Kevin Meyer, retired manufacturing executive and Lean leader, recently wrote:
Jon Miller wrote something a few years ago at Gemba Academy that has stayed with me. The Toyota Way’s second pillar is universally translated as “respect for people,” but the original Japanese is ningensei (人間性), which means “human nature.” The distinction matters more than it appears. “Respect for people” is a floor — be courteous, invest in training, don’t humiliate anyone in public. Most organizations can claim this with a straight face. “Respect for human nature” asks something harder: what are people fundamentally capable of, and what conditions allow that capability to develop?
I have tried to incorporate Lean principles wherever I could. It teaches one to simplify. And also not to become so enamored with technology that we lose sight of people. I think this works in manufacturing, business, and nonprofit/church organizations. How can we say we follow Jesus and not respect human nature?
Meyer refers to Inamori Kazuo, who applied these questions consistently across Kyocera, KDDI, and his JAL turnaround. They read simply. They aren’t.
- Is it the right thing to do as a human being? The frame is deliberately personal, not professional. Inamori believed most ethical failures in business come from leaders who shift their moral standards depending on the role they’re in. Keeping the frame constant is the discipline.
- Are we doing this for the right reason? Strip away the strategic rationale, the competitive pressure, the board expectation. What’s the actual intention behind the decision?
- Have we put in the maximum effort, every day? Not “are we working hard.” Whether we are genuinely committed to continuous improvement, with consistency and sincerity, not just when it’s convenient.
- Does this decision create value for customers, employees, and society? Most businesses optimize for one stakeholder, tolerate a second, and ignore the third. Alignment across all three is the test.
- Will I still be proud of this decision in 30 years? The long horizon changes the nature of the decision itself. Short-term pressures that feel urgent tend to look different from three decades out.
- Are we controlling our emotions, or are our emotions controlling us? The question acknowledges that emotional reactions masquerade as strategy. Naming the question before the decision creates a brief but useful pause.
A key phrase that struck me with force: most ethical failures in business come from leaders who shift their moral standards depending on the role they’re in. We’ve seen it in churches, too.
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Gary Mintchell
Faith Venture 