The Sensei Way at Work

The Sensei Way at Work follows in the wake of dozens of successful business books on the Toyota production system lean enterprise and the Toyota Way yet it is unique. It identifies the five keys that sustain successful lean production in Western enterprises—a challenge that has stymied business leaders managers and lean coaches for decades.The first reason for our frequent inability to sustain the initial gains of lean startups is a misunderstanding of the Japanese term kaizen mind. Many mistranslate it as a hunger for business efficiency and cost reduction. In fact kaizen mind is a psychology of mindfulness joined with creativity. And once evoked by a sensei it can be applied (without training) when a leader mandates that employees and managers solve quality problems and redesign the work together.The second reason is our need to develop new change leaders who know the way. A sensei immerses prospects in a series of challenges until they learn to do the work of change with the mind of a leader that is from the states of presence flow and compassion.Lasting organizational transformation becomes possible even inevitable when its leaders learn the five keys and realize one big thing in the Sensei Way.