This was already announced, so maybe his retirement has just now taken effect, Gary Convis, the former leader of the Toyota Georgetown plant (TMMK):
“Gary really knows how to listen,” Steve St. Angelo, Georgetown plant president, said, in an in-house newsletter. “He absorbs facts and details, and I will miss having him as a mentor. However, even after his retirement, he will continue with Toyota as an executive adviser, so I'm sure we'll stay in touch.”
St. Angelo said Convis' management style was a perfect fit for the Toyota plant.
“Gary leads people the way Toyota manages business,” he said. “He empowers them to do better and he displays a genuine respect for the work they do.”
For more on Convis, click the “Convis” link below. I'm trying, through a contact, to get him on a LeanBlog Podcast, but we'll have to wait and see….
Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. His latest book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. He also published the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.
Hi Mark,
Would be great to get an interview with Gary, I for one always appreciate the “frontline” perspective and given his role over the years could be a perfect person to speak from a senior management perspective about how this should be led.
I think quotes from him in Jeff’s Liker’s work add credibility to the research so hope you succeed in making this happen.
Thanks in advance,
MikeNZ
I’m doing a case study for my college class “Modern Management” on “Toyota’s Dirve For Global Leadership”. TSP definitely plays a big role in this. One of the questions is:
Do you think position power, task structure, or leader-member relations was the most important aspect of Gary Convis’s leadership at the Georgetown Plant?