By: Sergio Niyama
A View from Someone Who Lived the Essence
Many times, when walking through factories and offices around the world, I see impeccable visual management boards, colorful post-its, and people speaking confidently about “Lean.” However, as someone who dedicated a large part of my career to Toyota do Brasil, including serving as Vice President, I feel that a fundamental piece of the puzzle is often lost in translation.
There is a subtle yet profound distinction between Lean Thinking and the Toyota Production System (TPS). Understanding this difference is not merely an academic exercise; it is what separates fleeting success from sustainable excellence.
- The Lean Concept:Far Beyond Tools
To explain Lean, we must understand that it is the Western interpretation of TPS. The term was coined by researchers at MIT to describe a management philosophy focused on the relentless elimination of waste (Muda).
Lean seeks to create customer value using the fewest possible resources.
The concept is based on five fundamental principles:
- Identify value
- Map the value stream
- Create continuous flow
- Establish pull production
- Pursue perfection
However, the major difference is that while Lean is often sold as a “toolkit” (Kanban, 5S, SMED), TPS is a living system.
At Toyota, we do not “do Lean”; we live a system in which tools are merely a means to expose problems and develop people.
- WhatIs It For and What Are the Benefits?
The question “What is Lean for?” has a simple answer: to survive and thrive in competitive markets.
But the real benefits go far beyond cost reduction.
- Agility and Speed: By reducing the time between customer order and delivery (Lead Time), the company becomes highly responsive.
- Built-n Quality (Jidoka): Unlike final inspection, the system focuses on never allowing a defect to move to the next stage. This builds trust and reduces rework.
- Human Engagement: This is the benefit I value most. Lean exists to transform every employee into a problem solver. The greatest gain is not process speed, but the development of a disciplined and critical mindset for solving problems.
- TheContext: Where the Philosophy Applies
There was a time when people believed TPS was restricted to the automotive shop floor. My experience says otherwise.
Wherever there is a process and a flow of information or materials, Lean is applicable.
- Industry: from traditional sectors to high technology,
- Healthcare (Lean Healthcare): reducing waiting times and increasing patient safety,
- Services and offices (Lean Office): eliminating bureaucracy and approval bottlenecks,
- Agribusiness and logistics: optimizing complex supply chains.
The segment does not matter. What matters is leadership’s willingness to look at the process with humility and identify where value is being interrupted.
- Reflectionsfrom a Journey: My Experience at Toyota
During my years at Toyota do Brasil, I learned that the real difference between Lean and TPS lies in two pillars:
Genchi Genbutsu (go and see) and respect for people.
Many companies attempt to implement Lean by “copying and pasting” Toyota’s tools, but they fail because they do not develop the discipline and consistency required to sustain the system when pressure increases. At Toyota, TPS is our way of breathing.
If sales decline, we do not abandon the system; we intensify it.
I remember situations where the seemingly most logical solution was to invest in sophisticated automation. However, the DNA of TPS required us first to stabilize the process manually, understand every movement, and only then automate. This teaches us that the human factor is irreplaceable.
Lean, as a global concept, allowed the world to discover Japanese efficiency.
But TPS, at its core, is about education.
It is about developing leaders who not only give orders but act as mentors capable of identifying waste that no one else sees.
- Conclusion
The difference between Lean and TPS is the difference between owning a toolbox and being a master craftsman.
- Lean gives us the “what” and the “how.”
- PS teaches us the “why.”
If you want to transform your organization, do not seek only the perfect tool.
Work on culture and mindset.
The true benefit does not appear in the first month’s chart, but in the resilience of a company that learns how to learn.
In the end, TPS was never just about building cars.
It has always been about developing people capable of solving problems consistently and sustainably.
Sérgio Niyama
Sergio Shizuo Niyama is Senior Advisor at Honsha. A Metallurgical Engineer from FEI, with extension studies in Materials at Universidade de Akita, Japan, he built a nearly 35-year career at Toyota do Brasil. He worked on strategic projects related to the Toyota Production System (TPS), including industrial plant implementation, leadership development, and structuring the corporate continuous improvement function, ultimately serving as Vice President of Production. He currently dedicates himself to sharing his TPS experience, supporting organizations in the pursuit of operational excellence with commitment, discipline, and a long-term vision.
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