Recapturing the Spirit of Lean: The Role of the Sensei in Developing Lean Leaders

Abstract

Background: In the late 70s and early 80s when Toyota started to develop its supplier network as well as its overseas plants in the West, European and American executives where taught the Toyota Production System and Total Quality Management in the form of visits from Toyota’s own TPS experts, sometimes dubbed Sensei. Their style was highly unusual compared to that of the Western consultant. However, the results were often spectacular with unthinkable levels of quality and productivity improvement, not through data analysis and prescribed actions, nor through implementation of best practices, but through learning exercises that where designed for teaching TPS and TQM to the CEO and/or the company’s executives. In most cases today, external Lean support is carried out by consultants, who typically attempt to either implement a fully developed “Operational Excellence” program or carry out a tools-based productivity analysis and suggest countermeasures in the form of a feedback report with recommendations. However, some managers still work with Sensei, where the onus is on challenging and teaching the thinking behind TPS, constantly looking for the next step for quality improvement, productivity improvement, lead-time reduction and cost-reduction. Purpose: Previously, research into Lean transformation has focused solely on the implementation of Lean as a set of best practices. In this paper we explore the workings of Sensei and the role they play in developing Lean leaders, who themselves lead the organization’s Lean transformation. Research: We carried out several exploratory case studies in the form of interviews with executives who have worked with Sensei rather than following the classic consultancy-led best practice implementation program.