Chapter 19Principle 13: Make Decisions Slowly by Consensus, Thoroughly Considering All Options; Implement Rapidly

If you've got a project that is supposed to be fully implemented in a year, it seems to me that the typical American company will spend about three months on planning, then they'll begin to implement. But they'll encounter all sorts of problems after implementation, and they'll spend the rest of the year correcting them. However, given the same year-long project, Toyota will spend nine to 10 months planning, then implement in a small way—such as with pilot production—and be fully implemented at the end of the year, with virtually no remaining problems.

—Alex Warren, former senior vice president,Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky ...

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