Standards That Stick

About the Event

“Without standards, there can be no improvement.” – Taiichi Ohno

Too many teams are running on tribal knowledge, heroic effort, or crossed fingers. The result? Inconsistent results, rising frustration, and no real path forward.

In this session of The Problem Solver’s Dojo, we’re tackling one of the most misunderstood—but most powerful—elements of problem solving: standards.

Standards aren’t about rigidity or red tape. They’re about clarity, freedom, and ownership. When done right, they create a solid foundation for people to do their best work—and for leaders to lead with confidence.

We’ll break down three essential types of standards:

• SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures): Process documentation at the system level

• Standard Work: The how behind daily execution

• Leader Standard Work (LSW): The rhythm and behaviors that support the system

You’ll learn how to assess what’s missing, what’s needed, and how to introduce standards without sparking resistance.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the Role of Standards: Why standards are a starting point, not a constraint

• Know What Type of Standard is Needed: When to use SOPs, Standard Work, or Leader Standard Work—and why it matters

• Build Standards That Work: Learn simple frameworks to create, test, and evolve standards that support improvement

• Lead the Shift: Strategies for getting buy-in, ownership, and sustainability from your team

About Sarah

Sarah Tilkens is the CEO of The KPI Lab, a Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean expert, and leadership coach who knows that without clarity, there can be no change. She’s led frontline teams and executive leaders through the practice of building systems that actually stick—including introducing leader standard work across large-scale organizations. She believes that standards are not the enemy of innovation—they're the foundation of it.