Team Leader
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A team leader is a front-line lead who supports a small group of operators, responding to problems and maintaining standard work.
Definition
A team leader is a working lead responsible for a small group (typically 4-8 operators) on a production line or in a work area. Team leaders are the first responders to problems—when an operator pulls an andon cord, the team leader responds. They ensure standard work is followed, provide training and coaching, handle minor abnormalities, and escalate issues they cannot resolve to group leaders. Team leaders typically spend 80% of their time doing production work alongside their team, with 20% dedicated to support activities. They are the foundation of lean daily management. See the team-leader response in action — andon pull, designed-vs-actual cycle time, fixed-position stop — in the interactive Toyota assembly guide.
Examples
At Toyota, team leaders supervise 4-7 operators in a portion of the assembly line. When an operator signals a problem, the team leader has until the next fixed position stop to resolve it—about 60 seconds. They're experts in their area's work and can fill any position on their team.
Key Points
- First responder to problems—immediate presence when andon is pulled
- Working lead, not office-bound supervisor
- Expert in all positions within their team
- Develops operators and maintains standard work compliance
Common Misconceptions
Team leader is just a senior operator. While team leaders do production work, their primary value is rapid problem response, training, and standard work maintenance—not higher personal productivity.
Team leaders should solve all problems themselves. Simple problems: yes. Complex problems should be escalated to group leaders. Team leaders manage the boundary between immediate response and escalation.
See Also
- Andon - The system team leaders respond to