Lean Learnings
Join us for one of our virtual events called "Lean Learnings".
From 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., catch a quick presentation from one of our consultants, a member, or a guest speaker on some of your favorite lean subjects and methodologies!
You're Invited: A Rare Conversation with Isao Yoshino – 40-Year Toyota Leader & Lean Pioneer
Join us for an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from Isao Yoshino, a 40-year veteran of Toyota and one of the key figures behind the cross-cultural training that helped launch NUMMI and bring the Toyota Production System to the United States. Mr. Yoshino will share insights from his decades of experience in leadership development, hoshin kanri (strategy deployment), and coaching within one of the world’s most respected companies. Learn how he helped train American shop-floor leaders in the early 1980s and hear stories from his career that will resonate with anyone leading change, developing people, or practicing Lean.
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: Live via Zoom
Q&A: 60 minutes on A3 and problem-solving methodologies, followed by 30 minutes of open Q&A
This rare event is made possible thanks to our consulting partners at the Business Improvement Group, and in particular, Charlie Protzman, whose relationship with Mr. Yoshino made this conversation possible. Thanks to their generosity, this event is made available at no cost to the participant(s).
Registration: Once registered, you will be provided with a Zoom link. Space is limited—reserve your spot today!
BIO
Isao Yoshino: Former Toyota Leader and International Lean Thought Leader
Isao Yoshino is a respected 40-year veteran of Toyota Motor Corporation, with 14 of those years spent working in the United States. Throughout his distinguished career, he held key leadership roles across a range of functions, including research, human resources, corporate planning, production control, and manufacturing.
In the late 1970s, Yoshino led Toyota’s internal manager development program—known as "Kan-Pro"—at the company’s global headquarters in Japan, where he played a central role in shaping the leadership capabilities of Toyota’s future executives.
In 1983, Yoshino was appointed manager of a newly established training section for NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.), the joint venture between Toyota and General Motors in Fremont, California. He led efforts to design and implement a hands-on training program for American shop-floor leaders traveling to Japan to learn the Toyota Production System. Yoshino personally recruited a cross-cultural team—including John Shook, who would go on to become a prominent Lean leader—to deliver these transformational learning experiences. The first three-week training sessions began in June 1984 at Toyota’s plant in Toyota City.
Since retiring from Toyota in 2006, Yoshino has continued to teach and inspire leaders worldwide. He currently lectures at Nagoya Gakuin University and travels internationally to speak on Toyota leadership, hoshin kanri (strategy deployment), and the power of coaching through deep reflection and intentional learning.
