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The Toyota Way, Scientific Thinking and Mindset: Jeffrey K. Liker

The document discusses the Toyota Way and scientific thinking. It provides an overview of Toyota's approach to continuous improvement, respect for people, and developing a growth mindset. The Toyota Way emphasizes that lean tools and methods are less important than the thinking and behaviors modeled by seasoned coaches. It also summarizes Mike Rother's clarification of Toyota's use of scientific thinking and his development of the improvement kata model to teach this approach through structured practice.

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Gerard Egerton
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228 views

The Toyota Way, Scientific Thinking and Mindset: Jeffrey K. Liker

The document discusses the Toyota Way and scientific thinking. It provides an overview of Toyota's approach to continuous improvement, respect for people, and developing a growth mindset. The Toyota Way emphasizes that lean tools and methods are less important than the thinking and behaviors modeled by seasoned coaches. It also summarizes Mike Rother's clarification of Toyota's use of scientific thinking and his development of the improvement kata model to teach this approach through structured practice.

Uploaded by

Gerard Egerton
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Toyota Way,

Scientific Thinking and


Mindset
1
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
Concrete Actions and Processes Drive and Dedication

1. Clarify the Problem · Customers First


P 2. Break Down the Problem · Always Confirm the Purpose of
Your Work
3. Target Setting
· Ownership and Responsibility
4. Root Cause Analysis · Visualization (MIERUKA)
5. Develop Countermeasures · Judgment Based on Facts
6. See Countermeasures · Think and Act Persistently
D 6.2:Through
Figure Toyota Business Practices (TBP) is the Revised Problem
· Speedy Action inSolving
a TimelyMethod
Manner
C 7. Monitor Both Results and
· Follow Each Process with
Processes
Sincerity and
Toyota’s new TBP method has two parts—the method described Commitment
as “concrete actions and
A 8.
processes” Standardize Successful
and the approach described under “drive and dedication.”
· Thorough There is a lot in
Communication
Processes
common with the older practical problem solving method. BothAllare based on the Plan-
· Involve Stakeholders
Do-Check-Act model and based on management by fact. A few subtle differences make
a big difference in some cases. One of the biggest is “break down the problem” which
Rother Clarified the Toyota Pattern and Developed Kata
The four-step “Improvement Kata” model

A practical, scientific 1
way of thinking &
working 3

4
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

9
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

10

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