The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership

Achieving and Sustaining Excellence Through Leadership Development

By: Jeffrey Liker, Gary L. Convis

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

The missing link to long-term Lean success! Despite the fact that companies worldwide have adopted Lean production, none has sustained the same levels of excellence as Toyota. Why? Leadership. In The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership, Jeffrey Liker and Gary L. Convis, a former executive V.P. and managing officer of Toyota, help executives and senior managers get employees to refocus their efforts - from simply performing their singular function to continuously improving in collaboration across the organization.

Case studies from Toyota clearly illustrate the methods that create powerful, effective Lean leadership. Jeffrey Liker, author of the popular Toyota Way books, is the acknowledged expert on Toyota processes. He is professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. After his executive leadership at Toyota, Gary L. Convis became the CEO of Dana Holding Corporation, a $6.1 billion supplier to the global automotive, commercial vehicle, and off-highway markets, and helped lead it to a successful turnaround from bankruptcy.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2011 Jeffrey Liker, Gary L. Convis (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

It's not as easy as it looks

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you are fascinated by the success of Toyota Motor Corporation and their rise to near domination of the global automobile market, this is the book for you.

What did you like best about this story?

The book covers in almost painstaking detail the methods used by Toyota to grow leaders from within the company. It is that approach, the nurturing of self-improving people that is the backbone of Toyota's success. I purchased many of the accompanying hardcover books for more information. The concept is simple: grow leaders and problem solvers from within. It's the patience required and the discipline to execute and stick with the plan that is hard for other companies to duplicate.

Have you listened to any of Jim Meskimen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first time listening to the narrator. He is appropriate for a business book. He delivers the information very effectively. But this is no John Grisham novel!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely not. I found myself rewinding and listening again and again to make sure I understood the concepts. I have listened to it twice and will listen a third time.

Any additional comments?

Great book for business. The Toyota Way is really hard to duplicate and that's what gives them their competitive advantage.

Shares leadership principals to increase advantage

Emphasis on the importance of culture in designing the processes and metrics that will increase and sustain competitive advantage. Gave useful insights into characteristics of leadership that would develop a sustainable, continuous improvement focused corporate culture. I appreciated that the principals shared focus on individual development and that these principals will improve personal lives, shift paradigms, as well as increase long term company profits.

insightful even for a veteran

the examples were very helpful in demonstrating that of kaizen and the emphasis on leadership development seems spot on with TPS

Great Business Advice

Good info, but difficult read. Would have preferred the Japanese words be changed to applicable english words. Made processing info more difficult.

Amazing Book About Organizational Change

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to begin Change and transformation in any organization. The book has great examples and does a good job of discussing the concepts. I found myself loving that they constantly reiterated what each acronym meant. It’s a small thing, but I noticed it.

Great practical book.

It's my first book in English about Lean. Sometimes I had to slow down the speed but overal I went smooth with the process.
Book gave me better understanding what Lean is and blew up mystical aura about Lean - great Dana company and other 'real life' examples.
Also the book gave me some insights how to mive forward with several Lean initiativrs within company I work for.
I Highly recomend this book for exprienced lean leaders also for those who just considwring to step up Lean path. Also those who just looking for ways to solve specific problem can find insights for next steps it in the book.

Need the book

Any additional comments?

Need to buy the book. Great information, a little hard for me to stay engaged. Information overload. Shoiuld be studied along with the printed copy.

This is the Bible for running a production company

If you intend to run or cooperate in running a company in production or engineering field, look no further and treat this book as a bible. I've read it 3 times already and each time I find out something new and profound.

Detailed look at leadership development

I was most interested in the parts about DANA using Toyota thinking to get through a crisis.

I appreciated the insights about knowing the skills so well, you know when to change it to better adapt to a unique situation.

No one at Toyota is likely to read this book, but lots of people can benefit from the knowing the principles as well as how other Non-Toyota businesses can actually apply the thinking and action steps to their situation.

The authors' communication of this is their main contribution.

Great book on leadership

I enjoyed how the book gave examples of how leaders overcame obstacles and how Toyota invests in teaching and growing their people.