Tag: Toyota

Toyota Thinking: Leadership, Systems, and Continuous Improvement

Toyota is often cited as the inspiration for Lean, but its success is rooted in leadership behaviors, management systems, and a deep commitment to learning—not tools or slogans. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and reflections on Toyota’s approach to quality, continuous improvement, psychological safety, and respect for people. Many of these posts explore what leaders outside Toyota often misunderstand—and what truly matters if they hope to learn from Toyota rather than copy it.

Jim Womack on “The Machine That Changed the World,” Revisited

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In this 2007 interview, Jim Womack reflects on The Machine That Changed the World and how its lessons on Lean and Toyota's system are...

More NPR Stories about Toyota

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by Mike LopezYesterday and today, NPR's Morning Edition had two short stories about Toyota. Yesterday, they highlighted the Georgetown Plant. Listen Here.Today's story was...

How Toyota Can Save Your Life… At the Hospital

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ChangeThis :: How Toyota Can Save Your Life...At the Hospital The page linked to above (link now dead) has an essay I was invited to...

Toyota’s Training Center

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Toyota University Opens Admissions to Outsiders - WSJ.com (Gift Article) The headline is a bit misleading; it should say "Toyota Opens, Then Closes Admissions to...

China or Mexico? Is Lean an Alternative?

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Winding Road » Archive » Japan Report: Toyota To Build 8th Plant In MS, But We Hear No. 9 Is Already In...

NPR Stories on New Toyota Plant

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It's official, that Toyota has selected a site near Tupelo, Mississippi for their next U.S. factory (Google News search here).Thanks to Pete Abilla, he...

UK Hospitals Gemba Walk the U.S.

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I was sent a nice "gemba report" essay from a UK lean healthcare consultant, Andrew Castle. Andrew consults for the UK National Health Service...

Toyota vs. Ford: What Andon Cord Pulls Reveal About Culture and...

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Editor's note (2026): This 2007 post is lightly refreshed for clarity and structure. The core lesson--that Lean succeeds or fails on trust and leadership--remains...

Toyota to join Nissan in MS?

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Toyota said to build plant in Mississippi - Feb. 27, 2007Looks like Toyota's rumored U.S. expansion continues.Toyota is under pressure to boost production in...

Toyota and "Gung Ho"

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Why Toyota Is Afraid Of Being Number One In this Business Week piece about Toyota's fear of a backlash against them, with their continued success,...

NY Times Magazine on Toyota – Part 2

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From 0 to 60 to World Domination - New York TimesMore from Sunday's long NY Times piece...We're used to Jeff Liker saying good things...

NY Times Magazine on Toyota — Part 1

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From 0 to 60 to World Domination - New York Times From yesterday's New York Times Magazine, this is a very long, meaty article about...
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