While sitting in Toyota's New York office one morning and casually talking with Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America, I had an epiphany of sorts. Listening to Mr.Press speak about Toyota's way of doing business--"We don't want to be the biggest, just the best" and "Why should you watch the stock price? It leads to bad decisions"--I realized the company's business mantra is not so much about quarterly earnings and net profit as it is about striving each day to develop people. It is not so much a business plan as a philosophy. Ther is greater commitment exhibited in internal company statements regarding the environment than in any letter to shareholders, yet Toyota's stock price keeps going up.
It was at that moment that I abandoned my original plan of writing another industry specific guide that would be of great interest to a relatively small number of people. Instead, I sought to shine the light on the most valuable and useful leadership lessons to be learned from Toyota's unique approach to business. I knew if I was successful, the result would be a book that would be of interest to a great number of people who, like me, are hungry for more direction, a sharper competitive edge, and a clearer road map to personal success and fulfillment.
1. Diligently Apply to the Right Pursuits
2. Strive for Continuous Improvement
3. The Power of Humility
4. Rid All That Adds No Value
5. Improve Quality by Exposing the Truth
6. Raise the Bar to Unreachable Heights
7. Favor Long-Term Strategies Ove Short-Term Fixes
8. Learn the Customer, Live the Customer
9. Take Time to Study, Then Implement with Speed
10. Let Failure Be Your Teacher
Etc.
"A provocative case stydy." --Harvard Business Review--
"Interesting and instructive." --The Miami Herald--
"Expect Turnaround to be required reading in many MBA classes." --Orlando Sentinel--