The Lean Management Program
Build the management system that connects strategy to daily work.
Spring 2027 cohort begins February 5.
Why this program?
Strategy gets set. Targets get assigned. Then daily work pulls in another direction, and performance drifts back to where it started.
The Lean Management Program closes that gap.
Over five months, you design, practice, and apply a lean management system built on three connected practices. Hoshin kanri sets direction and aligns priorities. A3 thinking frames problems and develops people. Daily management keeps work stable and makes problems visible every day.
You learn by doing. Between sessions you apply each practice to your own work, then bring it back for coaching from LEI faculty and discussion with peers.
DATES Feb 5, 2027 to June 18, 2027
FORMAT Live Coach-led Online Courses
DURATION 19 Sessions over 5 months
TIME 2.5 hours / week, plus homework
PRICING $1,299 to $7,499
Save up to $2,000 when you enroll in the program.
How the Lean Management Program works
- Blended learning: Live online sessions, applied practice at your workplace, and coaching feedback.
- Two program tiers: Core (four courses plus curated reading) and Comprehensive (adds a mentoring and coaching package).
- Peer cohort: Work alongside leaders from other organizations who are building the same system.
- Guest practitioners: Hear directly from executives who have led lean transformations in their own organizations.
What You'll Learn
This isn’t about mastering tools—it’s about transforming how you lead. In this program, you'll learn to:
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Build capability to execute daily management with rhythm and discipline.
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Practice hoshin kanri to align strategy with daily work and develop people at every level.
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Use A3 thinking to frame problems, mentor effectively, and lead with facts, not assumptions.
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Understand how these three processes form a complete lean management system that sustains improvement and develops leaders.
Not sure if the Lean Management Program is the right fit for your team?
Why a Lean Management System Matters
A lean management system is the foundation for long-term success—not a quick fix.
You’ll walk away with:
- A practical system to align strategy and daily management
- The skills to coach your team, not just direct it
- The confidence to lead with clarity and purpose
Learn more about a lean management system.
Hear What Our Customers Are Saying
Participants in the final program survey rated facilitation 9.1 out of 10, and most said they would recommend the program to a colleague.
"It has been valuable in shifting from reactive fixes to more systematic problem-solving."
"I liked the hands-on learning experience and the way we were grouped together to discuss our A3 progress during the course."
"Class was excellent, really helped to simplify the Hoshin process."
– Sekenus (Xavier) Boneparte, BAE Systems
"It was different than I expected, in a good way. I anticipated more lecture and really enjoyed the group activities."
– Clint Olsen, Director, Customer Care, Stryker
"Taking the three courses together really helped paint a holistic picture of the lean management framework. The knowledge gained throughout the 19 weeks is enough to get started in a small or big way at your organization."
Who Should Attend
The program is built for organizations already practicing lean that want to go beyond process improvement. It fits best for:
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Leadership teams aligning strategy, execution, and problem-solving across departments
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Executives setting direction and accountable for results
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Lean, OpEx, and CI leaders building the management system their improvement work depends on
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Functional leaders in Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and other core areas
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Managers who own daily performance and develop their people
Enroll Your Leadership Team
A management system only holds when leaders practice it together. Teams that enroll as a group build a shared language for strategy, problem-solving, and daily management, and they apply it to the same real work between sessions.
Groups of three or more save 12.5% per registration, applied automatically at checkout.
This five-month online immersive program includes four expert-led courses, hands-on application, and real-world case studies to help you integrate lean principles into your organization.
February 5, April 12,
May 21, June 18
Courses will run Fridays 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET.
*This course is a part of the Core and Comprehensive packages only.
Managing a Lean Enterprise*
Instructor: Josh Howell
Learn how to drive performance and inspire Innovation using hoshin kanri (strategy deployment), daily management, and the A3 process.
February 12 to March 19, 2027
Courses will run Fridays 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET.
Managing to Learn with the A3 Process
Instructor: Rachel Reuter
Develop problem-solving and leadership skills by learning the use of the A3 process including root cause analysis.
April 9 to May 14, 2027
Courses will run Fridays 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET.
Managing on Purpose with Hoshin Kanri
Instructors: Rachel Reuter and Masia Goodman
Discover how to align organizational goals, foster strategic focus, and execute plans effectively using catchball and plan-do-check-adjust (PDCA) cycles.
May 28 to June 11, 2027
Courses will run Fridays 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET.
Managing in Time with Daily Management
Instructor: Joe Seestadt
Gain the Full Lean Management Experience
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What You Gain |
Individual |
Core Tier |
Comprehensive Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
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Access to 1 expert-led course |
✔️ |
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Build core management capability through 4 expert-led courses* |
|
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Access to a 1-hour Lean Overview course
|
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Apply concepts immediately with practical tools and takeaways |
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Access to Course Recordings and Materials |
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
|
Certificate of Completion |
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Accelerate your leadership development with Peer Collaboration |
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Expand your professional network |
✔️ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Reinforce learning with curated materials including Managing to Learn, A3 Getting Started Guide, Managing on Purpose, The Work of Management, and Daily Management |
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✔️ |
✔️ |
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Mentoring/ coaching package |
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|
✔️ |
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Value |
$1,299- |
$5,800 |
$9,500 |
Price |
$1,299-
|
$4,999Most Popular
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$7,499Best
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Enrolling a team? Groups of three or more save 12.5% per registration.
*Exclusive access to Managing a Lean Enterprise — a course that shows the interlocking nature of the management system.
Not Sure Which Option Fits You Best?
Choosing the right Lean Management Program package depends on your goals, your role, and where your organization is on its lean journey.
Schedule a quick call with a lean coach to get personalized guidance. No pressure, just support.
Josh Howell
Lean Enterprise Institute
For over a decade, Josh has supported individuals and organizations with lean transformations for improved business performance.
As a coach, he helps people become lean thinkers and practitioners through experiential learning, believing such an approach can lead to enterprise-wide improvement. Read more »
Rachel Reuter
Lean Enterprise Institute
With nearly 40 years of experience working at Toyota, Rachel has cultivated extensive expertise across a wide range of disciplines. Beginning in a staff-level role, she advanced through management and eventually into an executive position. Read more »
Joe Seestadt
Lean Enterprise Institute
Joe Seestadt’s mission is to add value to organizations through lean deployment and leadership development.
He is experienced and confident in navigating the dynamic waters of change management, cost reduction, and growth planning. Read more »
Lean Enterprise Institute
Masia Goodman leads online learning at the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI), with an extensive background with learners across all age groups.
She embarked on her lean journey in 2006 when she first joined LEI. There, she was instrumental in forming the Lean Global Network. Read more »
John Shook
Lean Enterprise Institute
John Shook learned about lean management while working for Toyota for 11 years in Japan and the U.S., helping it transfer production, engineering, and management systems from Japan to NUMMI and other operations around the world. Read more »
Jim Womack
Lean Enterprise Institute
Mark Reich
Lean Enterprise Institute
Mark Reich brings 23 years of experience inside Toyota to his coaching work with executives and enterprise transformations. He joined Toyota in 1988 and spent his first six years in Japan in the Overseas Planning Division, where he was responsible for product planning and collaborated with Chief Engineers to define vehicle specifications for overseas markets — during the pivotal period when Toyota introduced Lexus to the world. Read more »
"Lean management is neither a simple top-down nor bottom-up process. Rather, it is a dynamic system in which processes are well-defined, and individual responsibility is clear."
What discounts are available?
Group discount: Bring three or more people from your organization, get 12.5% off each registration.
Co-Learning Partners receive 25% off.
Do I get a certificate with this program?
Yes, a Certificate of Completion will be provided to download and/or share on LinkedIn.
Is there work outside of class time?
Yes, you get the most out of the live sessions by completing exercises and readings outside of class.
Why is Managing a Lean Enterprise broken up into four parts and what is the content it will cover?
This course will be the bridge that connects each course to the next, creating a complete lean management system. This course will demonstrate how the topics are interconnected by exploring real-world case studies.
Is this program designed for someone new to lean?
This program is not designed for someone new to lean thinking and practice; it is best for someone already within an organization that has been practicing lean and they are looking to go beyond process improvement.
* For those new to lean, we will provide complementary access to our 60-minute "Lean Thinking Overview" on-demand course.
Are the courses in this program different from prior versions of each course?
Yes they are. Here is how each one is:
- Managing a Lean Enterprise focuses more on case studies and the interlocking nature of the topics.
- Managing on Purpose with Hoshin Kanri goes beyond developing the hoshin and relies on a new case study simulation.
- Managing to Learn with the A3 Process shows links with daily management.
- Managing in Time with Daily Management is simulation-based drawing connections between leader behavior, huddle board design, and strategic goals.
Group Discounts
- Register three or more students from your organization and save 12.5% off every registration. This discount will be automatically applied at checkout when you register with your group.
- LEI Co-Learning Partners: Receive 25% off the current price. No group discount can be applied.
- Lean Global Institutes: Receive 50% off the current price. No group discount can be applied.
Cancellation Policy
To cancel, please call LEI at (617) 871-2900 or email registrar@lean.org.
- Two+ weeks before start date: full refund
- Less than two weeks before the start date: $350 fee
- After the start date: no refund
Schedule a quick call with a lean coach to get personalized guidance. No pressure, just support.
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