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Hi Friend!

There’s a question I can’t stop turning over this month: Do we fix culture before process, or the other way around?

In this edition of The Lab Reports, I’m digging into that question, sharing what I’m experimenting with, and giving you a few tools to help think and lead differently—wherever you are!

?? What We're Thinking About

I've been sitting with this question lately: Does process change come before culture change... or is it the other way around?

The Lean House says standards are the foundation. And I get it—standards matter. They define what "good" looks like and give us a way to measure and monitor progress. But I’m starting to think there's an even deeper layer beneath that foundation: leadership behavior.

?Because if you don’t have a culture of trust, safety, and curiosity—standards will only get you so far.

A system only sticks when the people inside it feel empowered to speak up, ask questions, and try new things. Leaders who listen to coach, not to fix... they change everything.

This connects to some powerful work we’re doing with The Perk , launching a Leadership Operating System that helps teams practice the right behaviors to build problem-solving cultures. If you want a deeper dive into what those behaviors look like, check out the CLEAR Leadership framework from The Perk.

?And this isn’t just a Waukesha thing (though that’s where I live!). According to the 2025 Waukesha County Business Survey, workforce remains a top concern—especially in manufacturing. 73% of respondents identified skilled labor shortages as the biggest challenge to growth. And more than half of those not planning to expand said automation or economic uncertainty were major factors.

?Sound familiar? This is happening everywhere!?Which means the solution can’t just be hiring more people. It’s about creating environments where people stay, grow, and solve real problems together.

From the Field: Kaizen Coaching Creates 23% OTD Improvement

In the Spring, I coached a kaizen team that set out to improve on-time delivery (OTD). We spent just three days thinking differently, building collaboration, and implementing systems: standard work and a simple daily management routine.

At the time, their OTD was hovering around 75%.

We just held their 50-day check-in....

They’ve held above 98% since the kaizen. ??

?Mindset. Method. Momentum. It works!

Tools We’re Loving: Kata

?If you've followed me for a bit, you know I started my career as a scientist. Before I ever solved a business problem, I learned how to set up and run an experiment.

That’s what I love about Kata. It’s a way of training our brains to think differently—to treat improvement like a muscle we can build. Here are the basic questions I use with teams:

• What's your current challenge?
• What's the obstacle right in front of you?
• What do you want to try to move forward?
• How quickly can you test it?

And then we reflect:

• What did you expect to happen?
• What actually happened?
• What will you do now?

Simple. Powerful. Repeatable! Pair this behavior with process change and THAT's where transformation really begins!

?Wanna give it a try? Grab our Experimentation 1-Pager here!

What’s Coming Up The Problem Solver’s Dojo is LIVE!

We just launched a free, monthly virtual workshop where we get to sharpen our tools and our mindset. It’s casual, practical, and 100% about making problem-solving more human, accessible, and fun!

We'll explore real challenges, test out real tools, and create space to experiment together.

Click to register for the first session – I’d love to see you there!

AND...

• I'm heading to the MLC Conference in August to deliver a workshop on Innovation without Boundaries

On My Mind...

?Here’s what’s on my radar this month:

• ?? Listening to: VoiceNotes by my dear friend Melissa Ripp – bite-sized episodes under 10 minutes, each ending with a thoughtful question. It’s like a coffee break for your brain.
• Reading: Drive by Daniel Pink – I’m diving deep into the science of motivation and loving how it’s reshaping the way I think about what really drives people to do great work!
• ?? Obsessing Over: Leadership Operating Systems – how we build rhythm, clarity, and accountability into the people side of process.

?? Bold Belief of the Month

You learn best while you're building—but lasting change requires space to reflect and lead with intention.

Change the system. Change yourself. That’s how transformation sticks!

Thanks for Being Here, Friends.?

Got thoughts? Questions? A story this reminded you of?

I’d love to hear from you. Just hit reply and tell me what’s on your mind.?

We’re building this together.

?— Sarah