Lean Leadership & The Appearance Trap | Patrick Adams on Actual Improvement
What happens when Lean looks good on paper but fails in practice? In this episode of The EBFC Show, host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez sits down with Lean expert and author Patrick Adams to explore the distinction between genuine continuous improvement and the all-too-common appearance trap. From global consulting insights to coaching leaders through cultural transformation, Patrick shares practical lessons, powerful stories, and fresh perspectives on Lean leadership in today's fast-changing world. Whether you’re in construction, healthcare, or education, this conversation is packed with takeaways you can apply right now.
What does real Lean leadership look like—and how do you avoid just looking Lean without being Lean? 🤔
Join host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez on The EBFC Show as he talks with Patrick Adams—Lean expert, international consultant, author of The Appearance Trap, and host of the Lean Solutions Podcast.
This episode dives deep into leadership, coaching, and continuous improvement that actually sticks in the real world—not just on paper. Patrick shares powerful stories from consulting around the globe, including a hospital transformation in Kazakhstan, Lean in education, and how organizations can evolve beyond cost-cutting into cultures of safety, quality, and delivery.
💡 In this episode:
* How Lean leadership has evolved post-2020
* What true continuous improvement looks like in construction and beyond
* Lessons from international consulting (including Kazakhstan 🇰🇿)
* Why daily management systems & leader standard work matter
* The danger of “fake Lean” and how to escape the appearance trap
* Building psychological safety and coaching for change
* The role of AI and modern tools in Lean transformation
Patrick also shares insights from his award-winning book The Appearance Trap, packed with practical guidance for anyone working to improve teams, processes, or culture.
📘 Grab Patrick’s book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4ozVLdw
👍 If you’re passionate about Lean, leadership, and building better systems, hit that Like, Comment, and Subscribe—and let us know your favorite takeaway from the episode!
---
Connect with Patrick via
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickadamsii/
Website https://www.findleansolutions.com/
Connect with Felipe via Social media and Free Lean and Scrum Training Resources at https://thefelipe.bio.link
RSM Podia Course Link: https://store.theebfcshow.com/rsm
Subscribe to never miss new videos here: https://click.theebfcshow.com/youtube
Watch The EBFC Show Podcast https://click.theebfcshow.com/YouTube-Podcast
---
Elevate your construction career and enhance your company's performance by mastering the crucial aspect of building enclosure management with Field Verified's specialized training. Address the major challenge of managing building enclosures, a common source of construction failures. Get hands-on learning experience with real-world construction scenarios and mock-up installations for skill-building with leadership and team-focused strategies. By joining our course, you gain access to a proven program that not only covers technical aspects but also better practices for effective construction management. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your approach. Visit https://fieldverified.com for more insights, or contact us at 480-719-5090.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The EBFC Show Intro Music: California by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden
Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/al-california
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/oZ3vUFdPAjI
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Author and CEO
Patrick is the Author of the best selling book, Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap. Patrick is an internationally recognized
leadership coach, consultant, and
professional speaker, best known
for his unique human approach
to sound team-building practices;
creating consensus and enabling
empowerment. He founded his
consulting practice in 2018 to work with
leaders at all levels and organizations
of all sizes to achieve higher levels of
performance. He motivates, inspires,
and drives the right results at all points
in business processes.
Patrick has been delivering bottom-line
results through specialized process
improvement solutions for over 20
years. He’s worked with all types of
businesses from private, non-profit,
government, and manufacturing
ranging from small business to billion-
dollar corporations.
