Lean Journey to Japan

The reason I am involved in discussing Lean and the benefits of our Japan trip is that I find it both fun and challenging to articulate the value of our Lean Kaikaku Japan trip to those that have not yet made the decision to dedicate one week of their time to revolutionize their knowledge and leadership in business. We talk about the different Lean gurus and the value they have provided industry and we all agree on that value, yet 99.99 percent of you have not gone to Japan to see the origins of the guru’s creations and concepts.

I always get questions regarding the power of and essence of Kaizen. Simply stated, it is continuous improvement at every level (facet) of the organization. Kaizen is rooted in the Japanese culture; there is no denying that aspect of Lean (another name for Kaizen). But, that is not an excuse to not implement these methodologies. Look at what is similar between the aspects of Kaizen and your corporate culture. Ask yourself:

Is it not valuable for employees to solve their problems on a daily basis?
Is it not valuable to empower employees to solve those problems?
Is it not valuable to grow your employees throughout their career?
Is it not valuable for everyone to strive for perfection at every level?

Our Study Mission will provide exceptional answers to these questions. The companies on our tour have answers to these questions and are able to communicate better ways to organize and succeed at Kaizen. No other experience can provide this.

Just last month while in Japan I was fortunate enough to view the original manuscripts that Taiichi Ohno scribed and his first papers and notebooks, where he formed his ideas and provided direction to his staff at Toyota and Toyota suppliers. How humbling an experience it is to absorb and appreciate this kind of history. It provides such a foundation of confidence and conviction as a student and leader of Lean and I am sure others will be empowered by the stories you bring home from your experiences in Japan. I personally think that you should first go to Japan and then start your Lean Journey, as this will assist you in attaining the right mindset to be able to make the right decisions and pursue the right paths for you and your company.

Another aspect of our tour is the access to experts. I call the individuals that we have access to traction experts. Far too often what are widely considered experts are not experts—they may be great coaches, but are not experts. Even the best consulting firms do not have the expertise needed to help you as a leader as they have simply learned their skills by observing or translating for the Japanese experts. That is the simple truth. I will have the Presidents of the corporations we visit address your questions and needs specifically. They will show you the history and the process of change over the last 25 years at their business; something that is invaluable!

You will see tools of lean working brilliantly and we will discuss how leaders ensure these fools work flawlessly.

An important aspect to understand is that there is a leader in every person within your business. This realization will become apparent as soon as you visit the companies that I have established for our tours. As a management group, we are constantly looking for answers to leadership development. You will see tools of Lean working brilliantly and we will discuss how leaders ensure these tools work flawlessly. I encourage you to seek to understand the leadership aspects of Lean that ensures the tools work well and the results are fabulous. The only way to do this is to spend a week apprenticing with us in Japan. You have an opportunity to be exposed to the great leaders of Lean and learn how you can lead more effectively.

Monozukuri is simply the Art of Making Things. Simply stated, but takes a lifetime of learning to attain.

Additionally, an important aspect of the