State Of Readiness | Steven Leuschel; Director of Operational Excellence, Guardian Elder Care

My guest today on "State of Readiness" is Steven Leuschel, Director of Operational Excellence at Guardian Elder Care, with a network of elderly care facilities located across Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio.

Steven and I had met at the Operational Excellence Summit at the Kennametal Center for Operational Excellence at Saint Vincent College where I was delivering a "State of Readiness Masterclass and Workshop in 2018.

With four books under his belt and another in process, Steven is a rather prolific writer and we start by discussing the books he had written and the messages and lessons he hoped to convey to the reader. A true academic at heart, Steven is always studying, researching, learning, and teaching.

But the real meat on the bone is our discussions related to Lean and the healthcare industry; how the adaptation and application of Lean principles in the healthcare industry are different and how they are similar to their origins in manufacturing.

About Steven Leuschel:

Steven is an experienced practitioner and academic of Lean and Operational Excellence with an emphasis in applying his skills in the field of healthcare.

He has published several books including;

• "Lean Culture Change: Using a Daily Management System"

• "The Executive Guide to Lean Culture Change", a companion workbook

• Why Lean Transformation Fails: Common Challenges to Adopting New Leadership and Management

• and his latest book; "Sensei Secrets: Mentoring at Toyota Georgetown" which is based on his thesis for his Doctorate Degree and is a study with former members of Toyota Georgetown's start-up years and their relationships with their Senseis.

He was previously an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and a member of the Operational Excellence team at Indiana Regional Medical Center located in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Steven earned his Bachelors in Liberal Arts and his Masters in Business Management, Operational Excellence at Saint Vincent College (one of the few institutes of higher learning that offer a degree in Operational Excellence). And he earned his PhD in Business Administration and Leadership Studies at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

He is married and the father of four. And his goal is to climb the highest point in all 50 States.