SHINGO
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Achieve Shingo Excellence with The Manufacturing Institute, Shingo Affiliate Since 2008.
The Shingo Model is a timeless principle that drives organisational and operational excellence and is globally recognised for embedding a culture of continuous improvement. The Shingo Guiding Principles underpin the model and act as a compass for organisations in decision-making and transforming culture. Rather than focusing on quick short-term fixes, these principles ensure that any initiative is firmly embedded into the organisation.
By aligning systems and behaviours with the Shingo Guiding Principles, organisations experience stronger employee engagement, sustainable performance, and a more customer-focused approach that will empower organisations to create lasting success by focusing on people, processes, and purpose.
The Shingo Guiding Principles are the bedrock for building a sustainable culture of organisational excellence by driving behaviours and decision-making at all levels.
The Three Dimensions of the Shingo Guiding Principles
The Shingo Model organises its ten guiding principles into three key dimensions: Cultural Enablers, Continuous Improvement, and Enterprise Alignment. Together, these are known as the Shingo Guiding Principles.
CULTURAL ENABLERS
Respect Every Individual & Lead with Humility
Respect for every individual must be deeply embedded within an organisation, extending to employees, customers, suppliers, and society by recognising every individual’s worth and potential. True leadership is rooted in Humility by seeking input, listening, and continuously learning. When leaders embrace vulnerability and set aside bias, they foster an environment of trust, motivation, and continuous improvement.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Seek Perfection, Embrace Scientific Thinking, Focus on Process, Assaure Quality at the Source & Improve Flow & Pull
Striving for perfection fosters a culture of continuous improvement, limited only by our mindset. Scientific thinking drives innovation through experimentation, observation, and learning, while embracing failures.
Success is rooted in process, not just people. Most failures stem from flawed systems rather than individuals. Ensuring quality at the source means getting it right the first time and correcting errors immediately. Flow and pull principles maximise customer value by responding to real demand with uninterrupted workflows. Eliminating waste ensures efficiency, agility, and sustainable success.
ENTERPRISE ALIGNMENT
Think Systemically, Create Constancy of Purpose & Create Value for the Customer
Systemic thinking ensures better decisions by understanding relationships and interdependencies. A clear purpose aligns teams, fostering innovation, adaptability, and confidence.
Customer value must drive all actions because long-term success depends on delivering what customers want efficiently and effectively.
CULTURAL ENABLERS
Respect Every Individual & Lead with Humility
Respect for every individual must be deeply embedded within an organisation, extending to employees, customers, suppliers, and society by recognising every individual’s worth and potential. True leadership is rooted in Humility by seeking input, listening, and continuously learning. When leaders embrace vulnerability and set aside bias, they foster an environment of trust, motivation, and continuous improvement.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Seek Perfection, Embrace Scientific Thinking, Focus on Process, Assure Quality at the Source & Improve Flow & Pull
Striving for perfection fosters a culture of continuous improvement, limited only by our mindset. Scientific thinking drives innovation through experimentation, observation, and learning, while embracing failures.
Success is rooted in process, not just people. Most failures stem from flawed systems rather than individuals. Ensuring quality at the source means getting it right the first time and correcting errors immediately. Flow and pull principles maximise customer value by responding to real demand with uninterrupted workflows. Eliminating waste ensures efficiency, agility, and sustainable success.
ENTERPRISE ALIGNMENT
Think Systemically, Create Constancy of Purpose & Create Value for the Customer
Systemic thinking ensures better decisions by understanding relationships and interdependencies. A clear purpose aligns teams, fostering innovation, adaptability, and confidence.
Customer value must drive all actions because long-term success depends on delivering what customers want efficiently and effectively.
Why Implement
Shingo Guiding Principles?
Achieve Excellence with Shingo
The Shingo Guiding Principles are not merely a set of best practices but a foundation for building a culture of operational excellence that sustains long-term success. Organisations that embed these principles into their business experience:
- Stronger Organisational Culture – A focus on principles such as respect, humility, and scientific thinking fosters an engaged workforce and drives a culture of excellence.
- Sustained Operational Excellence – By aligning behaviours with the right principles, businesses move beyond short-term gains to create lasting, scalable improvements.
- Enhanced Customer Value – The principles help eliminate waste, streamline processes, and create a more agile organisation, leading to better customer experiences.
- A Recognised Standard of Excellence – The Shingo Prize acknowledges organisations that successfully integrate these principles, serving as a benchmark for world-class performance.
The Three Insights
of Organisational Excellence
The Shingo Guiding Principles was created on three fundamental
insights that differentiate it from other methodologies:
Insight 1
Ideal Results Require Ideal Behaviours
Sustainable excellence comes from fostering the right behaviours, not just implementing tools.
Insight 2
Purpose and Systems Drive Behaviour
Leaders must align their systems with organisational purpose to reinforce the right behaviours.
Insight 3
Principles Inform Ideal Behaviour
Understanding core principles helps organisations design better systems that lead to desired behaviours and results.
The Shingo Prize is the prestigious recognition awarded to organisations excelling in operational performance and cultural transformation.
Inspired by Dr. Shingo’s principles, the prize encourages companies to integrate these principles into their daily practices.
The Shingo Prize recognition is awarded at three levels: Operational Excellence, Bronze Medallion, and Silver Medallion, with each level representing an organisation’s progress toward a lived culture of continuous improvement and alignment with more than lean principles.
THE SHINGO MODEL
The Shingo Model is a globally recognised framework for achieving operational excellence, developed to help organisations create a sustainable culture of continuous improvement.
The Shingo Prize is the prestigious recognition awarded to organisations excelling in operational performance and cultural transformation.
Inspired by Dr. Shingo’s principles, the prize encourages companies to integrate these principles into their daily practices.
The Shingo Prize recognition is awarded at three levels: Operational Excellence, Bronze Medallion, and Silver Medallion, with each level representing an organisation’s progress toward a lived culture of continuous improvement and alignment with more than lean principles.
THE SHINGO MODEL
The Shingo Model is a globally recognised framework for achieving operational excellence, developed to help organisations create a sustainable culture of continuous improvement.
Ready to Transform
Your Business?
Start your journey with the Shingo Guiding Principles today.
FAQ's
What are the Shingo Guiding Principles?
The Shingo Guiding Principles are ten principles that provide a framework for achieving organisational excellence by focusing on people, processes, and enterprise alignment.
Why are the Shingo Guiding Principles important?
They create a culture of excellence by fostering respect, continuous improvement, and strategic alignment.
How do the Shingo Guiding Principles benefit organisations?
They drive efficiency, enhance employee engagement, improve product and service quality, and align business strategies with customer needs.
What are the three dimensions of the Shingo Model?
The principles in the Shingo Model are categorised into three dimensions: Cultural Enablers, Continuous Improvement, and Enterprise Alignment.
How can organisations implement the Shingo Guiding Principles?
Fostering leadership engagement, promoting a learning culture, and aligning processes and strategies with core values.
What does 'Respect Every Individual' mean in the Shingo Model?
It emphasises the importance of valuing every employee, customer, and stakeholder, creating a work environment built on mutual respect.
How does ‘Continuous Improvement’ apply in the workplace?
It involves ongoing efforts to refine processes, eliminate waste, and improve efficiency through data-driven decision-making and problem-solving.
What is ‘Think Systemically’ in the Shingo Model?
This principle encourages organisations to understand the interconnectivity of processes and make holistic improvements.
How do the Shingo Principles support customer satisfaction?
Organisations can better meet customer needs and expectations by focusing on quality, continuous improvement, and creating value.
Where can I learn more about the Shingo Model?
To learn more about the model, organisations can attend Shingo workshops or receive coaching and consultation. Contact us today to learn more about the Shingo Guiding Principles and how the Shingo Model can help transform your business and drive continuous improvement.