Episode 8: Leadership, Coaching, and Lean Tailgating with Ken Robinette
Leadership can come from unexpected places—even a tailgate party. In Episode 8 of Quality Time With MoreSteam, Ken Robinette, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Vice President for Business Development at MoreSteam, shares his inspiring journey.
Ken reflects on leadership lessons learned as a high school quarterback, the importance of identifying informal leaders in organizations, and his passion for coaching others to succeed. He also reveals how he creatively applies Lean Six Sigma principles to tailgate parties, showing that process improvement can be both practical and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to Lean Six Sigma, this episode offers a unique perspective on leadership, coaching, and continuous improvement.
In this episode you will hear about:
0:41 - Ken's high school football career and lessons in leadership
4:09 - Aerospace engineering at Kent State University
5:53 - Ken's first exposure to the quality world
8:26 - When it all came together for Ken
13:21 - Informal leaders and influencers
15:06 - The certification process: combining Lean and Six Sigma
21:53 - Coaching and helping others succeed
24:24 - Ken's role as a coach at the Center For Operational Excellence
27:38 - Lean Six Sigma tailgate parties
Additional Resources
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Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
MoreSteam
Ken Robinette joined MoreSteam in July of 2023 as the Vice President of Business Development. He is responsible for developing, executing, and overseeing a business strategy that prioritizes growth and positive customer ratings. He has over 30 years of business experience in various markets and functional roles, including Sales, Design, Production Management, and Process Improvement. Prior to joining MoreSteam, Ken spent over 18 years in the healthcare industry, working at Cardinal Health and Scapa Healthcare. He is trained and certified in the Danaher Business System by Shingjutsu Kaizen and in Six Sigma by General Electric.
Ken has a B.S. in Aerospace Technology from Kent State and an M.B.A. in Operations Management and Quality from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
