Why it matters
At Toyota, any worker can pull the andon cord to stop production when they spot an abnormality. The power isn’t the cord itself but the culture behind it: problems are surfaced immediately, and the person who stops the line is helped, not blamed.
How to run it
- Create your “cord”. A phrase (“I’m pulling the andon”), a channel, or a button anyone can use when something is wrong.
- Agree on the response. A leader comes to help within minutes — the first words are “thank you”.
- Solve, then find the root cause. Fix the immediate issue, then ask why it happened.
- Celebrate pulls. Share examples in team meetings so people know it’s safe.
Watch out for
- Leaders sighing or questioning whoever raised the alarm — one bad reaction kills the ritual
Sources
- Mike Rother, Toyota Kata (2009)