Problem SolvingCOE Summit 2026, Innovation, Artificial IntelligencePeople often talk about AI in extremes, either as a magical idea machine or a looming replacement for human creativity. I see it differently. AI is a thinking partner: fast, clever, and occasionally brilliant. That said, I also wouldn’t let it drive me, or anyone I care about, around in my car without supervision.4382 min read
/blogs/opex/2025/12/11/innovation-a-cyborg-co-pilot-how-i-use-ai-create-ip-without-letting-it-drive
" alt="Headshot of Dr. Tonya Jackman Hampton, EdD">
CultureCOE Summit 2026, LeadershipAs 2025 nears its close, many leaders and organizations aren’t just feeling fear—they’re feeling fear fatigue.
It’s the quiet exhaustion that builds when:
Uncertainty becomes constant
Strategic decisions stack up
Culture feels stretched
Leaders are carrying more than they can name
Fear fatigue doesn’t look dramatic. It looks familiar: hesitation, blurred focus, emotional flatness, and systems that react instead of respond.4362 min read
/blogs/opex/2025/12/09/season-fear-fatigue
Senior Coach & Chief Engineer, Strategy, Lean Enterprise Institute
" alt="Headshot of Mark Reich">
COE SeminarsHoshin, StrategyIn a July 2025 COE webinar, Mark Reich explored how to use hoshin kanri to develop strategy, align teams, grow leaders, and innovate your enterprise. Drawing from decades of experience working at Toyota and coaching lean leaders across industries, Mark shared insights on what sets hoshin kanri apart from traditional strategy and what key practices and leader behaviors create high performance and sustainable results. In this blog, Mark continues the conversation, tackling unanswered audience questions from the webinar Q&A.
434/blogs/opex/2025/07/10/continuing-conversation-managing-purpose
Marketing & Communications Associate, The Ohio State University Center for Operational Excellence
" alt="Headshot of Hannah Conklin">
COE ForumsBooks, Leadership, StrategyThe summer season welcomes more sunshine, more downtime, and the perfect opportunity to dive into a great book. Whether you’re recharging on vacation or taking advantage of a quiet moment between projects, this is your invitation to seek out inspiration to fuel your personal and professional development. 432/blogs/opex/2025/06/24/coe-summer-reading-list-2025
Executive Director, The Ohio State University Center for Operational Excellence
" alt="Headshot of Kelly Reo">
COE ForumsCOE Summit 2025, Culture, Communication, CollaborationThe COE Summit is the cornerstone of the Center for Operational Excellence’s annual events calendar—a premier gathering where operational excellence thinkers and practitioners come together for three days of learning and connection. It’s a highlight not only for the COE team, but for our broader community of member companies, lean-focused organizations, and continuous improvement professionals. The 2025 theme—OpEx and the power of people—struck a powerful chord. This theme emerged from conversations with leaders seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities that come with leading and working with people in a rapidly changing world.
431/blogs/opex/2025/06/11/best-power-people-top-recordings-coe-summit-2025
Technology Leader and Adjunct Lecturer, Fisher College of Business
" alt="Headshot of Jim Perry">
COE SeminarsArtificial IntelligenceIn a June 2025 COE webinar, data and technology leader Jim Perry explored prompt engineering, agentic AI, and the new AI skillsets for modern work. Through live and interactive demonstrations, Jim guided attendees through various prompt frameworks and techniques for leveraging AI tools more effectively. In this blog, Jim continues the conversation, tackling unanswered audience questions from the webinar Q&A.
430/blogs/opex/2025/06/09/continuing-conversation-new-ai-skillset-modern-work
COE ForumsCOE Summit 2025, ReflectionThe 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.428/blogs/opex/2025/04/29/seeds-change-what-coe-summit-2025-taught-me-about-future-work
COE SeminarsStrategy, Data, HoshinIn 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.”
426/blogs/opex/2025/04/21/aligning-strategies-and-metrics-drive-change
Leadership DevelopmentCOE Summit 2025, LeadershipThe 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.”424/blogs/opex/2025/03/21/are-best-leaders-con-artists
Innovation With a Cyborg Co-Pilot: How I Use AI to Create IP (Without Letting It Drive)
The Season of Fear Fatigue
Continuing the Conversation: Managing on Purpose
COE Summer Reading List 2025
The Best of The Power of People: Top Recordings from the COE Summit 2025
Continuing the Conversation: The New AI Skillset for Modern Work
The Seeds of Change: What the COE Summit 2025 Taught Me About the Future of Work
Aligning Strategies and Metrics to Drive Change
Are the Best Leaders CON Artists?