Use the Minds of the Many
The foundation of Lean is thinking people. Human beings have a set of mental skills that enable them to think thoughts, develop plans, trouble-shoot problems, and experiment with ideas to…
What Kind of BRAIN do I Need?
My last few posts have focused on the role of "thinking" in Lean. I've said that the core of it is "THINKING People." In the Lean Business Culture, we don't…
What is “Scientific Thinking?”
"For the purposes of this book we'll define scientific thinking as a process of deliberately engaging reality with the intent of learning. At the core of scientific thinking is continuous…
The Root Idea of All Lean Thinking
"The root idea of all Lean thinking is kaizen: continuous, small step-by-step improvements done by the people who do the work themselves." Toyota experts call this "Kaizen-mind." It means that…
TPS: “THINKING Production System”
If you've studied Lean for a while, you may have seen the abbreviation "TPS." It usually means "Toyota Production System." Toyota created the business culture we now call "Lean" in…
What Does “TPS” Stand For?
"One of the students of Taiichi Ohno said,' We at Toyota made a mistake. We should never have called it the Toyota Production System [TPS]. We should have called it…
The Job For Toyota Employees Isn’t ‘Work’
"People don't go to Toyota to work; they go there to think." Taiichi Ohno, quoted in The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015) p. 139. Note from…
Standardized Work: A Different Mentality
Lean turn-around expert Art Byrne responding to interview question about 'Standard Work' during his leadership at the Danaher Corporation:“It’s a simple concept – for every job, create a standard and…
Is “Old Thinking” the Problem?
"Business authors sometimes suggest that well-established, successful companies decline, while newer companies do well, because the new companies are not encumbered by an earlier, outmoded way of thinking. On the…