Welcome to the Business Excellence for Managers podcast, where we explore practical ideas and strategies to help you lead more effectively and drive real business results.

In today’s episode, we’re focusing on a critical but often underestimated success factor in Lean Six Sigma… emotional intelligence.

While most transformations are built on strong tools, data, and processes, their success ultimately depends on people. And that’s where emotional intelligence comes in.

We’ll look at how communication, trust, and leadership behavior directly impact the success of your initiatives, and how you can build a culture where continuous improvement actually thrives.

If you’re leading change or driving Lean initiatives in your organization, this episode will give you a different perspective on what really makes them work.

Let’s get started.

Time stamps:

00:20 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Lean Six Sigma Leadership.

00:50 Understanding Lean Transformation Failures.

03:40 The Role of Communication in Change Management.

07:20 Leading by Example: The Role of Leadership Behavior.

10:05 Emotional Intelligence: The Foundation of Lean Leadership.

15:55 Social Awareness.

19:30 Lean Leaders with High EQ.

19:55 Psychological Safety and Continuous Improvement.

22:00 From Lean Manager to Lean Coach.

24:15 Emotional Intelligence in Problem Solving.

25:30 The Future of Lean Leadership.

Resources:

WAVE Business Excellence Footprint Courses:

For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-managers

Dr. Joe Dispenza’s NeuroChangeSolution Program called “Change Your Mind. Create New Results”.

Where to find Juan and Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Website Wave BEF: https://www.wave-bef.com/

Website: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.wave-bef.com/health-happiness-planet

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTube WAVE BEF: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoot1034

Instagram: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.instagram.com/health_happiness_planet/

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

Welcome to the “Business Excellence for Managers” podcast!
In today’s episode, I dive into why Kaizen is making a real comeback in modern management. Continuous improvement isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a practical way to create fast, tangible change. And Kaizen workshops are one of the most effective tools to make that happen.

I break down how these workshops compress months of problem-solving into just a few days, driven entirely by the people who know the process best: the subject-matter experts. When ideas come from the front line, not consultants or management, you get solutions that actually stick.

We’ll look at the structure of a Kaizen workshop, the benefits it brings to teams, and how it breaks down silos, boosts engagement, and strengthens workplace culture.

And I’ll share why the real power of Kaizen lies in managers stepping back, empowering their teams, and ensuring the ideas generated get implemented in a meaningful way.

If you’re leading people, improving operations, or simply curious about how to unlock better performance through empowerment, this episode gives you a clear, practical roadmap.

Time stamps:

01:10 Introduction to Kaizen and Its Relevance Today.

06:05 Understanding the Kaizen Mindset.

07:20 Kaizen Workshops: Structure and Benefits.

11:00 The Seven Key Benefits of Kaizen Workshops.

Where to find Juan and Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Website Wave BEF: www.wave-bef.com

Website: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.wave-bef.com/health-happiness-planet

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTubeWAVE BEF: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoot1034

Instagram: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.instagram.com/health_happiness_planet/

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

Check out our courses for PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH:

For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-managers

Can a simple mindset of ‘a little better every day’ be the real key to business excellence?Welcome to the “Business Excellence for Managers” podcast!

In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to speak with Vitezslav Vanek, the founder and CEO of value companion, a business consulting company. I first met Vitja in 2008 at BNP Paribas in Germany, where he worked as an expert in Process Management, and I was serving as Chief Quality Officer, rolling out the Lean Six Sigma program at this large international corporation of 200,000 employees.

It was a privilege to have such a motivated and talented individual like Vitja as part of the Lean Six Sigma program in Nuremberg, Germany. From the beginning, I could tell he was destined for an outstanding career—and he certainly provedme right.

After earning his Lean Six Sigma Certification under my guidance, Vitja went on to work with the Institute for Lean Six Sigma (IFSS) in Vienna. There, he served in roles ranging from Principal Consultant to Country Director for Germany South, Executive Board Member, and ultimately, Associate Management Consultant.

Nearly 13 years later, he founded his own company, value companion, where he continues to make a significant impact.

I am incredibly proud to welcome Vitja to the podcast today to discuss the top questions leaders often ask about business excellence. Time stamps:

03:00 Introduction and Background.

04:40 Journey Through Business Excellence.

09:15 The Role of AI in Process Improvement.

13:05 Defining Business Excellence.

15:45 Measuring Maturity in Business Excellence.

20:25 Integrating Continuous Improvement into Culture.

23:55 Challenges in Implementing Business Excellence.

Where to find Vitezslav Vanek:

Website: https://value-companion.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/value-companion/posts/?feedView=all

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitezslav-vanek-mba-1a503b43/

Xing: https://www.xing.com/profile/Vitezslav_Vanek

Email: v.vanek@value-companion.com

Where to find Juan and Wave Business Excellence Footprint:

Website Wave BEF: www.wave-bef.com

Website: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.wave-bef.com/health-happiness-planet

LinkedIn Juan Steigerwald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-eduardo-steigerwald-01710b1/

YouTube WAVE BEF: https://www.youtube.com/@wavebusinessexcellencefoot1034

Instagram: Health, Happiness & Planet: https://www.instagram.com/health_happiness_planet/

Feel free to contact Wave team at any time.

If the links are not clickable on your platform, please access them directly from our website at www.wave-bef.comunder the 'Podcasts' category.

Check out our courses for PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH:

For Employees: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-employees

For Managers: https://www.wave-bef.com/courses-for-managers