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The Center for Operational Excellence recently hosted the 12th Annual COE Summit. This year’s conference focused on the power of people and the critical connection between strong teams and strong performance. Through four engaging keynotes, 20 breakout sessions, and exclusive opportunities for hands-on learning, the COE Summit equipped participants with tools and tactics for connecting, collaborating, and reach their full potential with OpEx. In this blog, Joe Boroi—a COE Summit participant and IBM technology leader—reflects on his experience and learnings.

In a March 2025 COE webinar, Jason and Michelle Risser explored effective hoshin planning. Using real-world examples from Michelle’s business, the duo demonstrated the value of hoshin and offered strategies for asking the right questions, defining true north, and maintaining accountability. In this blog, Jason continues the conversation with a deep dive into an unanswered question from the audience Q&A: “How do you use hoshin to drive changes in associate metrics? It seems like what they’re measured on doesn’t align with strategic goals.”

The best leaders are always right, right? Wrong.  I know you know the type… they must have the last word in the conversation, they consistently assert rather than inquire, they “just know.” They “may not always be right, but they are never wrong.”

This project focuses on revolutionizing hospital operations by transitioning from traditional push systems to innovative pull systems that ensure seamless, continuous patient flow from the Emergency Department to admission and discharge. The initiative targeted bottlenecks caused by batching decisions and tasks in clinical settings, which often create "idle time" for patients and constrain hospital capacity.

In today’s business world, successful organizations understand the critical connection between people and performance. Strong processes start with strong cultures and teams. It’s time to unlock the power of the people. 

The challenges that face us today require a different form of leadership. One that is more adaptable to the changing environment and circumstances. When leaders engage in this form of leadership, they will find that they can achieve their results in less time and sustain the efforts for longer. This concept comes from the research of Ronald Heifetz on adaptive leadership.

Why do some OpEx programs implode, collapse, lose steam, or head off in unintended directions with unpredictable consequences? And why does this happen despite the best, herculean efforts of the OpEx professional to keep the organization marching in the right direction? We can point the finger to a key ingredient in the OpEx mix: when an organization’s PEOPLE and CULTURE are not aligned with the organization’s strategy, direction, and pursuits, then success, if achieved, will occur purely by CHANCE. And that approach is simply not good enough.

In a world of change and technological innovations, it can be difficult to keep up with the consistent shifts in the corporate world. One of the most discussed changes is the emergence of Artificial Intelligence. The AI revolution has left businesses struggling to find how to implement this into their systems successfully and ethically.

The Center for Operational Excellence knows that continuous improvement starts with each of us, and we’re committed to empowering our members with the insights and tools they need to thrive. As we navigate stress and conflict in our professional and personal lives, it’s critically important that we develop the skills to be self-aware, understand our emotions, and build healthy relationships.