In the early part of my career, I had the opportunity to work at Toyota, where my leadership beliefs and values were profoundly shaped by the Japanese “basic way of working.”

This approach, often exemplified by philosophies such as “Kaizen” (continuous improvement), “Lean” principles, the “5S” framework (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain), and enriched by methodologies like Hoshin Kanri, the Toyota Production System, Toyota Job Instruction Training (TJI), Jidoka, and Genchi Genbutsu, significantly impacts business practices and organizational culture. Japanese management is distinct for its:

1. Long-term Orientation: Prioritizing sustainability over immediate gains, fostering growth and improvement through strategic planning processes like Hoshin Kanri, which aligns organizational goals with daily management.

2. Consensus Decision-Making: Emphasizing a thorough, consensus-building process for decision-making, ensuring comprehensive consideration and organizational commitment.

3. Employee Involvement and Empowerment: Actively involving employees in decision-making and improvement processes, enhancing their engagement and leveraging their insights, with practices like TJI focusing on effective skill transfer.

4. Quality and Precision: Committing to excellence through meticulous quality control, attention to detail, and the principle of Jidoka, which ensures automation with a human touch to immediately address problems.

5. Lean Principles and Efficiency: Focused on eliminating waste and optimizing processes, rooted in the efficiencies of the Toyota Production System, aimed at enhancing productivity and quality.

6. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen): Encouraging the entire organization to engage in ongoing efforts to enhance products, services, or processes.

7. Respect for People: Demonstrating profound respect for individuals within the organization, evidenced by investments in development and the creation of a supportive work environment.

8. Harmony and Teamwork: Promoting a cooperative work environment that values collective achievement and prioritizes group goals.

9. Genchi Genbutsu (Real Place, Real Thing): Emphasizing the importance of understanding problems through direct observation and hands-on engagement in the actual work area.

This mindset not only improves operational efficiency and product quality but also cultivates a positive organizational culture. Embracing long-term success, employee engagement, continuous improvement, and respect for individuals, along with the strategic integration of Hoshin Kanri, the Toyota Production System, TJI, Jidoka, and Genchi Genbutsu, has propelled the international success of many Japanese companies and shaped global management practices.