Extreme Toyota: Radical Contradictions That Drive Success at the World's Best Manufacturer

3.4. Conclusion

Impossible goals are not just inspirational guideposts at Toyota. They become achievable because they are defined by a creative culture that both seeks continuous improvement and undertakes revolutionary change. The "frame-breakers" in the organization, such as Yasuda, recognize when incremental improvement is at a pivotal point and are willing to take risks even under intense criticism and pervasive pessimism because they believe it is the right way to go. Champions higher up in the organization willing to support the frame-breakers and stand by them, especially when things turn sour, are essential. Akio Toyoda, head of Asia operations at the time, championed the IMV project as a turning point for the company in a new era of transnational business, stepping in at a crucial stage to keep the process moving.

Producing the IMV in Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, and South Africa for sale in more than 140 markets meant the vehicles had to satisfy design safety regulations in each of those markets. By September 2003, the accumulation of compliance requirements had resulted in so many design changes, the design team could not meet the schedule. Just as many people began to concede that a postponement of commercial production was inevitable, Akio Toyoda stepped in. As Yasuda recollected:

He took responsibility for everything, including vehicles that would be produced in Thailand but sold in Europe, so we could just go ahead and do what needed to be done. He was very ...