The Best Process In The World Fails Without People Who Can Think

Fujio Cho's wisdom is simple but profound: "First we build people, then we build cars."

Most organizations get this backwards. They chase the perfect process, the ideal system, the latest tool. Then they wonder why nothing sticks.

The Toyata Way:
Develop people who can see problems; Train people who can solve problems; Build people who can improve systems....

The Wrong Way:
Install the system first; Train people on the system; Wonder why the system doesn't work.....

People before process, Always. Because brilliant processes run by undeveloped people deliver mediocre results. But average processes run by thinking people get better every single day. We invest millions in equipment and technology. How much are we investing in developing our people's problem-solving capability?

The cars are a result. The people are the system.