Masterclass Series: The Thinking Part of Lean Thinking

The second of our three-part series designed to build stronger thinkers, better problem-solvers, and more curious leaders across your organisation.

Session 2: Asking Better Questions To Spark Engagement

This session takes curiosity from being “a nice mindset” to something you can actually use as a leadership tool. We look at simple questioning habits that lower defensiveness, draw people in, and help you get to the real issue faster.

You’ll see how certain questions create ownership, how the wrong ones shut a conversation down, and how to guide a team toward thinking for themselves instead of waiting for direction

What You’ll Walk Away With

Practical questions you can use straight away to uncover what’s really going on.
Ways to spark genuine engagement by inviting people into the thinking process.
A clearer feel for the traps that derail conversations — and how to avoid them.
Tools to help your team shift from “tell me what to do” to “here’s what I’m seeing.”

Our Masterclass Series Presenter:

In 2025, Andy headed over to Michigan to spend time with some of the biggest names in Lean - including Mike Rother, the author of Learning to See. Engaging with these leaders up close gave him a fresh perspective on what truly sets world-class Lean practitioners apart.

Back home, Andy brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience across mining, manufacturing, logistics, ports, health, and government. He’s not the kind of person who hides behind jargon - he’s all about practical improvement, clear thinking, and helping teams fix real problems.

As Managing Director of North St Partners, Andy works across Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, and change. But what people remember most is his people-first approach. He’s energetic, genuine, and deeply invested in helping others grow.

Andy also co-hosts the Lean Solutions Podcast, where he chats with global leaders and breaks down continuous improvement in a way that’s easy to understand and even easier to apply.

If you enjoy learning from someone who’s grounded, curious, and a straight shooter - you’ll enjoy spending time with Andy.

Agenda:
9:55 AM | Log in to meeting
10:00 AM | Topic framing
10:05 AM | Masterclass presentation
11:30 AM | Event ends

You will need:
A computer with video and audio capability so you can engage effectively with other attendees because we want you to engage, learn, and connect in this focused masterclass session.

Who should attend?
Is your role in business improvement or continuous improvement. Then this event is definitely for you no matter your experience level.
As a member of IPA you can register up to 2 people, subject to availability, to attend this event.
This event is for IPA members only, there will be no public access to this event.

When do I need to register by?
Registrations close 1 day prior to event date.
Registrations are based on a "first-come, first-served" basis.
There are no allocated seats with membership.

Who can I contact for further information?

Please note that we may take photos/videos at IPA events for use in marketing or social media. If you wish to be exempted from these, please contact the event organiser.