Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning

Lean enthusiasts know about Taiichi Ohno's decades-long contributions that advanced production thinking. Katie Anderson introduces us to Isao Yoshino who had a big impact on the people side of Lean. Her writing style matches the title "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn." Katie tells a story of Yoshino-san moving back and forth between learning for the sake of performing and leading others that results in learning for those he coaches and himself. I was fascinated by Toyota's remake of leadership development about 35 years ago. The case study on Kan-Pro is a model for how to take a longterm view for changing not just the practices of leadership but the thinking that supports the practices. Yoshino-san was in his 30's when he was a coach for during Kan-Pro. That prepared him for his later role in training the supervisors and managers who started NUMMI along with the plants in Georgetown and Ontario. Check out "The Toyota Way - Lost in Translation" at the end of the book. We know from Toyota's 2001 development of the guide "The Toyota Way" that respect for people and continuous improvement are the two pillars for Toyota's approach. Katie shares Yoshino-san's explanation that the Japanese text is more nuanced. Rather than respect "people," Yoshino-san says the principle is to respect humanness and the greater diversity of perspectives. And continuous improvement - the Japanese version is "Chie" and "Kaizen" or wisdom and improvement of oneself.

Lean is an English word used to describe a Japanese model of production and change. Katie Anderson's new book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, reminds me of how shallow my understanding of the Toyota culture was. Not anymore. I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the humane genius of the Toyota Production System. I now know more about the cultural place where Toyota grew, I learned about Mr. Masao Nemoto, and I understand that Hoshin Kanri is a conversation. There are pages devoted to Toyota's KAN-PRO and the development of leaders at Toyota. In all cases, Isao Yoshino shares his modest views and brings history to life. He was there at NUMMI, and he shares a story of a foreman that exclaimed, "It works!" (p. 187). But his recurring message is that leaders must keep learning, and he lives his heartwarming message. The 10 Principles of Mr. Yoshino's Leadership Credo will challenge us all to live and work better. Every chapter of this warm and rich book concludes with a list of reflection questions called Practicing Hansei. I found these helpful in anchoring the content of the section. As others have said, this is a book for everyone. I read it with substantial pleasure. I bet you will, too.

This book is an endearing work based on mutual respect and appreciation between the author and her subject, Isao Yoshino. Isao Yoshino's experiences and lessons learned are easily outlined in the book, making it easy to navigate. There is much humility in the writing of this book, making it both an enjoyable read and a valuable tool to help the reader self-reflect. I personally enjoyed his perspectives with John Shook, another person I admire greatly. Isao Yoshino's reflection on what was titled a 'failure' is a must read. A wonderful addition to any professional's library. I expect that a worn out, heavily tabbed and marked copy of this book will be among many of the most personable organizational leaders throughout the globe.

Inspiring leadership stories from a lifelong learner, developed through thoughtful conversations between Katie Anderson and her mentor Isao Yoshino. Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a must read for anyone who has a passion for people-centered leadership and people development or anyone who has a desire to become a better coach, learner, and leader. Katie does a wonderful job of blending the stories of the rich history and culture that shaped the Toyota Production System within Toyota (known as the original gold standard for culture and practices in the lean/continuous improvement community) with the journey of Isao Yoshino as he strives to achieve his lifelong goals and purpose through his career at Toyota. Along the way, as he is shaped by the leaders who coached him throughout his career he realizes the important lessons of always leading with the intention to help others learn. Through the stories that Katie shares, you will learn the importance of Purpose and Discovery as you pursue your own dreams. I really appreciate her ability to draw out these stories from Mr. Yoshino in a way that helps the reader connect and reflect on their own leadership journey. I'll be re-opening the pages of this book for years to come.

This book and story line solidifies how a life setup right with learning changes the soul dramatically. It also shows how fragile or fleeting learning can be without the right mindset of interdependent interplay of one's own warp and weft of life. As the son of a master seamstress, the way Katie Anderson and Mr. Isao Yoshino called to the warp and weft of one's life resonated deeply. There is so much of the learning process at Toyota cleared or made clearer from Mr. Yoshino's deep experience and service to his customers, employees and company. Katie was wise to go deeper into reflection hansei questions and give better translations of common phrases such as 'continuous improvement' which would be more appropriately wisdom improvement. Wisdom has to be the sustaining competitive edge of Toyota and similar companies and Mr. Yoshino is the product of applied wisdom. We all benefit!

"our fabric of purpose is shaped by the relationship between the known and the discovered". Katie Anderson writes of her relationship with Isao Yoshino, but for me it represents the bigger purpose and principles we have come to call lean manufacturing. Most books on the lean subject are filled with tools, the simple artifacts that can easily be observed, however in this book Katie Anderson and Mr Yoshino explore deeper into the principles that are harder to see but more important for each of us on our leadership journey. I myself have reflected and practiced how I can best lead my teams through setting direction (without telling), providing support (through coaching) and thus developing myself, something that Katie and Mr Yoshino quickly identify as a leader's role. I would highly recommend this book for all aspiring and improving leaders whether you're into lean or not.

“Because this book covers nearly four decades of Mr. Yoshino’s life, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a must-read for anyone at any level of leader- ship and especially those who aspire to be in leadership. Katie Anderson expertly coaxed out Mr. Yoshino’s most priceless leadership lessons. The one that heads the top of my list is: The job of a leader is to provide team members with a mission and support while they figure it out. Not only does Katie get Mr. Yoshino to share his life stories, she gives you an opportunity to consider your own leadership journey through hansei no shitsumon or reflection questions. The answers to those questions will exponentially increase your leadership abilities.”

Katie Anderson has crafted a personal, lean learning journey from her conversations with Toyota leaders Isao Yoshino that we all can savor. Out of their friendship comes a moving testament to the power of humanity, risk, failure and reflection to positively impact the lives around us. It's a joy to soak up the reflections that culminated from Mr. Yoshino's decades of business leadership and Ms. Anderson's brilliant questions about what he learned during his career. Throughout the book, reflection questions invite the reader into the conversation. These serve as sparks to help us understand our own visions of who and what we can be, if we dare to weave our core purpose with our other passions. This captivating read will make you stop and consider your own untapped reservoirs of influence, generosity of spirit, and humble leadership.

I am thoroughly enjoying this book. Rather than emphasizing the tools of TPS such as kanban, JIT, heijunka, etc. Katie and Mr. Yoshino address the more important issues of implementation and leadership. The key is the development of people (not cars and stuff). Through a history of Mr. Yoshino's journey through Toyota, highlighted by many stories and quotes, we learn about the importance and interdependence of learning and leading. The book contains a plethora of practical advice on communication, coaching, gemba walks and a myriad of other leadership techniques. I highly recommend this book as an essential addition to any Lean library. It will surely contribute to your own personal leadership and learning development.

I bought this book to learn more about the people side of Lean. Boy, I was not disappointed. Wonderful stories of success, but also of failure and continuous learning from both. Reading this book will make you understand why Toyota has been so successful and so hard to copy. The stories in this book really drive home the message that it is all about personal leading and learning. I have a far better understanding now of the well-known phrase: "We make people before we make cars". But how will I start developing myself as a people-centered leader? At the end of every section in the book the author provides thought provoking reflecting questions. I will re-read the book and start with answering these questions honestly to support my own journey. Plus, I will probably use the questions to guide conversations on leadership development in the organizations I work with. The eight lessons, 4 case studies and the story about the biggest failure in the career of Mr. Yoshino provide helpful guides for our own and organizational development. At first, I found the waterski boat (failure) story discouraging. Here you have someone that masters the Toyota leadership style, has trained and developed other leaders and still falls prey to abandoning it when conditions are not supportive, stakes are high and the pressure is rising. If even someone like Yoshino has had trouble sticking to the leadership standards, what has to become of organizations just starting their Lean journey? It is all so fragile. But does that mean that we shouldn't pursue Lean and people-centered leadership? After reflecting on this point, I realize that the leadership culture should be considered a North Star goal, just like zero harm, we will never fully get there, but pursuing the goal leads to steps in the right direction. People will thank you for doing it, it simply feels like the right thing to do.

Lean enthusiasts know about Taiichi Ohno's decades-long contributions that advanced production thinking. Katie Anderson introduces us to Isao Yoshino who had a big impact on the people side of Lean. Her writing style matches the title "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn." Katie tells a story of Yoshino-san moving back and forth between learning for the sake of performing and leading others that results in learning for those he coaches and himself. I was fascinated by Toyota's remake of leadership development about 35 years ago. The case study on Kan-Pro is a model for how to take a longterm view for changing not just the practices of leadership but the thinking that supports the practices. Yoshino-san was in his 30's when he was a coach for during Kan-Pro. That prepared him for his later role in training the supervisors and managers who started NUMMI along with the plants in Georgetown and Ontario. Check out "The Toyota Way - Lost in Translation" at the end of the book. We know from Toyota's 2001 development of the guide "The Toyota Way" that respect for people and continuous improvement are the two pillars for Toyota's approach. Katie shares Yoshino-san's explanation that the Japanese text is more nuanced. Rather than respect "people," Yoshino-san says the principle is to respect humanness and the greater diversity of perspectives. And continuous improvement - the Japanese version is "Chie" and "Kaizen" or wisdom and improvement of oneself.

Lean is an English word used to describe a Japanese model of production and change. Katie Anderson's new book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, reminds me of how shallow my understanding of the Toyota culture was. Not anymore. I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the humane genius of the Toyota Production System. I now know more about the cultural place where Toyota grew, I learned about Mr. Masao Nemoto, and I understand that Hoshin Kanri is a conversation. There are pages devoted to Toyota's KAN-PRO and the development of leaders at Toyota. In all cases, Isao Yoshino shares his modest views and brings history to life. He was there at NUMMI, and he shares a story of a foreman that exclaimed, "It works!" (p. 187). But his recurring message is that leaders must keep learning, and he lives his heartwarming message. The 10 Principles of Mr. Yoshino's Leadership Credo will challenge us all to live and work better. Every chapter of this warm and rich book concludes with a list of reflection questions called Practicing Hansei. I found these helpful in anchoring the content of the section. As others have said, this is a book for everyone. I read it with substantial pleasure. I bet you will, too.

This book is an endearing work based on mutual respect and appreciation between the author and her subject, Isao Yoshino. Isao Yoshino's experiences and lessons learned are easily outlined in the book, making it easy to navigate. There is much humility in the writing of this book, making it both an enjoyable read and a valuable tool to help the reader self-reflect. I personally enjoyed his perspectives with John Shook, another person I admire greatly. Isao Yoshino's reflection on what was titled a 'failure' is a must read. A wonderful addition to any professional's library. I expect that a worn out, heavily tabbed and marked copy of this book will be among many of the most personable organizational leaders throughout the globe.

Inspiring leadership stories from a lifelong learner, developed through thoughtful conversations between Katie Anderson and her mentor Isao Yoshino. Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a must read for anyone who has a passion for people-centered leadership and people development or anyone who has a desire to become a better coach, learner, and leader. Katie does a wonderful job of blending the stories of the rich history and culture that shaped the Toyota Production System within Toyota (known as the original gold standard for culture and practices in the lean/continuous improvement community) with the journey of Isao Yoshino as he strives to achieve his lifelong goals and purpose through his career at Toyota. Along the way, as he is shaped by the leaders who coached him throughout his career he realizes the important lessons of always leading with the intention to help others learn. Through the stories that Katie shares, you will learn the importance of Purpose and Discovery as you pursue your own dreams. I really appreciate her ability to draw out these stories from Mr. Yoshino in a way that helps the reader connect and reflect on their own leadership journey. I'll be re-opening the pages of this book for years to come.

This book and story line solidifies how a life setup right with learning changes the soul dramatically. It also shows how fragile or fleeting learning can be without the right mindset of interdependent interplay of one's own warp and weft of life. As the son of a master seamstress, the way Katie Anderson and Mr. Isao Yoshino called to the warp and weft of one's life resonated deeply. There is so much of the learning process at Toyota cleared or made clearer from Mr. Yoshino's deep experience and service to his customers, employees and company. Katie was wise to go deeper into reflection hansei questions and give better translations of common phrases such as 'continuous improvement' which would be more appropriately wisdom improvement. Wisdom has to be the sustaining competitive edge of Toyota and similar companies and Mr. Yoshino is the product of applied wisdom. We all benefit!

"our fabric of purpose is shaped by the relationship between the known and the discovered". Katie Anderson writes of her relationship with Isao Yoshino, but for me it represents the bigger purpose and principles we have come to call lean manufacturing. Most books on the lean subject are filled with tools, the simple artifacts that can easily be observed, however in this book Katie Anderson and Mr Yoshino explore deeper into the principles that are harder to see but more important for each of us on our leadership journey. I myself have reflected and practiced how I can best lead my teams through setting direction (without telling), providing support (through coaching) and thus developing myself, something that Katie and Mr Yoshino quickly identify as a leader's role. I would highly recommend this book for all aspiring and improving leaders whether you're into lean or not.

“Because this book covers nearly four decades of Mr. Yoshino’s life, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a must-read for anyone at any level of leader- ship and especially those who aspire to be in leadership. Katie Anderson expertly coaxed out Mr. Yoshino’s most priceless leadership lessons. The one that heads the top of my list is: The job of a leader is to provide team members with a mission and support while they figure it out. Not only does Katie get Mr. Yoshino to share his life stories, she gives you an opportunity to consider your own leadership journey through hansei no shitsumon or reflection questions. The answers to those questions will exponentially increase your leadership abilities.”

Katie Anderson has crafted a personal, lean learning journey from her conversations with Toyota leaders Isao Yoshino that we all can savor. Out of their friendship comes a moving testament to the power of humanity, risk, failure and reflection to positively impact the lives around us. It's a joy to soak up the reflections that culminated from Mr. Yoshino's decades of business leadership and Ms. Anderson's brilliant questions about what he learned during his career. Throughout the book, reflection questions invite the reader into the conversation. These serve as sparks to help us understand our own visions of who and what we can be, if we dare to weave our core purpose with our other passions. This captivating read will make you stop and consider your own untapped reservoirs of influence, generosity of spirit, and humble leadership.

I am thoroughly enjoying this book. Rather than emphasizing the tools of TPS such as kanban, JIT, heijunka, etc. Katie and Mr. Yoshino address the more important issues of implementation and leadership. The key is the development of people (not cars and stuff). Through a history of Mr. Yoshino's journey through Toyota, highlighted by many stories and quotes, we learn about the importance and interdependence of learning and leading. The book contains a plethora of practical advice on communication, coaching, gemba walks and a myriad of other leadership techniques. I highly recommend this book as an essential addition to any Lean library. It will surely contribute to your own personal leadership and learning development.

I bought this book to learn more about the people side of Lean. Boy, I was not disappointed. Wonderful stories of success, but also of failure and continuous learning from both. Reading this book will make you understand why Toyota has been so successful and so hard to copy. The stories in this book really drive home the message that it is all about personal leading and learning. I have a far better understanding now of the well-known phrase: "We make people before we make cars". But how will I start developing myself as a people-centered leader? At the end of every section in the book the author provides thought provoking reflecting questions. I will re-read the book and start with answering these questions honestly to support my own journey. Plus, I will probably use the questions to guide conversations on leadership development in the organizations I work with. The eight lessons, 4 case studies and the story about the biggest failure in the career of Mr. Yoshino provide helpful guides for our own and organizational development. At first, I found the waterski boat (failure) story discouraging. Here you have someone that masters the Toyota leadership style, has trained and developed other leaders and still falls prey to abandoning it when conditions are not supportive, stakes are high and the pressure is rising. If even someone like Yoshino has had trouble sticking to the leadership standards, what has to become of organizations just starting their Lean journey? It is all so fragile. But does that mean that we shouldn't pursue Lean and people-centered leadership? After reflecting on this point, I realize that the leadership culture should be considered a North Star goal, just like zero harm, we will never fully get there, but pursuing the goal leads to steps in the right direction. People will thank you for doing it, it simply feels like the right thing to do.

While this book’s focus is on Isao Yoshino 40-years of experience at Toyota, it is not a deep dive into the intricacies, mechanics, and tools of the Toyota Production Systems. There are many other books that do that. More importantly, it focuses around is the sound principles of people-centric leadership that Toyota embodies and has created through intention and purposeful choice. This is what truly makes Toyota a culture of continuous improvement and lifelong learning that can be applied to all industries. Author, Katie Anderson, introduces us to the “fabric concept” which will help leaders from any background and industry. Through this analogy, the book builds on the importance of the leader’s vertical thread in the weave that represents strong belief, clear vision, and determination to attain goals while the horizontal thread in the weave represents what leaders have discovered during their journey and what is most important for them to share with the world. This book has reestablished my focus and helped me reflect on my purpose and how to learn from and lead others.

Katie Anderson weaves the insightful stories of Toyota leader Isao Yoshino to show you how can develop people to develop a strong product. Whether you are building cars or motivating your restaurant staff, you will see how investing in the PEOPLE at your company will bring out the best in YOU and the employees. Leading with compassion and genuine interest in the potential of your employees is a win win for everyone. I love the way the book is laid out with important points printed in bolder text. The Chapters and Lessons are so clearly demarked that you can easily flip through the book so find a subject that suits your current interest on leading. The cultural explanations of certain words or practices like Japanese "Daruma Dolls" really help illustrate the heart and conviction Mr. Yoshino has for his decades of work. I highly recommend this book even if you are not in the business world! There are life lessons for everyone in here!

Katie Anderson has written a nuanced and engaging account of Totyota leader Isao Yoshino's long and successful career exemplifying the "Toyota Way", with its core principles of continuous improvement and respect for others. Anderson provides a detailed primer on how these principles manifest in the real world, sharing Yoshino-san's experiences and reflections on what he has learned about leadership over nearly four decades. With a deft storytelling style, she infuses the book with her own reflections, providing structure, context and depth. And she effectively conveys her own insightful reflections on leadership, her enthusiasm for and keen understanding of the subject matter, and the genuine affection she clearly has for her subject. A must-read for those who aspire to be effective and successful leaders in a changing world.

The power of this excellent book is the dual aspect of the lessons applying to both work and personal life journeys. A well written, beautifully organized and easy to read leadership guide, this is a thought provoking read. You cannot help but take time to reflect on each topic and consider similar personal experiences. Two of many inspirational quotes that resonate, "I learned that being patient requires a lot of patience," and "our happiness, our growth, and our experience is what we make of it," ...oh my goodness, these are both so true! It's important to thoughtfully make decisions to be patient, happy and continuiously grow in our lives. This content rich book provides practical suggestions to be the best leader - and the best person - you can be. I highly recommend this special book.

I am so grateful to Katie Anderson for writing this book. I am equally as grateful for Isao Yoshino's willingness to share with the world his journey of lessons learned over a rich lifetime of lean leadership. This story of Mr. Yoshino’s lifelong personal and professional voyage is beautifully written against the comparative backdrop of weaving the crosswise “weft” threads of yarn, or Mr. Yoshino’s learning experiences, over and under the “warp” threads, or Mr. Yoshino’s foundational goals, to make cloth, or to achieve his the lifelong objective(s). The book has simple, yet profound, practically applicable principles and concepts for leaders of all shapes and sizes. I will be purchasing a copy for each one of my managers and together we will use Mr. Yoshino’s story as a guide in weaving our own weft and warp threads into a magnificent tapestry. Jen Mongeau, Vice President of Clinical Programs, Managed Medical Review Organization

Great book penned by Katie! It was very insightful and brought back some fond memories of my time in Japan in 2008 as a student of continuous improvement. I really enjoyed the journey Mr. Yoshino shared while with Toyota and how he thoroughly highlighted 'learning to lead' and 'leading to learn.' Truly a great reflection time and how we all should have a similar discipline of: Set the Direction (know your purpose), Provide Support (Lead with Humility and Respect Every Individual), and Develop yourself (Willingness to learn/Servant Leadership).

Grateful to Katie for this book. The practical take-aways and learnings are an excellent collection for all leaders and aspiring leaders. I am personally recommending this book to all my colleagues as a key work in development. I am bringing several books with me as I travel to engagements globally as an example of how to "Learn to Lead". Great work Katie!

What a tremendous story of Toyota, Isao Yoshino, and Continuous Improvement. For anyone who has ever studied lean or wants to understand what it takes for both personal and professional improvement, this is a great story of Isao and his journey and learnings along the way. Rather than do what most books do which is share "all the best" examples from a variety of organizations, this goes deep in one person's journey, giving us insight into what it actually takes to drive change at a micro and macro level. I have purchased 10 copies for my team and look forward to sharing more widely! Eric, CEO (150 person manufacturer)

This book is full of rich leadership and life lessons, shared through genuine and entertaining storytelling. I love how the author weaves the theme of hansei "self-reflection" throughout the book and includes questions for the reader at the end of each chapter. I found the "fabric concept" to be an interesting framework, identifying one's vertical warp threads - the known, and horizontal weft threads - the discovered. You'll be sure to be nodding along, jotting down quotes, and asking yourself important questions while reading this book, all while enjoying some great stories and Toyota history.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Failure isn’t failure if you learn something important you could never have learned elsewhere.” - Isao Yoshino. What an amazing read! I absolutely loved the “insider stories” as I felt as though I had exclusive access to Yoshino’s leadership learning journey while reading the book. Toyota’s willingness to take risks with leaders, allowing them to experiment and learn provides us with a powerful business blueprint for success. Thank you for your openness to share reflections! Powerful.

The fact that the book is drawing lessons from an individual's (Mr. Isao Yoshino) life/career journey, makes it a more pleasant read than a dry text book. I much enjoyed the focus on the human aspects and culture, as in fact that is what drives the success for organizations that launch a "Lean" transformation initiative. Thank you Mr. Yoshino for sharing your story and experiences; thank you Katie for capturing the same.

I've read dozens of leadership books and this one is not only full of practical advice, it's also easy to read because it's full of stories, not lectures. For example, Isao Yoshiro tells a story of watching his boss ask a lot of questions of a fellow employee as a way to helping the employee figure out what to do. "Pushing people to follow your advice takes away a chance for them to come up with their own ideas." Nearly every page is full of such nuggets of wisdom. If you're looking to improve your leadership skills, particularly if you're just coming up through the ranks, this is the book for you!

This is a must read book for anyone looking for the real meaning of Lean coaching. Yoshino-san's lessons learned over his 40 years at Toyota are extremely insightful and thought provoking. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to experience deep knowledge of the Toyota system.

I have never posted a review, but I am doing so as a thank you to Katie. Thank you for sharing Mr. Yoshino's life journey to let us feel like we are standing there as a witness. A witness to the weaving of a virtuous life from the threads of purpose and learning. All upon a framework of respect for people and continuous improvement. This book deepens our understanding and appreciation for the power of people-centered leadership at Toyota. It provides a means for us all to weave a purposeful life. Brilliant!

Great book for learning how to become the leader you know you can be. Katie has spent hours interviewing Mr Isao Yoshino and has created an amazing book that makes you think deeply about the way you lead and how to improve your leadership skills. A great insight into Toyota's way of thinking about people and there are many lessons to be learned from Mr Yoshino's lifetime of continuous improvement. I would recommend getting the workbook as well to help you on your leadership journey.

Learning to Lead is deeply illuminating and is a genuine conversation over a half a decade between two lean thought leaders from different eras and locals, on whom I wish I had been able to eavesdrop. Now, eagerly and with happy anticipation, we all can. In the end, we will be able to learn from these lessons, have fun and we will be able to make a difference.

Amazing stories of Isao Yoshino's incredible life experiences, but organized and synthesized in a way that makes it very applicable to my own life and career. His perseverance and humility at each turn through a long career at Toyota gave him insight and appreciation of the Toyota Production System and key leadership behaviors used successfully in Japan, and sometimes unsuccessfully at other parts of the company. I especially appreciated the self-reflection questions at the end of each section, developed by an author and coach with deep experience herself.

I loved how Katie intertwined the message of this book through the warp and weft threads analogy. It was a perfect homage to Toyota’s start in loom manufacturing. Readers will benefit greatly by revisiting this book over and over as it discusses not only the people side of the Toyota Production System, but also the Japanese culture and how that spurred Mr. Yoshino on his lifetime of learning.

What a wonderful book. Knowing Katie and having met Mr Yoshino I feel like I am sitting around a dinner table listening to their amazing conversations. The writing is light however packed with great teachings. A great balance of story-telling, lean leadership teaching and coaching embedded through reflection questions. Cant wait to keep reading and learning..

As a new senior leader, I appreciated how easy this book was to read, yet how meaningful the concepts are to lift and apply to my organization. Isao Yoshino has so many great reflections that Katie Anderson has been able to capture in a cohesive and applicable manner. I highly recommend this book to all current and future leaders!

After reading the book, Katie is on point and takes LEAN in the direction it warrants and deserves. Can't wait for the audible version so I can truly take it all in and let her lessons truly permeate my intentions and my lean practices as well.

My copy is now well marked with notes and full of stick tabs. Katie introduced a wonderful analogy for effectively combining a focus on clear goals with the need for ongoing evolution and discovery. The takeaways from Yoshino's lessons on growing and applying oneself as a leader are well earned.

Yoshino San once said: The big secret about Toyota is that there are no secrets. This book proofs he was wrong! There are many secrets, which this book unveils. Just read it.

Great books with a lots of practical cases and insight for Leaders. Recommended even if you are not a leader

My favorite quote from Yoshino: "Once you are ready to accept that mistakes will happen, then you are okay because you will learn."

Many pages are blank. I can see that a page exists because of the header, but the page itself is blank. In the introduction, it is as frequents as every other page.

Excellent read, worth every penny.

Lean is unique among management methods because it is interested in what people think rather than what they do - and teaching them how to think rather than what to think. This is a radical departure from all other approaches born out of taylorism, managing-by-the-numbers (or, at the other opposite, their rejection). Yoshino's unique insight is that you can't actually teach adults, but you can make them experience a learning situation so that they get it for themselves. The book has all these lovely examples illustrating that point over and over, and is an absolutely necessary resource to understand how to organize learning (and teaching) in practice. Looking at careers as a sequence of experiences, insights and skills learning rather than jobs gives a radically different take on performance and what to do to achieve collective performance - don't miss this book, it will make you think like no other.

Lean can be a very nuanced study. On the surface, you see the tools that people use but as you learn and grow, you begin to see the thinking that truly drives the improvement process. Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a book about that learning and growth, and about how we can all embrace the opportunities before us. Katie has done a great job of capturing the thinking and rich experiences of Isao Yoshino, who I had the privilege of meeting on one of our ‘Lean Learning Trips’ to Japan. For those who may never meet him, this book is your opportunity to learn directly from a truly remarkable man whose unique experiences can inspire your own leadership journey. Books like this are rare and you are bound to find the insights invaluable.

Anderson is masterful at finding the nuggets in Yoshino’s experiences to help us become better leaders, and presenting those gems in ways that will inspire you as you strive to improve as a leader, and as you help your coworkers improve. Whether you are a newer or experienced manager, in a manufacturing environment or a business office, this book is for you. And if you have a passion for continuous improvement and leadership learning, the lessons in this book — from Yoshino and Anderson both — will, without a doubt, help you become a better leader.

Amazing! A captivating leadership & learning experience journey by Isao Yoshino, an insider who worked for Toyota in Japan. Katie Anderson has an excellent talent for storytelling. She captured Isao Yoshino experience and narrated it in an easy way to understand. For those who heard of Lean, Toyota, Continuous Learning, Kaizen, and Japan, this is the book that provides you with a great insight into what happens actually at the workplace in Toyota and how all those management concepts are practiced. A truly inspiring story. Discover how Respect for People is one of the essential pillars in Toyota. An enabler for leadership growth and the cycle of continuous learning.

This book is must-read, I would recommend it to everyone especially for leaders at all levels in organizations at any industry. When leaders foster a culture where employees feel truly valued, involved in decisions and supported to achieve their full potential, employees give more of their ideas and effort to the business, this translates into higher productivity, better customer service and stronger financial results. If you want to create high performance culture in your environment, in your organization, this book will give you the clear path. Toyota people centric leadership is presented trough experience of one of Toyota leaders Isao Yoshino and his stories. Through these stories, you will find out and discover the essence of Toyota people centric organization culture firsthand. Practicing Hansei, Katie Anderson give us reflection questions, and reader will find out that by fully embracing Hansei can provide personal and business a competitive edge. Great insight, easy to read and will develop your professional understanding of learning and leading.

I love Japanese proverbs and Yoshino quotes dropped into each chapter. "If you run after two hares, you will catch neither." "It is what you learn from lessons of not reaching your targets that make you smarter." As a co-founder of an early-stage start-up, these are all lessons that we need to be reminded of! Follow the process, evaluate the data, ask questions and understand where you went wrong so you can learn from your mistakes! This is a great read!

I highly recommend this book to those who want to become a better leader, coach and learner. The book highlights the secret sauce behind Toyota’s success, “people-centered leadership.” Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn reinforces that it is culture not the Lean tools that makes Toyota tick and Katie captures this so brilliantly through the experiences of Yoshino-san. The book is formatted nicely to be used as a resource. I particularly liked the “practicing hansei” reflection questions throughout. They prompted me to “Look back and look forward” allowing me to do my own purposeful reflection, learn, and set my intention to develop myself and others.

I really loved the ever unfolding story following Mr. Yoshino’s career at Toyota and world travels it created. It is real, honest, and inspiring. Katie does a wonderful balance of narrative and learning that does in fact weave in lessons for the reader to apply each chapter. As a lean practitioner and practicing Scrum Master engaged with business transformation, this book came to me just in time when I needed it the most. The learnings immediately helped me with my work and value contributions to my partners and the greater construction industry. The insights into the philosophy and practices at Toyota can be applied in any organization to the benefit of its people and customers. I can’t say this enough...read the book, do the reflections, and grow stronger into your complete and full self.

I enjoyed the perspective of this book. It's a great conversation between two friends on the road to discovery, self-awareness, leading and learning. I would not consider this a "how to" but rather the "why" behind the scenes even though there are plenty of practical examples. I appreciate that Katie Anderson and Isao Yoshino show the good and the bad. It reveals the real career path that Mr. Yoshino took through this journey at Toyota. Another interesting aspect to me is the historical portion of the book; it gives me a perspective of change, growth and improvement. Overall, a solid work and inspirational tome to those who seek inspiration for principle-centered leadership.

This book is a must read for anyone wanting to dig deeper into Lean and coaching. Further, for anyone in a position of leadership. The book draws readers in with engaging examples and thoughtful reflections -I highly recommend!

You can tell all the heart and hard work that has gone into this book. Katie not only writes about lean and the principles she learned from her time with a Toyota legend like Mr. Yoshino, she lives it. Being a part of a coaching cohort that she helped lead I know personally her passion for this work. Her desire to help others is seen clearly through this book...and her storytelling is top notch to boot. Do yourself a huge favor and pick up this book and enjoy every page.

This book is jam-packed with practical advice for leaders who are seeking to elevate their impact. But the book is more than a self-help resource. With personal stories from an accomplished business leader weaved throughout the narrative, this book offers important guidance grounded in real-life examples. I'm so excited to share this book with my leadership team and for us to begin to practice concepts such as "going to GEMBA"!

I was so excited to dive into Learning to Lead and I thought the book started out different than I expected. So I continued reading it...got really interested in the book, but I realized the book I received via Kindle Unlimited was not Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn but was Sensational Kids/Sensational Families by Rebecca Scott. So Sensational Kids is a very good book. I highly recommend the book. I can't wait to actually get my hands on Learning to Lead. I was just surprised to not get the right book.

Although a seemingly easy-to-read book with a backdrop of the relationship journey of two learners, there are so many lessons in the book that deserve to be re-read in order to truly get them. There is so much more to “respect for people” and “continuous improvement” than what most leaders think, and this book takes a deep dive into those pillar concepts.

Katie's experience with lean and leadership at Toyota is well received in this book. Her experiences with Isao Yoshino is a treat for lean enthusiasts like me.

A beautiful narrative of a life, built on a tapestry or warp and weft fashioned through experience and reflection. The book feels like a conversation, w it's the honest and humble reflection of a life built from a childhood desire, realised in part through a career with Toyota. If you have an interest in leadership, this is for you. It dont think it matters whether you know or are indeed interested in lean, this is a reflection on the development of leadership skill and the true meaning of respect for people. There are opportunities to reflect at the end of each chapter, somehow I think these questions will be posed in many individual and organisational development sessions! It's a book I was sad to have finished for the first time, I know I will read it again and again. I have already recommended it to colleagues and is on my recommended reading lists

This book by Katie Anderson, framed around her friendship and many conversations with ex-Toyota Senior Leader, Isao Yoshino, is nothing short of wonderful. It uses the analogy of fabric weaving throughout, the Warp being the Known, and the Weft being that which we discover. It's a powerful metaphor for many of the learnings we get from a lifetime of Mr Yoshino's experiences. Underlying strong principles and bonds providing a framework for the light and shade of an incredible career. I'm trying to read it from start-to-finish in a conventional way, as there is an element of chronology to the book. However, I have also dipped into various sections already, and it works just as well that way (maybe better). The layout encourages you to just dive right in, whether you've got an hour to spare or one minute. It's just a lovely book to keep coming back to and I know I'm going to refer to it often in months and years to come. There's lots in here to learn about the workings of Toyota and the Toyota Production System, lots about Japanese Culture - which is really fascinating in its own right, and it is absolutely packed with guidance on how to be a 'People-Centred' Leader. The book is also packed with fantastic stories and vignettes of Mr Yoshino's life, and his work inside and outside Japan. He's quite a character for sure! Katie has captured so much in this book that's of value to 21st Century Leaders. Forget about it being about Toyota or Japanese Management styles, what I think this book is about is: how to lead with wisdom and a love for humanity. And who couldn't use some guidance on that these days?

I have been looking forward to this book so much, perhaps more than any recent non-fiction book, having followed Katie's writing and speaking the last couple of years. To get lessons pretty much direct from the mouth of one of Toyota's great teachers is a rare and valuable thing. I'm only a few chapters in so far, and already I know that this book will definitely add a new dimension to my understanding of Toyota and Japanese culture. This book is refreshingly different to every other lean book I have read, with a real focus on the people development aspect that I strongly believe is at the heart of Toyota's successful culture. Reading Isao Yoshino's reflections, beautifully captured by Katie, will probably be the closest I get to "working at Toyota in Japan", and I've already picked up some invaluable tips to use in my practice. One that particularly struck me was the setting of targets being determined by what is required rather than what we think is achievable or what management wants. This book will be a valuable addition to any developing leader's library.

This book has left me feeling inspired and eager to keep learning, which could be described as the books main aim. Whilst this book is in many ways about Toyota, and the Lean learning many have drawn from Toyota’s story, don’t come to read this book to learn more about Lean and improvement tools, this book is not about that at all. It is more foundational, and arguably important, than that. It is about leadership’s role in creating the conditions in which improvement can thrive. It is a book about the heart and soul of leading to learn in an organisation that values its people, as much if not more, than it’s service and product. This book builds on other learning for me about leadership choices, deliberate daily gestures and acts Leaders can choose everyday. The everyday habits that can be developed over time if leaders deliberately choose to ‘lead to learn’. For me, this book helps to unfold and reveal more about the ‘how’ to help people learn to lead and to lead to learn. To inspire their teams, to ensure improvement and to help their people weave their own way through their careers and their lives.

I had heard of Isao Yoshino, but didn't know much about him until I read this book. Now, I only wish I could have worked with him! It's a shame most companies aren't managed the way he managed Toyota. I especially love how he created the "Change Yourself" program to encourage employees to constantly stretch and improve themselves. He is a true innovator. The book is written in short, easy to digest stories and lessons that make reading it a delight. I will definitely be referring back to it whenever I need a boost of motivation. Highly recommend to friends and family!

I recently finished Katie Anderson ‘s Learning to Lead and Leading to LEARN book. I am yet to finish case studies at the end but I wanted to share my thoughts on this book. This book isn’t a technical guide to achieve promotions or to get jobs, but rather philosophical journey of Isao Yoshino (Currently Lecturer at Nagoya Gakuin University) who inspired the world with his way of learning and implementing. I got really curious right from the beginning of his journey. So many relatable efforts like, the struggle to learn foreign language, the dream which kept him motivated, persistent to learn something new, so on. Thank you so much Katie for articulating his journey which I hope will inspire people who tend to give up easily after first attempt. I strongly suggest everyone to read this book whenever you get a chance.

Katie Finished reading your book, what an amazing book. I belive the best book I have read that gets to the heart of Toyota's way ... I hope many Leaders buy and read this and it goes a long way to dispelling many of the misunderstandings associated with 'Lean' or Toyota Production / Business System. The story telling is incredible and so many parallels to my own journey so far , but I am sure that was the point ! Thank you so much for all the hard work both you and Yoshino san and for sharing your stories... Warmest Wishes James

Katie Anderson has done a great piece of work. In addition to providing a refreshing view on the people based side of TPS, she's gone to great lengths to capture the considered and nuanced insights of her primary contributor, Yoshino-san. Highly recommend the book. While it won't tell you in great detail as to how TPS is done, the stories and tales Katie draws from Yoshino-san will help you remember why TPS ( and the ultimate value it places on developing their people) is something worth aspiring to.

This is a tremendous book which, I have no doubt, will be seen as a classic in this field. It must have been such a privilege for Katie to hear all of Isao Yoshino's lessons, and it is such a gift that she has distilled and documented them all into these pages. There are so many powerful lessons and useful nuggets of information - relevant to anyone interested in learning how to lead. I know I will be referring back to this book a great deal.

"Learning to LEAD, Leading to LEARN" is one of best books I've read in quite some time. It's a thought provoking read stimulating reflections upon my own experiences but how learning should be at heart of every leader and organisation. A huge thanks to Katie Anderson for creating such a wonderful book with such rich insights.

Absolutely loved this book and the powerful insights of Yoshino-san's exceptional career at Toyota. It will give every reader numerous motivations for Hansei i.e honest and profound self-reflection. Thank you for this great contribution to the leadership-learning world.

Excellent book which is full of learnings and inspiraton. Good to read about true life experiences and stories never read about before. Highly recommended and the best book to learn about people centred leadership

A brilliant book, not one to be rushed. Love the reflective sections of the book, some very probing questions asked, definitely Learning to Lead.

Katie succeeded in conveying the professional life of a humble and amazing man, Isao Yoshino, I had the pleasure of spending a few days with when we invited him to speak in Ottawa (Canada) in 2019. The book is very well written, and the management lessons are not about the tools Toyota uses to create better cars, but the fundamental elements of developing people and always be open to learn. I highly recommend this book for anyone familiar or not with Lean. I will transport you on a journey of discovery and absolute honesty.

In den letzten 10 Jahren habe ich so wie wahrscheinlich alle Manager im Lean Umfeld alle Lean Bücher verschlungen. Irgendwann wiederholen sich alle Methoden & Tools, Kochrezepte und Insider-Geschichten. Dieses Buch schafft es eine ganz neue unerwartete und ehrliche Seite zu zeigen. -Toyota hatte selbst Probleme das eigene Management an die PDCA Denkweise zu binden und benötigte ein Programm Namens "Kan Pro" -Die Toyota Götter wussten oft selbst nicht ob sie am richtigen Pfad sind ... Vergessen sie Methoden und Tools, im Endeffekt geht es "nur" darum einen "Lern-Organismus" zu schaffen. Danke für dieses tolle Buch! Hätte ich das Buch nur schon vor 10 Jahren gelesen :-)