Lean system is among the most extensively implemented business strategy, for quality and cost effectiveness. With roots in 1960’s Toyota Production System (TPS) and Just-In-Time (JIT), Lean focuses on customer satisfaction. The goal is to produce exactly what customer wants, when and in what amount. For achieving the goal, principles like waste elimination, empowered employees and continuous improvement are employed.

Transformational leaders activate higher-order needs in followers. Research by Krishnan [13] suggests that superior performance is possible only through stimulating and motivating followers to higher levels of performance through transformational leadership. Superior performance is possible only by transforming followers’ values, attitudes, and motives from a lower to a higher plane of arousal and maturity.

The intention throughout this research is how to gain the lean status through transformational leaders. Results of this research shows that transformational leaders were more facilitating in achieving the lean status for an organization than non transformational leaders

This paper also highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the system by reviewing the research papers. Modern trends in the lean system are also mentioned for further research. Recommendations are given considering the common problems faced by organizations in lean transformation.