Adopting Lean Globally at Mitsubishi Electric US

Article details

Name: Lien Randle
Pronunciation: “Lynn”
Title: Senior Director of Continuous Improvement for the Americas Corporate Office of Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc.
Role start: August 2021

Lien Randle has been with Mitsubishi Electric for more than 15 years.
She started in 2007 as National Contracts Manager for the Elevators and Escalators Division.
In that role, she reviewed and negotiated construction agreements nationwide.
She worked on hundreds of master agreements with small and large construction companies across the country.
She also held roles in operations, training and development, and strategic planning.
Before Mitsubishi Electric, she worked in northern California overseeing a family-owned elevator business.
She has more than 30 years of experience in the elevator industry and nearly 35 years of experience serving people.

She served on the boards of the Northern California Industry Group (NCEIG) and the National Association for Elevator Contractors (NAEC).
She later became President of NAEC.
In October 2001, she was the first female president and the youngest person ever elected president of NAEC.

The discussion focused on her path in construction and Lean leadership.
She used real-life examples to make Lean concepts easier to understand.
One example mentioned was using an A3 on “Lord of the Rings.”
The conversation also covered creating environments where diverse groups can connect and understand each other.
Mental health in the workplace was a major topic.
The discussion noted the reluctance to speak openly about mental well-being.
Leadership was presented as central to improving workplace well-being.

Leadership should understand the importance of mental health in construction and take tangible steps to address it.
Real-life examples are an effective way to introduce Lean concepts and engage a team.