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Niklas Modig
- Pioneer in Flow Thinking and Expert in Lean and Operational Excellence
- Founder and CEO of Hups
About Niklas
Niklas Modig is a leading authority in Lean and Operational Excellence, recognized globally as a pioneer in Flow Thinking. During his career, he has trained hundreds of top management teams and delivered over 1,000 keynote speeches across 40 countries, inspiring organizations worldwide.
Niklas began his Lean journey as a researcher at the Center for Innovation and Operations Management at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he served from 2003 to 2018. Fluent in Japanese, he spent extended periods in Japan and was a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo’s Manufacturing Management Research Center from 2006 to 2008. There, he worked closely with Professor Takahiro Fujimoto, an important Toyota scholar, gaining unique insights into Toyota’s high-performance service systems. Niklas is the first and only foreign researcher granted such in-depth access to Toyota’s operations, spending thousands of hours within the company to understand the essence of its philosophy.
As the author of This Is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradox, Niklas introduced the groundbreaking concept of flow efficiency, distinguishing it from resource efficiency and advocating for streamlined, end-to-end processes. The book has sold over 350,000 copies in twenty languages, making it one of the best-selling Lean books of all time.
Currently, as Founder and CEO of Hups, Niklas continues to drive impactful transformations and mentor top management on Lean and Operational Excellence. He frequently speaks at global organizations such as Airbus, Holmen, H&M, and Volvo, sharing his vision for self-improving organizations capable of achieving sustainable excellence.
Niklas Modig is the co-author of This Is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradox, Sweden’s top management book of 2012. Since its release, the book has been published in over ten languages and has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, making it one of the most widely read books on Lean and operational efficiency.
Keynotes
Operational Excellence: Driving World-Class Productivity and Profitability
The Flow-Oriented Organization
How to eliminate inefficiencies and create seamless, end-to-end service flows.
Defining Operational Excellence
The secrets behind the most productive and high-performing organizations.
From Silos to Flow
How to move from reactive problem-solving to structured, proactive excellence.
Visual Management for High-Performance Companies
How to create transparency, alignment, and continuous learning across functions and teams.
Building a Self-Improving Organization
How to develop a culture where everyone drives continuous improvement every day.
The Profitability Equation: Lean & Flow in Service
How efficiency drives both customer satisfaction and financial results.
Measuring What Matters
How to define, track, and act on the right efficiency and service excellence metrics.
Cost vs. Value: How to Optimize Resources Without Compromising Quality
The key to balancing efficiency and exceptional delivery.
Service Excellence: Creating an Outstanding Customer Experience
The Art of Service Excellence
How the world’s top service organizations create unforgettable customer experiences.
Making the Customer Flow
How to optimize service processes to create seamless and stress-free experiences.
Beyond Satisfaction: Creating WOW Moments in Service
How to exceed expectations and build strong emotional connections.
From Task-Oriented to Experience-Oriented Service
How to shift focus from “getting things done” to creating meaningful customer interactions.
How to Build a World-Class Service Philosophy
The key principles for creating a structured, scalable, and highly effective service model.
Team Excellence & Culture: Empowering and Engaging Your People
Developing ONE Culture
The building blocks of world-class service teams.
DRIVE: The Cornerstones of a Motivated and Powerful Team
The key elements behind engaged and high-performing teams.
The Power of Personal Efficiency
How to develop highly effective individuals in a fast-paced service environment.
How to Facilitate and Lead High-Impact Meetings
Techniques for making discussions productive, engaging, and outcome-driven.
Building a High-Engagement Culture
How to create an environment where employees actively contribute and improve.
Leading Through Change
How to successfully drive transformation and innovation in service organizations.
Learning from the Best Improvement Concepts: The Foundation for World-Class Performance
Lean Thinking in Service
How Lean principles can revolutionize service delivery and productivity.
Toyota Production System (TPS)
How to apply world-class production philosophy to service excellence.
Agile Organizations: Fast, Flexible, and Adaptive
How Agile principles can drive efficiency and responsiveness.
Agile Leadership
How modern leadership principles create more flexible, adaptive, and engaged teams.
OKRs for High-Performance Teams
How Objectives and Key Results can align people and drive exceptional outcomes.
Videos
Where we've given keynotes:
