How Comrod Helped People See That Effort Doesn’t Always Equal Value

The Choice to Change

The results of improvement work at international defence communications and technology specialist Comrod were significant, with sites doubling turnover while reducing team stress and increasing operational productivity.

Yet Lean Manager, Frode Steinsland, reveals that 90% of the effort went into helping people see what was really happening and recognise that change was needed, because when teams are already working hard, simply being told things need to change isn’t always enough.

“People were working hard. A lot of effort was not creating value.”

At the Gemba:

Frode Steinsland is the Group Lean Manager at Comrod, where he leads the development and deployment of Lean and continuous improvement capabilities across the company’s international business units. With a background in manufacturing, supply chain, and operational leadership, he has extensive experience driving transformation in complex industrial environments.

Since joining Comrod in 2023, Frode has focused on building local improvement capabilities through a structured “train-the-trainer” approach, enabling sustainable change within each business unit. His work combines Lean principles, leadership development, and practical problem solving to improve productivity, quality, and operational performance.

A certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Frode is passionate about developing people and helping organizations create visibility, ownership, and continuous improvement cultures. More recently, he has also been exploring how AI can be combined with proven improvement methodologies such as PDCA and DMAIC to accelerate learning and operational excellence while maintaining strong governance and compliance.

Learning from the frontline of change and improvement

Every episode centres on a candid conversation with someone who’s led change from the inside. We deliberately explore both sides of the story, from the moments where improvement delivered meaningful results, to times when things didn’t go to plan. Our guests are generous with their honesty, talking openly about decisions made under pressure, warning signs they noticed too late, and what they’d do differently next time.

In our world, every experience is valuable, and hearing how others have navigated the realities of performance improvement makes the work feel less isolating, and far more achievable. So if you’re looking for thoughtful reflection, practical insight, and reassurance that progress rarely follows a straight line, GEMBAfication is for you.

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