If you run a TPS or Lean book club, these are the books everyone should read! Scroll below to learn why you should read these books.
Leadership and Kaizen
Better Thinking, Better Results is a detailed case study of the enterprise-wide Lean transformation, from supplier-to-customer, that The Wiremold Company achieved, led by Art Byrne. The leadership lessons and transformation process are a model for others to follow.
Shingijutsu-Kaizen describes the Toyota kaizen method that produced the rapid Lean transformation at The Wiremold Company. There is no better kaizen method than Shingijutsu-Kaizen!
Kaizen Forever presents the profound wisdom of sensei Chihiro Nakao, based on nearly 60 years of Toyota kaizen experience! This is essential for understanding the thinking behind kaizen that is necessary to produce great kaizen results.
Conversations with Taiichi Ohno is a fictional account of a conversation that provides significant depth and understanding of kaizen and TPS. The book is highly regarded for its unique storytelling approach.
Additionally, book club members can watch this kaizen video and discuss it.
Classical Management
Lean professionals lack a deep understanding of the different types of barriers that stand in their way. Consequently, they struggle and typically achieve less success than desired. These three books will give numerous practical insights into the problems and inspire many new ideas to try.
The Aesthetic Compass provides a simple, Occam’s razor explanation for the complex and deeply rooted phenomena that prevent leaders from improving their thinking and practice of leadership and management.
A Changed Perspective explains how the settled view that better leadership is brought about simply by changing leaders’ behaviors is wrong. The focus instead should be on preconceptions, just as Taiichi Ohno said: “…we are doomed to failure if we do not initiate a daily destruction of our various preconceptions.“
The Triumph of Classical Management Over Lean Management is a tour de force analysis of the Institution of Leadership. It provides a comprehensive explanation for why most leaders resist, reject, or ignore Lean management.
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