Revitalize Purpose: In Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization

‘Revitalizing’ Our Spirits

The pandemic has changed everything. It’s forced us to change how we engage with each other, lead others, and interact with our world. We’ve lost a lot. We’re tired. We’re burned out. So, how do we start to grow again and kickstart renewal?

A word comes to mind when I think of lean thinking and practice. The term is not used often in the West. Still, it is one that I often heard when I lived in Japan in 2015 and 2016 and on my regular trips back before the pandemic in relationship to what we call “lean” (although they do not use the word “lean” in Japan, as I’ve written about for the?Lean Post?and?Planet Lean).

The word is “revitalize.”?

Japanese leaders frequently use the word “revitalize” to describe why they engage their people in continuous improvement and kaizen — to revitalize the human spirit?and?their company or industry.

revitalize

rē-?vī-t?-?līz?

verb

imbue (something) with new life and vitality.

This powerful and energetic word speaks to the essence of fundamental lean concepts and the Toyota Way: connecting with the human spirit and using that connection to drive continuous improvement.?

This connection with the human spirit is why Japanese leaders are so passionate about bringing continuous improvement concepts to their organizations.

Lean management is about tapping people’s hearts and minds. It’s about making their work more purposeful. And it’s about finding better ways to serve customers and thus create organizations and companies that thrive despite challenging times.?

Lean management is about tapping people’s hearts and minds. It’s about making their work more purposeful.

Toyota created the Toyota Production System as a systematic way to revitalize its people and company as Japan emerged from the destruction of World War II. As I describe in my book?Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn,?Japanese companies embraced W. Edwards Deming’s concepts following the war for similar reasons. And many Japanese leaders highlight that they’ve embraced lean principles as a way to recover from more recent economic downturns.

If we need anything in 2022, it’s to imbue our spirits with new life and vitality and renew our passion for discovering new ways to support the development of others. Bringing joy and revitalization to people, in turn, can “revitalize” the global economy.??

So, I ask you: How are you using lean thinking and practice to:?

• reenergize yourself??
• bring vitality to the people who work around you?
• breathe new life into your organization?

Ultimately, lean is about people. We practice lean because we believe in developing people by tapping into their creativity, making the work more purposeful, and creating new and better value for customers.?

Revitalization?is what we need now.?

Note: This article was also published on the Lean Post as part of the Lean Sensei women in the group article How Lean Thinking and Practices Can Help You Prepare for and Rebound from a Crisis. You can also read a longer article about the concept of revitalization on Katie Anderson's website titled Revitalize, Rejuvenate and Renew Purpose in Yourself & in Your People

About Katie Anderson

Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership consultant, bestselling author and professional speaker. She has supported thousands of leaders across a range of industries to create organizational learning cultures that foster innovation, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Katie’s bestselling book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning is available in five languages and has received multiple awards, including being honored as an Eric Hoffer Montaigne Award Finalist.

She holds a BA with honors from Stanford University and was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia, where she received her Master's degree.?

Katie has lived in seven countries, and leads executive study trips to Japan for leaders looking to deepen their knowledge of the Toyota Way and Japanese culture.

Katie’s mission is to empower leaders at all levels to lead with intention to achieve higher levels of performance, increase their personal and professional impact, and create a meaningful legacy.

Visit KBJAnderson.com to learn how Katie can support you, your teams, and your organization revitalize for greater impact.