Great Question

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Great Question offers news and information for people who make, store and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers from chemical producers to automakers to machine shops can gain insights into the technologies, economic conditions and best practices that can influence how to run facilities to reach operational excellence.

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Behind the Curtain

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Longtime manufacturing process engineer and trainer John Dyer discusses operational excellence and continuous improvement with Professor Mohamed Saleh, a Lean, Six Sigma and continuous improvement expert. Between them, they share nearly 60 years of continuous improvement expertise. IndustryWeek partners with Dyer and Saleh to bring their insights to manufacturing professionals.

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Behind the Curtain
One hint: It’s rarely an individual worker. Have you examined your system design lately?
March 30, 2026
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Great Question
Richard Demirjian of TCCI talks about the paradox of recent tariffs making it more advantageous to produce parts overseas.
March 27, 2026
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Great Question
Despite employing a lot of smart people, companies frequently spend hundreds of dollars in staff time on minor purchases like a $17 hammer.
March 24, 2026
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Mohamed Saleh on left speaks with John Dyer on right.
Behind the Curtain
Dive into the topic of suboptimization, or the “illusion of excellence,” which occurs when individual departments focus on improving their own metrics at the expense of the overall...
March 23, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Delve into why organizational visions often fail and learn tactics to develop visions your workforce can embrace.
March 16, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
While 'respect for people' is a tenet many organizations claim, podcast hosts Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer delve into the truth of that statement. Does your leadership always show...
March 10, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Podcast hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer share their favorites among Dr. Deming's 14 points for management and reflect on the management guru's most controversial principles...
March 2, 2026
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Podcast hosts Mohamed Saleh on the left and John Dyer on the right speaking into their individual webcams
Behind the Curtain
Hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohammed Saleh discuss Dr. Deming's 14th point for management, weighing in on the importance of including every department and every layer of the workforce...
Feb. 23, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer explore Dr. Deming’s 13th point for management, delving into the importance of education and how modern technologies like AI impact learning ...
Feb. 16, 2026
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Great Question
Yes, AI has a place in lean and continuous improvement, but don't jump off the deep end. Try experimentation and remember: Respect for people prevails.
Feb. 12, 2026
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh explore Deming’s 12th point for management, discussing why pride of workmanship is important and common barriers that destroy it within an organization...
Feb. 10, 2026
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts John Dyer and Mohamed Saleh explore what they call Dr. Deming's most controversial point for management transformation.
Feb. 2, 2026
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
Co-hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer delve into Dr. Deming’s profound dislike for slogans, exhortations and targets for workers.
Jan. 26, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer discuss the destructive nature of silos and offer tips to bring then down.
Jan. 20, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Podcast hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer explore Dr. W. Edwards Deming's eighth point for management: Drive out fear.
Jan. 12, 2026
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
Podcast hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer dive into Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s seventh point of management transformation: Institute leadership.
Jan. 6, 2026
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
Podcast hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer explore Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s emphasis on on-the-job training, highlighting its role in fostering continuous improvement and developing...
Dec. 29, 2025
Behind the Curtain
Podcast cohosts Mohamed Saleh on the left and John Dyer
Behind the Curtain
Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer dive into Dr. W. Edwards Deming's fifth point for management transformation.
Dec. 22, 2025
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Great Question
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Pat Caron and Chad Coleman of Amazon join Chris Hallum and Jeremy Bey of UE Systems to discusses challenges of implementing...
Dec. 15, 2025
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer discuss the fourth of Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s 14 points for management transformation and his assertion that choosing suppliers based on ...
Dec. 15, 2025
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer focus on Dr. Deming’s call for built-in quality, sharing examples from the workplace and discussing the benefits of poka-yoke, also known...
Dec. 8, 2025
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Behind the Curtain
Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer explore Deming’s second point for management transformation, which they say takes aim at management and leaders who persist in pursuing outdated...
Dec. 1, 2025
Behind the Curtain
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Behind the Curtain
Cohosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer begin their review of Dr. Deming’s 14 points of management, starting with “constancy of purpose.”
Nov. 24, 2025
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Behind the Curtain podcast co-host John Dyer had the opportunity to meet Dr. W. Edwards Deming face to face and learn from him.
Behind the Curtain
Hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh delve into the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, often referred to as the father of the quality movement, and his influence on the Toyota...
Nov. 18, 2025