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Reflections on Honoring Breonna Taylor’s Memory

Deondra Wardelle

4 min

Reflections on Honoring Breonna Taylor’s Memory

Breonna Taylor: civil servant, emergency medical technician, friend, sister, and daughter. March 13 marks the first anniversary of her death. She was shot and killed in her home by members of the Louisville Metro Police Department. Working on a no-knock warrant, three plainclothes police officers entered Taylor’s home, interrupted her sleep and murdered her. According to Ben Crump, an attorney supporting the family, “They had the wrong address AND their real suspect was alre

The Colors of Love - Reflections

Deondra Wardelle

2 min

The Colors of Love - Reflections

Curating The Colors of Love Blog series has been a rewarding and inspirational experience. During this project, I have learned a great deal from the blog authors and the members of the #RootCauseRacism community. It is incredible to witness the significant changes that can happen by taking a step toward being a better ally and demonstrating respect for people. My wish and invitation from the introduction blog, "The Colors and Countermeasures of Love," remains: I hope and pray

The Colors & Countermeasures of Love

Deondra Wardelle

5 min

The Colors & Countermeasures of Love

Love is patient. Love is kind… It does not dishonor others. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13 Of all the #RootCauseRacism blog series to date, “The Colors of Love: Demonstrating Respect for People” may be the series that best illustrates the movement’s purpose. The goal is to use continuous improvement to dismantle structural racism in education,

Fight Today For a Better Tomorrow

Deondra Wardelle

4 min

Fight Today For a Better Tomorrow

“The people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th were not protesting but attempting to overthrow democratic government by mob rule. The fact that these violent rioters were able to break into the Capitol should alarm us all and cause us to question the deference they were given by law enforcement and security forces. This is eerily reminiscent of how law enforcement has often been used to protect violent and racist actors defending the status quo while suppressing non-viole

The Edges of Lean Podcast-Episode 8: Continuous Improvement & #RootCauseRacism

Deondra Wardelle

1 min

The Edges of Lean Podcast-Episode 8: Continuous Improvement & #RootCauseRacism

Recently I had the opportunity to join Mark Graban, as a guest on Bella Englebach's podcast, The Edges of Lean to share the genesis of the first #RootCauseRacism blog series. We discussed how Continuous Improvement can be applied to address matters of social injustice in our communities. In addition, we shared the future state of the #RootCauseRacism Movement! Tune in and learn how you can help us #RootCauseRacism one small step at a time! Connect with Deondra on: Facebook |

Recording – A Special #RootCauseRacism Panel Discussion: “When Brothers Meet at Gemba”

Deondra Wardelle

3 min

Recording – A Special #RootCauseRacism Panel Discussion: “When Brothers Meet at Gemba”

When Brothers Meet at Gemba Audio Podcast Thank you for reading last week’s second #RootCauseRacism blog series. The series concluded with a panel discussion from the blog authors. Thank you to KaiNexus and The Love and Kindness Project for their support of this important message and body of work. Calls to Action from each Blog Author Mark Graban: No, We Won’t Stay in Our Lanes or Stick to Lean #1: Read Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi… his book that was written

No, We Won’t Stay in Our Lanes or Stick to Lean

7 min

No, We Won’t Stay in Our Lanes or Stick to Lean

Most of my professional life, work, and public persona is wrapped around a methodology that’s often referred to as “Lean management.” I’ve written a book called Lean Hospitals and I’ve run a website and podcast called LeanBlog.org for over 15 years. What I share on social media has been pretty much all Lean, all the time. As much as I love that subject, there are more important topics and subjects in this day and age — during a pandemic, continued racial injustice, and an ele

#RootCauseRacism Blog Series 2: Why We're Going to Gemba

Deondra Wardelle

4 min

#RootCauseRacism Blog Series 2: Why We're Going to Gemba

At the age of four, when my mom and sister taught me how to read, they started with classic fairy tales. What should have been a short and quick read, often turned into deep and more meaningful discussions and debates. I appreciate the time they took to indulge my pursuit of the higher WHY as my young mind grappled to understand why there was imbalance. Mama and my sister, were extremely patient as I would ask: “Why didn’t all three pigs live in brick houses?” “Why didn’t the

What Step Are You Taking to Eliminate #RootCauseRacism?

2 min

What Step Are You Taking to Eliminate #RootCauseRacism?

As we talked about in today's Sharing Our Visions and Voices on #RootCauseRacism webinar/panel discussion, taking a step, no matter what size, to eliminate systemic racism is extremely important. Every step you take, whether it's your first, or one of many you've taken along the journey, creates a better world, and gives you the courage and confidence to go even further! Note: If you missed the webinar, a recording will be available. So. we have a favor to ask you: We'd love

My Thoughts on #RootCauseRacism Healthcare Posts [Video]

Deondra Wardelle

2 min

My Thoughts on #RootCauseRacism Healthcare Posts [Video]

Adapted from a post on LinkedIn When I was envisioning the daily themes in the #RootCauseRacism blog series, it was important to use my voice to bring attention to the current and future state of racial equity in Healthcare. I'm not a doctor but I'm thankful for my Women In Lean–Healthcare colleagues Kathleen Sharp, a Sensei and LSS MBB at Atrium Health and Julie Savage Fournier–an Engineer who supports Healthcare Experts who performed extensive research and behind the scenes

Companies in Action for Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.)™

4 min

Companies in Action for Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.)™

Are you a business or an institution that is ready to move beyond a nicely worded statement about diversity, equity and inclusion? Here are two compelling reasons why businesses should start moving beyond a statement: 1. Changing demographics will drive a need for change: The United States is projected to become majority-minority sometime between 2041 and 2046 (depending on the amount of net immigration into the U.S. over the next several years). 2. Companies perform better w

Kata Coaching — Next Steps Towards Inclusion and Equity at Work

5 min

Kata Coaching — Next Steps Towards Inclusion and Equity at Work

Police brutality against Black people and Black Lives Matter brought racism back to the global agenda. People protest on the streets across the world and corporations find their voice and state their commitment to Inclusion and Equity. While it's important to be clear and make your voice heard, we shouldn't stop here. We should move beyond statements and towards tangible steps to create a better world for us and our children. As Women in Lean, we want to do our part. We have

One Small Thing: Sharing Our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism

Deondra Wardelle

7 min

One Small Thing: Sharing Our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism

Change can be hard; especially for those of us who have always done things a certain way. As human beings, we are indeed creatures of habit. Even those of us who are adventurous and ambitious, we still find comfort in our daily patterns and routines. As a practitioner of continuous improvement methodologies, I am a big fan of applying the Toyota Kata to all aspects of my life. From personal to professional, the steps of the Toyota Kata help with finding clarity, setting goals