Lean Focus Podcast
Lean Focus Podcast
Podcast Description
The Lean Focus Podcast brings you inspiring stories of Lean transformation, hosted by Damon Baker, CEO of Lean Focus and renowned "Lean Catalyst." In each episode, Damon sits down with one of the world’s top business leaders to recount the true story behind an extraordinary business transformation. Based on an entertaining, storytelling approach, this podcast empowers business leaders at every level to embark on their own Hero’s Journey on a path that will lead to legendary impact on their organizations.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on Lean transformation, business turnarounds, and leadership insights, featuring episodes like the premiere where CEO Fawaz Khalil discusses the successful revival of ModusLink, highlighting strategies like cultural change through lean principles and the challenges faced during global transformations.
The Lean Focus Podcast brings you inspiring stories of Lean transformation, hosted by Damon Baker, CEO of Lean Focus and renowned “Lean Catalyst.” In each episode, Damon sits down with one of the world’s top business leaders to recount the true story behind an extraordinary business transformation. Based on an entertaining, storytelling approach, this podcast empowers business leaders at every level to embark on their own Hero’s Journey on a path that will lead to legendary impact on their organizations.
FuelCell Energy has been a pioneer in clean energy for more than 50 years. But legacy, mission, and breakthrough technology alone don’t ensure longevity.
In this episode of the Lean Focus Podcast, @Damon Baker sits down with @Jason Few, President & CEO of FuelCell Energy, to tell the story of a transformation driven not by crisis—but by clarity.
Jason reflects on a hard truth he recognized early in his tenure: the company had an enormous mission and opportunity, but no shared way of working to match the scale of what needed to be accomplished. Teams were overloaded, priorities competed, and previous attempts at change delivered surface-level improvements without altering the core operating system.
Rather than waiting for a burning platform, Jason made a deliberate decision to change how work gets done—to slow down, ask better questions, and build a real business system grounded in visibility, problem solving, and shared language.
In this conversation, we explore:
- Why maintaining the status quo was the biggest risk facing a 50+ year-old innovator,
- What led FuelCell Energy to move beyond OKRs toward a true Lean business system,
- Why committing to transformation before consensus is often required of CEOs,
- How daily management, A3 problem solving, and making work visible began changing behavior,
- What it means to build a system designed to support the next 50 years—not just the next quarter.
One year into the journey, Jason shares what’s already changing—and what still lies ahead. From earlier, more honest conversations about problems to stronger cross-functional collaboration, this episode offers a grounded, realistic view of transformation as a continuous learning process—not a finish line.
This is essential listening for CEOs and senior leaders leading legacy organizations who know change is required—and want to build a system that endures.
📩 Subscribe to the Lean Focus Podcast 🔗 Follow Lean Focus: https://leanfocus.com 📌 Follow Lean Focus on LinkedIn for more CEO-level transformation insights: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-focus-llc/
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.