Lean Enterprise Institute Logo
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Cart (0)
  • Account
  • Search
Lean Enterprise Institute Logo
  • Explore Lean
        • What is Lean?
        • The Lean Transformation Framework
        • A Brief History of Lean
        • Lexicon Terms
        • Topics to explore
          • Operations
          • Lean Product & Process Development
          • Administration & Support
          • Problem-Solving
          • Coaching
          • Executive Leadership
          • Line Management
  • The Lean Post
        • Subscribe to see exclusive content
          • Subscribe
        • Featured posts
          customer satisfaction icons

          How Can Lean Help Manage the Costs...

          blocks that spell put incentive

          Ask Art: How Do You Align Incentives...

          • See all Posts
  • Events & Training
        • Custom Coaching and Learning Experiences
        • Co-Learning Partnerships
        • Forms and Templates
        • Featured learning
          • Building a Lean Operating and Management System 

            February 02, 2023 | Boston, MA

          • Lean Summit 2023

            March 08, 2023 | Optional Pre-Summit Workshops March 6-7
            Tucson, Arizona

          • Key Concepts of Lean Management Remotely 

            March 13, 2023 | Online Live Course

          • Improvement Kata/Coaching Kata Remotely

            April 10, 2023 | Online Live Course

          • See all Events
  • Store
        • Shopping Cart
        • Featured books
          Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process

          Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process

          Learning to See

          Learning to See

          • See all Books
  • About Us
        • Our people
          • Senior Advisors and Staff
          • Faculty
          • Board of Directors
        • Contact Us
        • Lean Global Network
        • Press Releases
        • In the News
        • Careers
        • About us

The Lean Post / Articles / Master the Meaning of “Giri”

Master the Meaning of “Giri”

Coaching

Master the Meaning of “Giri”

By Jim Morgan, PhD

March 30, 2018

"Giri" represents the profound obligation of the student has toward their teacher, the apprentice to the journeyman or the child to the parent, writes Jim Morgan. He thanks his own mentors and emphasizes the obligation that comes with the deep understanding that whatever you have accomplished in life, you have not really done on their own.

FacebookTweetLinkedInEmailPrintComment

I often hear how tired westerners are of Japanese terms used in the lean community: obeya, kaizen, hoshin, and monozukuri often head the complaint list. On one hand I understand the frustration.  Like most jargon, these terms can actually be an impediment to learning.  And in the case of Japanese words, some westerners assume a subtle insult in their use. However on the other hand, authors often struggle to express the underlying meaning and subtleties of what they have come to understand about these terms.  One such word is “giri”.

Giri is a Japanese word I first encountered in the study of martial arts and was recently reminded of as I was finishing up a project.  Giri means roughly duty, or obligation, in English, but as is often the case I believe there are important nuances that are difficult to convey.  I am no linguist and do not even speak Japanese.  However, my understanding is that giri represents the profound obligation of the student toward their teacher, the apprentice to the journeyman or the child to the parent.  A very real debt or burden they carry through the deep understanding that whatever they have accomplished in life, they have not really done on their own.  That they are forever obliged to their mentors who have passed on so many important lessons.

That has certainly been the case in my life and this fact was brought home to me while putting many of these lessons into print.  Debts I owe in my personal life, my professional life – in my “lean” life.  I owe so much to so many.  In fact, this sense of deep obligation is the reason I agreed to co-author another book. I see my work as an attempt to at least make an insignificant payment against my debt by sharing some of those lessons with others who may find themselves facing similar challenges in product development.

Some of my mentors are well-known people like Alan Mulally, who demonstrated every day what it means to be a people centric leader.  Others, who are perhaps known only to me include Al Stoultz, the German Master Machinist who insisted we apprentices “trig out” our machine setups to be accurate to within four decimal places. The lessons in each case far exceeded the specifics. “Giri” also reminds us of the intergenerational connection in the lean community as well as our obligation to early leaders like Sakichi Toyoda, Taichi Ohno, Jim Womack or John Shook.  It is a potentially unifying force.

It was my recent reflections that also reminded me that I have not done nearly enough to either acknowledge or repay my obligations.  And as I so often read the boastful proclamations of the next self appointed “genius” business leader or “star” athlete, it seems this “forgetfulness” is a very human failing that exists around the world.   These claims to “greatness” are not only unhealthy, they are simply not true, and they get in the way of our humanness – and stifle our ability to continue to grow.  None of us got here on our own.

So perhaps it is not a new word we have to learn after all.  Perhaps it is a new respect.  A spirit of obligation to the people who have done so much for us that we must keep in mind.  Perhaps it is the humility born of the recognition of this connection to other people we have to learn.  And perhaps, just perhaps, this particular lesson will bring us closer together as people.  To whom might you owe such a debt?

FacebookTweetLinkedInEmailPrintComment

Written by:

Jim Morgan, PhD

About Jim Morgan, PhD

Jim is recognized globally for his expertise in product and process development. His know-how comes from a unique combination of industry experience as a senior executive and rigorous scholarship. His most recent industry role was as the chief operating officer for Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer, during a critical transition…

Read more about Jim Morgan, PhD

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

jpw fund for the numbers

Coaching

Assessing a New Way to Develop More Lean Thinkers

Article by Patricia Panchak

a group of people holding large puzzle pieces

Coaching

How to Get the Most from Your A3 Thinking and Practice

Article by Lean Leaper

Students Take the Lead in JPW Fund Internship

Coaching

Students Take the Lead in JPW Fund Internship

Article by Patricia Panchak

Related books

The Gold Mine (Audio CD)

The Gold Mine (Audio CD)

by Freddy Ballé and Michael Ballé

graphical user interface

Four Types of Problems / Managing to Learn Set

by John Shook and Art Smalley

Related events

April 10, 2023 | Online Live Course

Improvement Kata/Coaching Kata Remotely

Learn more

April 17, 2023 | Online Live Course

Developing Structured Problem-Solving and Leadership Skills using A3 Thinking: Managing to Learn Remotely

Learn more

Explore topics

Coaching graphic icon Coaching

Subscribe to get the very best of lean thinking delivered right to your inbox

Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©Copyright 2000-2023 Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lean Enterprise Institute, the leaper image, and stick figure are registered trademarks of Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Learn More. ACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!