“The breakthrough thinking that Lean offers is that of better individual competence and better teamwork. This means taking responsibility when things go wrong (as they do daily) and not explaining them away by blaming someone or something else–confronting the problems together without feelings of guilt or fault. We learn together when we learn to face […]

“At Toyota, it was important to perform as individuals, but the key element was about working and improving together as a team. It was amazing to me at a young age to experience a different culture and to see firsthand what that looked like through interactions on the job. I was absorbing those values of […]

“The other big cornerstone (during the recruitment/hiring process) was the ability to survive in a team environment where ideas are shared openly. It was about being open-minded, and being able to respectfully engage in constructive conversation about how to do things better. There were some subtle dynamics here. We didn’t want the ‘I’m the big […]

“Critical to Toyota’s success is single-point accountability. One person’s name goes up next to each item in an action plan. But in order to succeed, the individual responsible must work with the team, draw on its collective talents, listen closely to all team members’ opinions, work to build consensus, and ultimately give credit for success […]

“The lesson — and secret — of the Toyota Way is just as clear as this: it creates bonds among individuals and partners such that they are ‘moving to fit each other just right, working together’ toward a common goal.”  The Toyota Way 2nd Edition by Jeffrey K. Liker (McGraw Hill, 2021) p. 352.