The Edges of Lean

Michelle Formanczyk is the owner of Slingshot Designs and serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Lean Consortium as Director of Outreach. She’s a certified VoicePrint practitioner and seasoned consultant with deep expertise in continuous improvement, leadership development, and communication strategy. Today, she joins us to share how VoicePrint brings empathy back to leadership—transforming how teams connect, collaborate, and thrive.” Key Takeaways VoicePrint is a communication tool identifying 9 "voices" people use, grouped into exploring, positioning, and controlling clusters VoicePrint helps leaders understand their communication patterns and impact, improving team dynamics and leadership effectiveness Combining VoicePrint with lean practices like Kata could enhance leadership development and coaching Michelle advocates for connecting lean thinkers in Michigan through her work with the Michigan Lean Consortium Topics Michelle's Background and Career Path Grew up in northern Michigan, started career at Chrysler Tech Center Progressed through roles in industry to global consulting Now focused on connecting lean and scientific thinkers in Michigan Involved with Michigan Lean Consortium, recently joined board VoicePrint Overview Developed by psychologist Alan Robertson of TalkWise company Identifies 9 voices grouped into exploring, positioning, and controlling clusters Includes self-assessment and 360-degree feedback components Helps individuals understand how they communicate and are perceived by others Can be applied in various contexts - leadership, teams, personal development VoicePrint Application in Leadership and Teams Helps leaders understand their communication patterns under normal and pressure situations Identifies gaps between intended and actual communication styles Improves team dynamics by creating awareness of different communication styles Particularly useful for transitions (e.g. frontline to supervisor, supervisor to manager) Can be applied across industries and leadership styles Connecting VoicePrint to Lean Practices Potential to combine VoicePrint with Kata coaching for leadership development Could enhance leader's ability to ask effective questions and pivot conversations Aligns with lean focus on effective communication and continuous improvement Michigan Lean Consortium (MLC) Initiatives Working to connect Michigan's lean community and resources better Exploring a stronger relationship with the University of Michigan Annual conference upcoming, open to attendees outside Michigan Next Steps Explore potential integration of VoicePrint with Kata and other lean practices Consider attending the Michigan Lean Consortium annual conference Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn for further discussion on VoicePrint and lean leadership