.
Every minute searching: 
→ Adds zero value 
→ Wastes talent 
→ Creates frustration

And it's costing you more than you think.

Disorganization costs you money, talent, and opportunity every single day. Your team wastes hours that could solve real problems instead.

PS. What did you spend 10 minutes looking for today?

PLEASE
 
Stop providing vague or no feedback. 
 
That's hurting your team.

Image credit to Edoardo Pallaro (give him a follow)
 
Yeah, ‘you need to improve’ or ‘Great job’ isn't enough.
It never actually was.
 
According to Zippia, 72% of people find their work
more satisfying if their company have a feedback culture. 
 
What’s the difference?
 
Vague:
 
"You need to be more creative with your proposal."
 
Actionable Feedback:
 
"Try adding diagrams in your proposal. It will add more appeal."
 
Here are 5 ways you can give actionable feedback:
 
1/ Be Specific. And Clear
 
 ↳ Avoid vague statements 
 ↳ Use clear, and objective language 
 ↳ Clearly outline the actionable steps
 
2/ Focus on Behaviours
 
 ↳ Use non-judgemental language to make your point
 ↳ Separate the individual from the action
 
3/ Offer a Path Forward
 
↳ Encourage them to develop a growth mindset 
↳ Rather than being stuck on wrong, give them a way to move forward 
 
4/ Create a Safe Space
 
↳ Be transparent. And talk openly
↳ Demand the same from them 
 
5/ Keep It Regular
 
↳ Integrate actionable feedback into your people management style
↳ Schedule 1:1 meetings to address key concerns.
  
P.S: What’s your approach to feedback?

Transformation, Performance & Visual Enthusiast | Consultant & Lecturer

Innovation isn't a way to justify your salary. Listen to your customers. Identify their real pain points. Then solve their problems. Here's how:
  

Start with what your customers actually need. Don't innovate for the sake of novelty. Turn customer input into innovation instead. 

Here are the main steps I suggest you follow:

Listen first → Talk to customers before building anything new.

Solve real problems → Focus on what's broken or missing. 

Use what work → Don't rebuild from scratch when proven solutions exist.

Hire expertise → Bring in people who've already solved similar problems.

Innovation is about making things work better for the people who use them.

PS. You have another way besides Innovation to improve:

Kaizen →  Small improvements through ongoing human effort, teamwork, and training.

If you like Kaizen, you'll enjoy my weekly newsletter.

Join here: ivancarillo.com

KISS emphasizes simplicity over complexity. Here is the core idea: 


Simpler solutions are more robust, easier to understand, and less prone to errors.

Simplicity should be your key design goal. This means prioritizing essential features and avoiding over-engineering.

Use KISS in problem-solving, software engineering, product design, and beyond. 

Remember:

Straightforward approaches consistently outperform complex ones.

You can order sushi by menu
 
Or you can say “I trust you”.
 
Credit to Marco Zima Simonella (give him a follow)
 
Original post below:
 
My family loves sushi.
Even my kids scream “sushiii” every Friday.
It’s our little tradition.
 
This week we shifted it to yesterday.
You can skip a Friday.
But not a full week.
 
Especially after we spent the Christmas week in Sicily without sushi!
 
We ordered delivery and I picked the different sushi types for the whole family.
 
And it made me think of omakase.
The classic Japanese way to eat sushi.
 
It politely says:
I trust you.
 
That trust is not just handed out.
Sushi chefs spend 10s of years mastering the skills and earning it.
 
Promotions work the same way.
You can get the title but trust comes later.
You earn it by mastering the skills of leadership.
 
Until people can finally say:
I trust you.

Turning product managers into leaders in conflict and ambiguity | Global Product Leader

The future belongs to community builders who understand that value comes from real connections between people. Here are the communities I will be part of in 2026:
 

We're heading toward a world flooded with low-quality AI content. As more people spend time with synthetic chat that feels human (but isn't quite), the ability to be in a virtual space and in real life with other human beings is only getting more valuable. Especially people who are on the same path.
 
With every new person who joins a community of people on the same path, new stories emerge. Things they've tried, things they've done that could be incredibly valuable to you. That is only possible when human beings come together with human beings.
 
These are the communities I am betting on to strengthen my new identity in 2026:
 
Nomads.com → I travel a lot since I left my corporate career. I realised that I like to travel slowly so that I can establish new habits where I am and make local friends. They call it slowmading. Pieter Levels' community is interesting. The guy has a way of looking at life that I like, so I hope to find more people here who vibe the way I do.
 
Modern Maker → My friend Jacob Pegs excudes incredible energy, and the people who interact with him know it.  I have been part of his community for over a year now, but not very actively in 2025. When I went back to read their conversations, I was really impressed. I will be more present this year (https://lnkd.in/dDdTUa7Y)
 
MicroConf Connect → Rob Walling books are the best I have found on the subject of bootstrapped SaaS. It feels natural to me to become part of his community. I haven't signed up yet, but I'm sure I'll find some good vibes there.
 
Kaizen Community → I plan to build my community in 2026. I want to give leaders who are building a Kaizen culture the opportunity to share their experiences. I haven't set anything up yet, but you can express your interest in joining here: https://tally.so/r/VLGV5E
 
PS. You can still stand out with content, but you'll by being more human.

Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired magazine, distilled decades of wisdom into his book 'Excellent Advice for Living'. Here are my favourite pieces of advice from him:
 
1/ Prototype your life. Try stuff instead of making grand plans.
 
I walked away from my corporate life with no backup plan. I don't have all the answers to move forward, and that's ok. I am letting curiosity guide me. Every day, I do more of what I love and less of what drains me. Action beats planning. Start before you're ready. Build something real, even if it's messy. 
 
2/ Don't measure your life with someone else's ruler.
 
When I joined Amazon, I told myself: "senior manager in 7 years." I worked harder than anyone around me to hit that target. For a while, it worked. Then I realized I was following someone else's playbook. Your definition of success is the only one that matters. Stop comparing yourself to others. What brings them joy might bore you to tears. 
 
3/ A major part of travel is to leave stuff behind. The more you leave behind the further you will advance.
 
I'm minimalist, but I still struggle to let go—especially of relationships that no longer serve me. It's painful but necessary. Leave room in your bag for what you'll discover. The lighter you travel, the faster you move.
 
4/ Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at.

I'll explore the science of gratitude ore in 2026, as I don't practise it enough. Most people practice gratitude wrong. Listing what you're grateful for produces weak results. The real power comes from receiving gratitude or witnessing others receive genuine thanks. Find one meaningful story where gratitude was genuinely given and received, then revisit it for 1-5 minutes regularly.
 
5/ Perhaps the most counterintuitive truth of the universe is that the more you give to others the more you’ll get. Understanding this is the beginning of wisdom.
 
I firmly believe in this. And I've experienced it directly on here. Sharing Kaizen tips created opportunities I couldn't have engineered through a conventional path. Reciprocity and contribution create returns, but often in unexpected forms and on longer timelines than pure transactions.

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