Who is Bill Gaw?
And why should we
listen to him?
Business Basics
Home Page
|
Bill Gaw's 3-Step, World Class |
Increase the
effectiveness of your |
Improving
Job Performance
Part 1 of 2
Lean Manufacturing, Basics, Principles, Techniques
For my latest
Goggle.Knol article:
Click Here
To review Bill's training
programs, click on
the links below:
Performance
Management Training
Supply
Chain
Management
Training
Other Options:
Manufacturing Simulation Game
Thinking Outside
the Box
Implementation, Methodology, and Excellence Improvement Training
Balanced Scorecard Training Program
Manufacturing Supply Chain Management
|
"Lord," he said, "Would you be kind enough to allow me an easy death?" The Lord replied, "Certainly! What if you fall out of a tree?" "No," the man replied. "Can't you think of something better?" The Lord answered, "Sure. What if you were bitten by a snake?" "Too painful," the man said. "OK," answered the Lord, "What if you drown in a pond?" "Not exactly what I was thinking about!" shouted the man. The Lord then said, "Why don't we leave it to fate and we will see the results?"
On a sunny afternoon in September years later, the man was walking along his property when he noticed that the figs on a fig tree were beginning to ripen. He decided to climb up the tree and reach for some of the delicious-looking fruit. As he extended his arm toward a limb, the man was bitten by a snake, who happened to be enjoying the cool breeze in the shade. He lost his balance and fell out of the tree into the pond below. Weakened by the venom, the man was unable to swim out of the pond and drowned.
Does this story relate to relaxing oneself and having fun at work? Certainly it does. People employed in the field of resource management find themselves knowingly or unknowingly bargaining with authorities within the organization.
This is not to compare humans to the Almighty, but to mention that certain classes of the organization (realistically) consider themselves as such. Marketing accuses the Materials professional of not "building to forecast," but no one ever mentions that the forecast is unrealistic. Engineering accuses others of not ordering per the bills of materials (BOM), but no one notices that the BOM is inaccurate. Operations insists that work in process was routed to the wrong area, but no one admits that the routings are wrong. Those are some of the "difficulties" we encounter daily while attempting to serve our company and our customers to the best of our ability. Realistic happenings? Yes. Frustrating? Yes. Should these situations be alleviated? Yes. For the time being, however, we must deal with said circumstances and learn to live with them.
An unknown author once wrote, "If you always do what you always do, you always get what you always get." Our talent is learned, not born, yet so many are content to live with the circumstances described above. Therefore, we continue to repeat the same routine day in and day out and restrict our ability to expand our horizons and diversify our worth. Over the years, each of us has many opportunities to grow by acquiring practical knowledge. I am not speaking of the knowledge spoon-fed from a book, but rather knowledge gained by being involved in a project, growing on the job, or by participating in worthwhile extracurricular activities. The attainment of this knowledge can mean the difference between succeeding and failing. What separates a winner from a loser is the fact that the winner thirsts for more knowledge and then gives back by taking the time to educate others. The loser is content to gain what he learned from others and gives nothing back. By sharing experiences learned, one can add immensely to an already-attained wealth of knowledge. Becoming involved in a network of individuals who possess more knowledge and meeting those who have well-established careers may teach a person methods that were previously unknown. In turn, a person must share this knowledge with others. In every organization there exist people who have individual goals but must also obey group goals. In the event that group goals and individual goals head in the same direction, everybody wins. Howeve once a person strays from supporting the group, conflicts arise, blame is levied, failure almost always follows, and stress becomes a way of life. For such circumstances Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn't matter who gets the credit." Personally, as well as professionally, an individual must never stop learning. He or she must continually be challenged by colleagues so that, in a team-like environment (where group accomplishments reflect positively on every member) people would naturally excel, and long-lasting friendships could be formed. These rewards are intrinsic as well as extrinsic. I am reminded of a statement written by the chairman and CEO of a major airline: "We know that reengineering can be successful only with positive change in our culture. Employees must be valued, they must know that they are valued, and they must be empowered to do their jobs. After all, they know their jobs best." What a statement of leadership this gentleman conveys to the entire organization! It is one of empowerment, yet of responsibility and fun. He allows subordinates to do their jobs but measures their performance and contribution to the overall goals of the organization.
Taking to heart Benjamin Franklin's words that "an investment in knowledge always pays the best dividends," this company chief learned to lead. He became innovative rather than administrative, developed people and focused on their growth, inspired trust in them, and challenged the status quo. To Be Continued STAY CONNECTED To stay current on Lean Management Basics and Best Practices, subscribe to our weekly MBBP Bulletin... and we'll send you our PowerPoint presentation "How to Survive in an Entirely New Economy." All at no cost of course. Your personal information will never be disclosed to any third party. privacy policy
Here's
what one of our 13,000 plus subscribers "Great manufacturing articles. Thanks for the insights. I often share portions of your articles with my staff and they too enjoy them and fine aspects where they can integrate points into their individual areas of responsibilities. Thanks again." Kerry B. Stephenson. President. KALCO Lighting, LLC "Back to Basics" Training for anyone ... anywhere ... anytime Business
Basics, LLC © 2001-2009 Business Basics, LLC |