The Toyota Way,

Scientific Thinking and

Mindset
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MLC
Traverse City

Jeffrey K. Liker
Professor Emeritus
Industrial and Operations Engineering
The University of Michigan
President, Liker Lean Advisors, LLC
 Toyota Way 2001 House:
Make Principles Explicit for Overseas Operations

The Toyota Way 2001

Top-Led
Transformational
Respect
Middle-Led Continuous for
Operational Improvement People
Bottom-Led
Daily Management

Kaizen Respect & Team Work &

Challenge Go & See
(Scientific Develop Accountability
to Learn
Thinking) People
 The Master-Apprentice Relationship is the
Model for Lean Leadership
The thinking and behavior patterns at Toyota are held
in their seasoned coaches, not in the Tools or Methods.

The desired pattern

of thinking & acting
LEAN TOOLS is here

EXAMPLE:
Lexus Takumi
Master Craftsman Experienced
Mentor

Source: Mike Rother

“Willing to start small, learn through trial and error”

“TPS is built on the scientific way of thinking”

Develop a way
of thinking: How
do I respond to
this problem?
Not a tool box

Source: Hajime Ohba, Founder of Toyota Production System Support Center USA

TSSC 4
MOST COMPANIES
START HERE
Toyota Business Practices: Every Leader is a
Student, and a Coach
Rother Clarified the Toyota Pattern and Developed Kata
The four-step “Improvement Kata” model

A practical, scientific 1
way of thinking &
working 3

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Source: Mike Rother
 The Challenge of Culture Change

Most Culture Change Mission

Efforts focus Here
• Explain vision
• Change org structure Stated Beliefs
• Reward System

Ways of Thinking
Toyota Kata
Focuses Here
Routine Behavior • Develop new habits
• Practice new way of thinking
• Common vocabulary
• Leaders as coaches
Core Values & Assumptions

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 KEY TAKEAWAYS

 Transformation is in Toyota’s DNA… not a program

 Toyota promotes a Growth Mindset, Discourages a
Fixed Mindset
 A Culture of Learning and Developing People is
Embedded in every Leader
 Rother Clarified the Role of Scientific Thinking, and
developed Kata for Developing it.
 As Toyota has Globalized, they adapt to Local
Conditions, but the Principles are Constant

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