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In a performance-driven world, organizations often prioritize short-term results over long-term development. Yet, as Joanna Czerska emphasizes, sustainable success starts much earlier—with how we educate and develop people. From introducing Lean thinking at a young age to preparing students for an AI-driven future, her approach highlights one central idea: strong organizations are built by capable, confident, and continuously developing individuals. |
| Assistant Professor, Dean’s Representative for Learning Outcomes Assurance, Department of Management and Quality Engineering, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdańsk University of Technology |
Many organizations today focus primarily on results and achieving targets. In your view, how sustainable is this approach in the long term?
Focusing only on results is a short-term approach. Organizations are sustained by people, and if they are pushed beyond their limits, consistent long-term performance cannot be expected.
What I often observe—both in business and in academia—is that expectations are set without providing sufficient support. This may bring quick results, but it requires significant effort from individuals, and over time, people become disengaged. They step back and begin to question whether the extra effort is worth it.
If we want long-term results, we need to focus not only on outcomes, but also on processes—and especially on the people behind them.
Should Lean thinking be introduced earlier in education?
Definitely. Lean thinking offers practical skills that are useful not only in organizations but also in everyday life. However, most young people have never heard about it before entering university. If they had been exposed to it earlier, many more would have chosen this path.
This is exactly why I have been leading the Young Lean Leader program for the past ten years. It is designed for 13-19-year-old students and developed together with psychologists and teachers. At this age, students are very open—they are curious, creative, and ready to explore new ways of thinking.
The program is structured in phases and is built around key competencies. First, students participate in simulation games, where they learn teamwork, set priorities, and use data to communicate and make decisions. Then, they develop knowledge skills—learning how to find reliable information, structure it, and present it clearly in a one-point lesson, which they then teach to others. They also gain basic problem-solving capabilities.
The most powerful stage, however, is when they enter companies and work on real projects. This is where everything comes together.
Why is real company experience so important at such a young age?
Because this is where learning becomes real. When students work in companies, they not only apply Lean thinking, but also experience what it means to collaborate, communicate, and take responsibility in real situations.
This is also where soft skills develop naturally. Communication, teamwork, decision-making—these cannot be fully learned in theory. They must be practiced.
What is truly fascinating is the level of creativity they bring. In one case, a company told us that the students’ ideas were excellent—but ten years ahead of what the organization was ready to implement. This shows the enormous potential young people have when given the right environment.
How do soft skills and AI fit into this development process?
In today’s AI-driven world, soft skills are more important than ever. Students can already use AI tools, but they often struggle to judge whether the answers are valid—this is where critical thinking and sound judgment become essential. AI should support thinking, not replace it.
At the same time, communication must remain clear and accessible. Engineers design for customers, not for themselves, so they need to speak a shared language. Even in Lean, using Japanese terminology may sound impressive, but it does not help if others do not understand it. Real communication means adapting to the audience—often through simple, straightforward language.
How can organizations shift from managing results to developing people in practice?
One effective approach is Hoshin Kanri, which connects strategic goals with people’s involvement. It starts with defining the vision—the “why”—and then identifying strategic directions. Instead of simply assigning targets, leaders should involve employees in defining how those targets can be achieved.
When people understand the direction and contribute to shaping the path, they become more engaged and committed. Leadership then becomes not about enforcing results, but about enabling people to achieve them, continuously communicating the strategy, and reminding teams why their daily work matters.
How should leadership success be measured?
A manager is responsible for results—but the key question is how those results are achieved.
If a manager is doing the work of their team, it means they are not fulfilling their role. A leader should think ahead, create direction, and enable others to succeed.
True success is when a team can work independently and responsibly. However, many leaders are not supported in developing these capabilities. When asked about their role or purpose, they often cannot clearly define it—not because they are incapable, but because they were never guided to understand it.
Why did you accept our invitation, and how do you see future collaboration between our institutions?
I was inspired by our previous discussions at an earlier conference. I found them engaging and thought-provoking.
I believe that exchanging teaching methods, whether in Lean, soft skills, or broader educational approaches, is highly valuable. My current focus is on how we can apply Lean thinking to teaching itself. As educators, we are not only knowledge providers—we are responsible for helping students grow.
Strengthening cooperation between institutions can significantly improve how we prepare the next generation of engineers and leaders.
Thank you very much for the invitation—it was a pleasure to be part of this conference and discussion.
Cs.K.