The Toyota Style

“The Toyota style is not to create results by working hard. It is a system that says there is no limit to people’s creativity. People don’t go to Toyota to ‘work,’ they go there to ’think.’” -Taiichi Ohno

To get a job done – and done well – the physicality of “work” is but a small part of the overall outcome.

Carrying out the same tasks in the same ways, without giving thought to the “why” and “how” does nothing to improve the process. Spend time thinking of innovative ways to do those things differently – do them better.

Take more than a moment to think things through. Hit the whiteboard. Collaborate with other like minds. Even just take a walk. Chances are that whatever you come up with will improve the work you’re doing today. Soon work won’t seem like “work.”

How do you define work?