TL;DR: Fujio Cho explained that standardized work is not about control or compliance–it’s the foundation for learning, quality, and continuous improvement. When used as Toyota intended, standardized work creates stability, makes problems visible, and helps leaders improve systems rather than…
TL;DR: Deming and Toyota’s Fujio Cho asked the same uncomfortable question: why do management systems destroy motivation in people who started out wanting to do good work? The answer points to practices leaders can actually change. When leaders talk about…
TL;DR: In a 1993 speech, Toyota leader Fujio Cho said organizations can create their own Lean systems, but success depends on three principles: leaders going to the gemba, asking “why” to learn from problems, and respecting and motivating people —…