Episode 47: Thomas Paider and Lean Lessons Learned in 2025
Encore Presentation: To kick off 2026, Quality Time with MoreSteam is revisiting one of the most popular episodes from 2025. Host Dan Swartwout opens the show by reflecting on the incredible lineup of guests who joined the podcast in 2025. Last year’s guests included Shingo Prize winners, Lean Enterprise Institute board members, college professors, and healthcare leaders. Dan then reintroduces one of his favorite conversations, his interview with Thomas Paider.
Thomas Paider is the co-author of The Lean IT Field Guide and Vice President for Technology Infrastructure and Computing at Nationwide. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Lean Enterprise Institute. MoreSteam previously explored the origins of The Lean IT Field Guide and the ideas behind it in a case study featuring Paider and co-author Michael Orzen, which looks at how Lean IT principles were translated into practical learning experiences.
Why do so many people think Lean is just about cutting costs? In reality, Lean is so much more. Tom talks about the misconceptions that hold technology teams back and what really changes when leaders focus on moving people to more valuable work. He explains how Lean, Agile, and DevOps actually fit together. He also talks about why leaders should initially focus on changing their own management system.
Tom also discusses what thriving IT cultures look like, why visual management matters in the technology sector, and how learning from other industries sparks creativity. His insights remain just as relevant today, making this conversation well worth hearing again as Quality Time with MoreSteam kicks off 2026.
In this episode, you will hear about:
0:00 - Dan looks back on 2025
0:00 - Introducing Thomas Paider
1:33 - Tom's Background
4:50 - Working on Y2K
6:27 - Key Messages from the Lean It Field Guide
8:25 - The Operational Definition of IT
10:02 - The First Steps in a Lean IT Journey
13:56 - Misconceptions About Lean in the Technology Space
16:22 - Moving People to More Valuable Activities
18:55 - Agile in IT
22:25 - The Early Days of the Lean IT Transformation at Nationwide
24:29 - Advice for IT Teams Starting Their Lean Journeys
27:08 - Learning from Other Industries
29:41 - Overcoming Resistance
32:12 - Lean, Agile, and DevOps
36:35 - Tom's Proudest Moments at Nationwide
38:17 - Peyton Manning
39:19 - The Future of Lean Technology
42:36 - Tom's Experiences as a Runner
Additional Resources:
2025 Episode: Hitting Your Lean IT Stride with Thomas Paider
Case Study: Creating the Path for a Lean IT Transformation
The Lean IT Field Guide: A Roadmap for Your Transformation
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Lean Essentials for Technology Leaders and Teams
Learn more about Lean Terms and Definitions
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Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
Vice President for Technology Infrastructure and Computing • Nationwide
Tom Paider is a technology executive for Nationwide, a Fortune 100 insurance and financial services company. In his role, Tom leads the Technology Infrastructure organization, focused on enabling Nationwide’s businesses to conduct their operations through resilient, secure, and frictionless infrastructure and technology solutions. He has accountability for cloud and on-prem infrastructure as well as personal computing and telephony.
Tom is the co-author of the book The Lean IT Field Guide. Tom regularly consults with companies in a variety of industries across the globe on their lean transformations.
Tom is the cofounder of the IT Leadership Network at The Ohio State University, a partnership between industry and academic leaders focused on helping member companies sustain their lean IT journeys. Tom’s passion is using lean thinking to help technology teams create solutions that users love. (Source: https://www.lean.org/about-lei/board-of-directors/tom-paider/)
