When most organizations talk about Lean, they start with the tools. When Toyota talks about Lean, they start with people. On my last trip to Japan, I heard former Toyota leaders repeat a phrase that stuck with me: “We’re not just a car company. We’re a people development company.” It wasn’t a slogan–it was a guiding principle you could see in action everywhere we visited. Many companies try to copy Lean tools or practices, but … Continue reading Toyota as a People Development Company: Lessons Beyond Lean Tools