How Hansei Builds Better Leaders

A CNC machine crashed on the shop floor. Nathan Corliss walked out as a young supervisor, angry and ready to blame the operator.

What happened next became one of the most important leadership lessons of his career.

Mark DeLuzio and Nathan talk about the moment that forced Nathan to confront his own behavior as a leader, and how the scars on his knuckles became a permanent reminder to pause, reflect, and lead differently. The conversation centers on hansei, the Lean practice of honest self-reflection, and why it matters when pressure is high, mistakes are visible, and people are watching how leaders respond.

You'll hear how one shop floor incident connects to emotional intelligence, respect for people, Kaizen report-outs, after-action reviews, standard work, compliance, and the danger of fear-based leadership.

For Lean leaders, CI managers, plant managers, and executives, this episode is a practical reminder that culture is shaped in the moments when things go wrong. The real test is not whether leaders know the right Lean language. It is whether they can own their mistakes, protect trust, and help people improve without shutting them down.