Leading Lean in Chaos: A Systematic Approach to Crisis Management
About this ebook
In Leading Lean in Chaos: A Systematic Approach to Crisis Management, bestselling author and industrial engineering expert Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman delivers a compelling guide for applying Lean thinking to navigate crises with clarity, agility, and resilience.
Whether you're facing a global disruption, internal upheaval, or unexpected failure, this book equips you with tools to:
Diagnose chaos and uncertainty with structured frameworks
Apply Lean principles to restore control and flow
Eliminate waste and indecision during time-critical situations
Lead with emotional intelligence and radical transparency
Capture learning from every crisis to build future-proof systems
Drawing from real-world case studies—from hospitals battling pandemics to factories hit by supply chain shocks—this book is both practical and visionary.
This is not just a book about surviving chaos. It's about transforming it into an opportunity for growth.
Perfect for project managers, engineers, organizational leaders, and anyone seeking a principled, proven approach to leadership under pressure.
About the author
Dr. Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman is an internationally recognized Lean expert, author, and university lecturer. He has published over 100 books and articles on Lean thinking, quality systems, and industrial excellence. He currently teaches Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the American University in Cairo and consults for global organizations across manufacturing, public services, and education.
With nearly two decades of academic and professional experience, Dr. Soliman has trained professionals across the Middle East, including engagements with Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia and Vale Oman Pelletizing Company. He has designed and delivered over 60 leadership and technical development programs, helping organizations build a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Earlier in his career, he worked in various industrial sectors including crystal-glass manufacturing, fertilizers, and chemicals, while educating teams on the Toyota Production System. He has led numerous lean transformation projects, delivering measurable results and uncovering substantial cost savings by targeting waste across production and service environments.
His lectures and training materials have reached over 200,000 learners via SlideShare, and his research is ranked among the most downloaded papers on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) by Elsevier.
Dr. Soliman holds a BSc in Engineering, a master's in Quality Management, and postgraduate degrees in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management. He also holds certifications in quality, cost, and operations management. He is a member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and the Society for Engineering and Management Systems (SEMS).
His insights have been featured in SAGE Publications, Industrial Management, Lean Thinking, and other peer-reviewed platforms.
