Leader Standard Work Is About Behavior, Not Just Your Calendar

The blog post

In this episode of Lean Blog Audio, Mark Graban reads and expands on his article, Leader Standard Work Is About Behavior, Not Just Your Calendar.

Too many organizations treat “Leader Standard Work” (LSW) as a scheduling exercise—a calendar full of gemba walks, huddles, and recurring meetings. But true Lean leadership isn’t about where you go or how often you show up—it’s about how you show up.

Mark explores the deeper intent behind LSW: to make leadership behavior intentional, consistent, and aligned with the principles of respect for people and continuous improvement. He contrasts superficial routines with authentic engagement, drawing on a real complaint from a hospital employee who saw a painful disconnect between a CEO’s Lean rhetoric and their daily behavior.

The episode also introduces Mark’s Behavior-Based Leader Standard Work Checklist—ten daily reflection questions to help leaders practice curiosity, humility, and genuine respect, from “Did I listen without interrupting?” to “Did I follow up on yesterday’s concern?”

Whether you’re a frontline supervisor or a CEO, this reflection-driven view of LSW will challenge you to think less about your calendar and more about your conduct.

Lean leadership isn’t a set of appointments—it’s a set of habits.

Listen now and consider: what does your behavior say about the kind of culture you’re building?