Kaiteki: The Japanese Philosophy Behind Motivated Employees and Lean Success

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During my most recent visit to Japan (as part of a tour hosted by Katie Anderson), we spent time in several remarkable organizations where the focus wasn't just on performance or process… but on people.

One company in particular introduced me to a word I hadn't encountered in this context before: kaiteki.

Roughly translated, kaiteki means “comfort,” “ease,” or a “pleasant working environment.” But what stood out was how deeply embedded this idea was in the company's culture–and how it shaped their entire approach to leadership and improvement.