The Toyota Way is one of the most influential books on Lean and how Toyota was able to successfully drive inefficiencies from their processes. These are posts related to the 14 management principles outlined in the book and some examples of how each of the principles can be applied.
Related article: The Toyota 3M model: Muda, Mura, Muri
What are the 14 principles of The Toyota Way?
14 Principles of The Toyota Way
Principle #1 – “Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals.”
Principle #2 – “Create a continuous process flow to bring problems to the surface.”
Principle #3 – “Use ‘pull’ systems to avoid overproduction.”
Principle #4 – “Level out the workload (work like the tortoise, not the hare).”
Principle #5 – “Build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right the first time.”
Principle #6 – “Standardized tasks and processes are the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment.”
Principle #7 – “Use visual controls so no problems are hidden.”
Principle #8 – “Use only reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and process.”
Principle #9 – “Grow leaders who thoroughly understand the work, live the philosophy, and teach it to others.”
Principle #10 – “Develop exceptional people and teams who follow your company’s philosophy.”
Principle #11 – “Respect your extended network of partners and suppliers by challenging them and helping them improve.”
Principle #12 – “Go and see for yourself to thoroughly understand the situation.”
Principle #13 – “Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly.”
Principle #14 – “Become a learning organization through relentless reflection and continuous improvement.”
