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As so called “To see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower”, although TOYOTA WAY consists of so simple and ordinary words, of which meaning and embodiment as well as expansion in work are significant and complex. Hereinafter, taking “Improvement” as an example to explain.
If trace back to headstream of “Improvement” spirit, we have to mention of the founder of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (TMM) both father and son- Sakichi Toyoda and Kiichiro Toyoda. Mr. Sakichi Toyoda (1867-1930), the great industrial entrepreneur and national hero, who, without receiving any training on systematic knowledge and Professional Technology, obtained more than 200 patents during his whole life and invented different varieties of modern automatic looms from improving loom depending on this “Improvement” spirit. “Try to do it firstly” and “Do not be afraid of failure” are pet phrases of Mr. Sakichi. He admonish his son: “The first step for development is to try practically as long as you have generally complete idea, never expect to create indefective things from the very beginning. The defects you find shall be improved timely to make it perfect through Continuous improvement”. Kiichiro Toyoda wrote in one of his articles for recollection of his father that: “I won when I angulated with my father about certain question; I thought that is unnecessary to try practically. But I was unable to dissuade my father, so I had to operate practically, while good result beyond my anticipation was obtained, which changed my habit of discussing before doing any things.”
“Trying to do it firstly” is the first step and also precondition of improvement spirit. Mr. Sakichi knew deeply that there is not thing can be seen to bottom like water and there is also no body can solve problems only through brain without both hands. Practice is a best book, which puts forward numerous questions for us and gives us a stage of verifying result of consideration till we approach to final target step by step. Therefore, we encourage the spirit of having the courage to practice, but never require reaching the designated position by one step.
Perfection accomplished in an action is impossible to a certain extent. We believe that we can approach to perfection really and truly only in continuous interaction of practice and thought. On one hand, This requires us to often beat our brains and find problems from practice and also think out solutions; on the other hand, requires us to have spirit of never being satisfied and always challenge “Better”. Hence, we appreciate the people who have persistent spirit and persistent spirit is also a core of improvement spirit.
“百忍千鍛事遂全” is a scroll hung in the hall of Mr. Kiichiro Toyoda's old home , which is also the strongest belief in establishing automobile career. A tortuous and difficult process is necessary for having an important thing done or minor thing done to a perfect extent. The “Improvement” spirit summarized by TOYOTA with her successful experiences is a better explanatory note to “how to do” and “how to succeed”, which reminds every employee of “Practicing and thinking at the same time” in practical work, we must challenge ourselves and keep improving continuously on the basis of practicing and thinking.
TFTM is a younger enterprises established in recent years, while its team of “TOYOTA WAY” was organized at the beginning of its establishment to be in charge of study and popularization of “TOYOTA WAY”. Now, the wording such as “Do you Genchi Genbutsu” and “It is necessary to make further improvement”, etc. just like pet phrase in the company. “ TOYOTA WAY ” is not only a well-known slogan, a form but also a guideline for us to conduct ourselves and handle affairs through education, propaganda, teaching by personal example as well as verbal instruction of predecessors.
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