Every organization faces different challenges. In a short call, we’ll walk you through the tour agenda, answer your questions, and help you determine how this executive experience can deliver value for your leadership team.
Lean Leadership Learning Tour
Go beyond theory—see lean leadership in action.
Dates
May 11, 2026 - May 14, 2026 ET
Location
Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky
Why you should attend
See how Toyota, GE Appliances, and Summit Polymers build leaders who make lean succeed. Learn what works, avoid common pitfalls, and bring home insights you can apply immediately.
Not sure if this tour is right for your team? Schedule a Call to Learn More »
Cost
$6,600 per person Standard Pricing
$6,000 per person for LEI Co-Learning Partners
Includes three nights hotel, all meals, and transportation during tour.
Most Transformations Stall. The Difference is Executive Leadership.
Join the Lean Leadership Learning Tour in Kentucky—an executive experience that goes far beyond plant visits. Walk the gemba at Toyota, GE Appliances (a Haier company), and Summit Polymers with guidance from LEI coaches and Toyota’s TSSC.
Why Attend
Executives invest billions in transformation efforts. Yet most fall short. The organizations that succeed do so because leaders embed lean as both a management system and business strategy.
On this tour, you will:
- See firsthand how top companies align leadership with lean success.
- Learn directly from real-world wins and failures to avoid costly missteps.
- Understand how TPS works not just in operations, but as a competitive business model.
- Build connections with senior peers facing the same transformation challenges.
This is more than a tour—it’s a leadership development experience designed to equip you with the mindset and practices to accelerate change in your enterprise.
Agenda Snapshot
- Day 1: Kickoff Reception – Meet your coaches and peers.
- Day 2: Toyota Kentucky – Walk the floor with TSSC, see TPS in practice, reflect on what leaders do differently.
- Day 3: Summit Polymers – Learn how a Tier-1 supplier sustained TPS excellence for 30+ years.
- Day 4: GE Appliances – Explore a $1B reinvestment in U.S. manufacturing and the leadership behaviors behind it.
What’s Included
This is not a tram tour—it’s an application-only executive experience designed to accelerate your impact.
- Limited seats
- Hotel (3 nights), meals, and in-tour transport included
- Application required for acceptance
- Peer-to-peer networking with leaders across industries
Who Should Attend
- C-Suite & Senior Executives: Position lean as a business growth strategy.
- CI / OpEx Leaders: Learn success and failure modes for transformation.
- Operations Managers: Gain practical insights from world-class gemba.
Bring a colleague to align on lessons learned and accelerate change. Download the Convince-Your-Boss letter »
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel your registration for this learning tour four weeks before the tour start date for a full refund. A cancellation occurring within two to four weeks of the tour dates will be subject to 50% of your registration fee. A cancellation occurring within two weeks of the tour will not be refunded. To cancel, please call LEI at (617) 871-2900 or email summits@lean.org.
Agenda Overview
Flight suggestions:
- Fly into Lexington, KY (LEX) on Monday, May 11 before 4:00 PM ET (kickoff meeting starts at 5 PM)
- Fly out of Louisville, KY (SDF) on Thursday, May 14 after 4:00 PM ET (wrap up at 2:00 PM, bus to airport from GE Appliances)
Download the detailed agenda »
Day 1 – Lexington, KY
Kickoff Meeting @ 5:00 PM
• Meet your coaches and fellow learners
• Hotel stay in Lexington, KY
Day 2 – Georgetown/Lexington, KY
Intro to TPS at Toyota Motor Manufacturing with TSSC
Gemba Walk at TMMK
The Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) is a not-for-profit corporation
affiliated with Toyota Motor North America, Inc. TSSC helps organizations
affiliated with Toyota Motor North America, Inc. TSSC helps organizations
• Get practical learning experience guided by TSSC leaders and instructors
• Facilitated reflection of the learning and roundtable discussion
Gemba Learning Reflection
• Reflect and learn based on observations with your coaches and fellow learners
• Discuss how to apply the learning at your company and create a plan forward
Group dinner in Lexington, KY
• Hotel stay in Lexington, KY
Day 3 – Lawrenceburg, KY
Gemba Walk at Summit Polymers
• See how a Tier 1 supplier has successfully applied TPS principles for over 30 years,
maintaining lean excellence across leadership transitions.
maintaining lean excellence across leadership transitions.
• Experience their evolved heijunka system, featuring a 10-minute pitch process
that ensures real-time production visibility and responsiveness.
that ensures real-time production visibility and responsiveness.
Gemba Learning Reflection
• Reflect and learn based on observations with your coaches and fellow learners
Group dinner in Louisville, KY
• Hotel stay in Louisville, KY
Day 4 – Louisville, KY
Gemba Walk at GE Appliances
• Learn how the company has recommitted to manufacturing American made Appliances
• Walk the gemba and experience first hand
the real challenges of a journey still in progress
Gemba Learning Reflection
• Reflect and learn based on observations with your coaches and fellow learners
• Discuss how to apply the learning at your company and create a plan forward
Bus to Louisville airport
Josh Howell
President and Executive Team Leader
Lean Enterprise Institute
Joshua Howell is president and executive team leader at the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI). For over a decade, he has supported individuals and organizations with lean transformations for improved business performance. As a coach, he helps people become lean thinkers and practitioners through experiential learning, believing such an approach can lead to enterprise-wide improvement. Regular e-letters […]
Read more about Josh Howell
Tyson Heaton
Executive Director of LeanTech/AI and Senior Coach
Lean Enterprise Institute
Tyson Heaton is Executive Director of LeanTech/AI and Senior Coach at the Lean Enterprise Institute, where he leads efforts to bridge lean thinking with technology implementation. His background spans manufacturing operations at JBS, Schreiber Foods, and Greencore, followed by leadership roles at O.C. Tanner addressing scalability, legacy system modernization, and supply chain transformation. As a Shingo […]
Read more about Tyson Heaton
Want to Attend the Lean Leadership Learning Tour?
Get the tools you need to make the case to your leadership! Download the Convince-Your-Boss Letter to:
• Highlight the benefits and key takeaways of the tour
• Show how Toyota, GE Appliances, and Summit Polymers sustain lean leadership
• Make a compelling case for professional development and business impact
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