One of the reasons for the success of companies like Toyota that embrace the holistic
set of lean philosophies, principles and practices is that they are more fully taking
advantage of what we call “lean psychology”. This paper shows how lean psychology is
based on a bi-directional, synergistic and self-reinforcing relationship between how
employees think and how they work that can be understood in the context of TFAS
terminology and theories. Some of the practices seen in Table I that we use to illustrate
lean psychology are relatively universally associated with lean, whereas some are more
strongly tied to those that adopt Toyota’s holistic and adaptive approach to lean. More
holistic and extensive implementation of lean practices is generally indicative of a
greater application of lean psychology: eliminating waste and adding customer value by
supporting, enhancing and taking advantage of beneficial fast thinking and motivating
and imposing appropriate slow thinking. Implementing more of the practices in diverse
ways across the organization means that lean psychology is becoming more pervasive
and ingrained in the organizational culture, which in turn contributes to a
self-reinforcing and synergistic effect that makes each of them more likely to be applied
and with greater success.