A leading expert on Toyota provides the very first look at the company's people-management routines Based on six years of research, Toyota Kata brings to light, for the first time, the auto company's secrets to managing employees. It reveals the two main routines of thinking and acting (called kata) that Toyota instills in its people, which in turn generate continuous improvement, adaptation, and remarkable results. Inside, Mike Rother provides the insights readers need to model their management system after that of Toyota. Anyone seeking better ways to lead, manage, and develop people will find all they need in Toyota Kata.

Table of Contents

Introduction - Transforming our Understanding of Leadership and Management PART I: THE SITUATION Chapter 1: What Defines a Company that Thrives Long Term? PART II: KNOW YOURSELF Chapter 2: How Are We Approaching Process Improvement? Chapter 3: Philosophy and Direction Chapter 4: Origin and Effects of Our Current Management Approach PART III: THE IMPROVEMENT KATA: HOW TOYOTA CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVES Chapter 5: Planning: Establishing a Target Condition Chapter 6: Problem Solving and Adapting: Moving Toward a Target Condition PART IV: THE COACHING KATA: HOW TOYOTA TEACHES THE IMPROVEMENT KATA Chapter 7: Who Carries Out Process Improvement at Toyota? Chapter 8: The Coaching Kata - Leaders as Teachers PART V: REPLICATION: WHAT ABOUT OTHER COMPANIES? Chapter 9: Developing Improvement Kata Behavior in Your Organization Conclusion Bibliography Appendix 1: Where Do You Start With the Improvement Kata? Appendix 2: How to Analyze a Production Process

About the Author

Mike Rother is an engineer, a teacher, and a guest researcher at the Technical University Dortmund. Rother's work has bought him to numerous companies and hundreds of factories around the world, where he collaborates with people to test ideas and shares lessons learned. He splits his time between Ann Arbor, and Cologne, Germany.