GA 646 | Connect Before You Correct with Royden Johnson and Luc van Merrienboer

GA 646 | Connect Before You Correct with Royden Johnson and Luc van Merrienboer

Author: Ron Pereira: Lean Thinker & Co-Founder of Gemba Academy August 20, 2026 Duration: 35:25

Culture shapes how people receive change, and nowhere is that clearer than on a shop floor where history, language, and moral authority all sit alongside the 5S board. Royden Johnson and Luc van Merrienboer bring two distinct lenses to that tension: Royden from years of leading continuous improvement in South Africa, and Luc from rolling out digital transformation across Asia and now the African continent. Their conversation with Ron covers resistance, influence, and what it actually takes to bring people along rather than drag them forward.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • The cultural context of 5S in Asia and Africa (5:01)
  • How 5S connects to every performance pillar in a manufacturing operation (9:43)
  • What digital transformation actually looks like on a shop floor (13:04)
  • Where their passion for continuous improvement comes from (15:42)
  • How to use personal, social, and structural influencing strategies together (17:18)
  • How to handle CAVE people without losing the rest of the team (19:29)
  • Why unemployment history in South Africa shaped resistance to continuous improvement (25:32)
  • What happened when a leader stopped pushing and started listening (27:28)
  • How to speak, listen, and lead while keeping everyone’s dignity intact (31:50)

Keep Learning

If the discussion about moral authority, influencing strategies, and leading change on a diverse shop floor resonated with you, the School of Leadership offers structured ways to develop those same skills in your own context.
Learn More About School of Leadership at gembaacademy.com/leadership

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What Do You Think?

When you have encountered a CAVE person in your organization, what shifted the dynamic?


Hosted by Ron Pereira, a lean thinker and co-founder of Gemba Academy, the Gemba Academy Podcast is a deep and practical resource for anyone looking to build a better organization. The conversations here move beyond theory, focusing on the real-world application of methodologies like Lean Six Sigma and Toyota Kata. You’ll hear from practitioners and leaders who share stories from the front lines, detailing how they tackle complex problems, foster genuine productivity, and develop effective teams. Each episode feels like a candid workshop, breaking down concepts into actionable steps you can apply immediately. This isn't about abstract ideals; it's about the tangible work of improvement, from the shop floor to the executive suite. Tune in for a learning experience that challenges conventional wisdom and provides the tools for meaningful change. The Gemba Academy Podcast turns the philosophy of continuous improvement into a clear and accessible path forward for business professionals and educators alike.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership
Podcast Episodes
GA 639 | Putting the Customer First with Slaytor Baldwin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:30
A suppressor manufacturer in Utah started its lean transformation about a year ago. Twelve months later, inventory turns had doubled, changeover time dropped from 3.5 hours to 9 minutes, and a rollout planned for a year…
GA 638 | Separating Risk from Being Reckless with George Barrios [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:20
Confidence and arrogance can look identical from the outside. George Barrios has spent a career in rooms where the difference mattered, from running a semiconductor division at 29 to co-leading a $20 billion merger betwe…
GA 637 | Developing Organizational Maturity with Norman Wolfe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
Most organizations have the systems. They have the processes, the KPIs, the structured meetings, the strategic plans. And they are still stuck. Norman Wolfe has spent decades helping leadership teams understand why, and…
GA 636 | Taking Control of Your Life with Joel Steele [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:37
Most people trying to improve their lives are doing it without a clear picture of what they are building toward. For Joel Steele, a near-miss with prison forced him to start making different choices. His book "Life Switc…
GA 635 | Emotions Are Not the Enemy with D. Earl Johnston [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:07
Most continuous improvement practitioners are trained to prize logic and treat emotion as noise in the system. D. Earl Johnston spent nine years and thousands of research hours across twelve disciplines discovering that…
GA 634 | Doubling Profits in 90 Days with Ben Hansen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:41
This week's guest is Ben Hansen. Ron and Ben discussed how Ben helps companies improve their profit margins, dealing with "profititis," shifting your focus from revenue to profitability, and more. An MP3 audio version of…
GA 633 | Be Curious and Seek Knowledge with Andy Olrich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:41
This week's guest is Andy Olrich. Ron and Andy discussed the roles of people and tools in continuous improvement, what NOT to do when building a lean culture, teaching younger generations, and more. An MP3 audio version…
GA 632 | Performance Unleashed with Chris Libutti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:25
This week's guest is Chris Libutti. Ron and Chris discussed Chris and his wife Yamila's book, "Performance Unleashed," his time in the military, the importance of self-discipline, and more. An MP3 audio version of this e…
GA 631 | What We Can Learn from Tetris with Michael Parent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:33
This week's guest is Michael Parent. Ron and Michael discussed an interesting AI conundrum, the impact that systems and design have on performance, Michael's Tetris experiment, and more. An MP3 audio version of this epis…
GA 630 | Why Tone Matters with Shahab Shah [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:05
This week's guest is Shahab Shah. Ron and Shahab discussed the importance of balancing human empathy with the demands of reality, why tone matters, first steps for making improvements, and more. An MP3 audio version of t…