Foreword and endorsement for
"Results from the Heart."
Foreword from Dalai
Lama:
"As human beings, the one factor that
differentiates us from other species is our intelligence which both expresses
itself and trains itself through education.
However, the development of the brain, the intellectual side of our
nature, and the development of a good heart, a warm heart, must complement each
other in a more balanced way. This is
why, wherever I go, I always try to promote human values, the good qualities of
the human mind, the good qualities of human beings. They are the source of happiness, and
happiness is ultimately what each of us wants.
I believe we have both the ability and the means
to solve our problems and improve our world.
Perhaps the most important factors that inhibit us are
short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness, and selfishness. Yet, to look after yourself
is not wrong. Without a strong sense of
self we cannot develop self-confidence, determination and will power. But, we must be careful, for there is also a
narrow -minded selfishness that can lead to self destruction. To counter that we have to realize that in
reality our own interest is closely linked to the interests of others and the
benefit, happiness and interests of others are our own.
In modern times, it has become rarer for people
to come up with new and original initiatives and ideas because the problems we
face are so dauntingly complex. However,
I understand that Kiyoshi Suzaki has developed
strategies to improve people's participation in business and production from
the point of view not only of the company, but also of the individual. I agree with him that if we all learned to
use the brain, but at the same time to listen to the heart, we could make our
world a happier, more peaceful and successful place."
The Dalai Lama
Mcleod Ganj
"Results from
the Heart introduces a new and helpful approach to improving job
performance, improving job satisfaction, and helping organizations better
respond to the rapid changes that are an inherent part of today’s business
environment. Mr. Suzaki recognizes that a motivated
and engaged workforce should be part of any strategy to obtain and maintain
competitive advantage."
Carl Stern, CEO, The
"Everyone is coming to know the “soft” (people) stuff is the “hard” stuff. Suzaki has shifted his guns to the people side and powerfully teaches two brilliant ideas: first, the concept of a “mini company,” and second, how to connect the mind (logic) and the heart (meaning) in unleashing human potential."
Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
"Daily, I work with the idea of
"respect for the individual." I believe this is the source of
Fujio Cho, CEO, Toyota Motor
Corporation
"Suzaki spans the gap between the logic of the mind and the
compassion of the heart by addressing spirituality in business and the
workplace. He challenges us to draw on our inner strengths, to develop a
personal mastery by learning who we are and what we do, and how to bring out
the creativity in people. This is a must read for everyone in the organization
willing to venture to the last great frontier of management theory-the human
heart."
Gary Soloway, CEO, Sphere Industries
"This is a book
with a wealth of advice for your brain to use in managing a business while
listening to your heart. Most of us
business leaders know a lot about business, but not much about ourselves. This
book helps connect what we know with who we are."
Don Runkle, President, Dynamics & Propulsion
Sector,
"What Suzaki is
after is the enlightenment of organizations.
Mini-company is a pragmatic way to harmonize spiritual and intellectual
realms in the modern world. The name of
the game is: find your spirit, discover the fountain of wisdom and compassion,
and integrate these in your own principle way to express LIFE!"
Hua-Ching Ni, Taoist Master and Author, The
Way of Integral Life
"Suzaki reminds us to wake-up to our true selves to find joy
in our work. By listening to our hearts, we have the ability to paint our lives
as an unfolding canvas. The 'mini-company' is the brush with which we can merge
our brains with our hearts. 'Results' is a genius stroke!"
Rob Kramer, Chairman, Uprizer, Inc.
"Is it possible
to transform cogs into kings? Mr. Suzaki
thinks so, and here is his manual, a finely detailed and comprehensively
written Tao of Work. Although
the text remains concrete and practical, it also embodies the Zen action of
transforming any place into a sanctuary in which we realize our individual
& collective destiny. If I were to return to company life --trade in my
Buddhist robes for a suit & tie-- Suzaki’s book
would be my corporate bible."
Martin Hughes, Chief Priest,
"In response to
customer’s requirements for faster, better and cheaper, the mini-company is the
best tool to implement positive change into any organization. Effectively
balancing the intricacies of mini-companies is best done as Suzaki
points out using a mix of heart, head and self-management. This book is a must
read for anyone embarking on the process of team continuous improvement."
Mark Lindquist, President, Rapid-line
"Suzaki brings a rigor to modern management theory,
presenting its essence in a clear and approachable style. He confronts
anonymity and lack of self accountability and injects new life into taking
ownership at every level of a corporation. There is much to be gleaned from his
provocative thesis."
Russ Hall, Managing Partner, Legacy Venture
"Mini-company"
must be a state of mind. It's not a
specific "corporate structure" but a spirit that can be utilized with
any organization. The spirit is one that leads to personal fulfillment (from
the heart) for the individual and results for the company, through individuals
taking responsibility and assuming initiative.
John Shook, Partner,
Lean Enterprise Institute, and Author, Learning to See
"Since the early
visits of Mr.Suzaki and after ten years of practicing
"The Mini-company Approach," we are becoming more and more aware that
the human sensitivity is the cornerstone of this new way of thinking. Thus, we are reaching a much closer link
between what we think, what we feel and what we do. This coherence and
consistency is helping us to grow as individuals and as an organization."
Pedro L.Urreta, Production Manager, Industrias del Ubierna
"Our company has
been practicing the Mini-Company concept for nine years, as expressed in Kio’s Blue Book. This book re-enforces our actions and will
help motivate all our associates, mini-co. officers, and bankers to
continuously improve on the mini-company concept.
Reasons why, and many examples provide a compelling justification for
implementing such a valuable tool."
Jim Zawacki,
President, GR Spring & Stamping, and Author, It's not Magic
"What allows a
startup to become a truly great company is the ability to capture the human
potential of the entire organization. Suzaki model of
a mini company is a fabulous way to maintain this incredible potential
throughout a company's rapid growth. He describes building an emotional bond
with your employee as the foundation to helping them finding meaning in their
work. This will take them from having a job to having a mission. And a mission
has no boundaries"
Mike Levinthal,
General Partner, Mayfield Fund
"Applying
Mini-company concept as it is described in this valuable
book in many industrial and service organizations, our clients
report not only the visible and permanent results in operational performance,
but also -and more remarkably - the radical change happened in attitudes and
behavior from the president to operators.
K. Suzaki is a master in creating living
organizations. The Mini-company concept is his art work and it offers the
framework to flourish the hidden energy of everybody, rooted in a new
managerial paradigm on people, their
potential and their aspirations."
Bekaert Consulting Team, Bekaert
Consulting
"Results From The Heart" has provided a comprehensive approach for
managing our entire organization. We
have found that the "Mini-Company" and "Glass Wall
Management" opens a whole new world to improve quality, cost, delivery,
safety and morale.
Mark Evasic, President, Master Automatic, Inc.
"Many peoples want to become more
creative and more innovative. Why ?
Because more challenges and threats faces us in the global era. The mini-company is an effective way to
develop a Creative and Innovative Organization."
Al.Purwanto, General Manager, PT.Hartono
Istana Teknologi (