These two gentlemen represent a great event in a production shop. What really is the beginning of such powerful events? Oh, the event? The team had kept key equipment up and running and productive for 30 days with no vendor calls. Amazing. Especially considering the fact that prior to this the equipment required calls every 2-3 days for many years. They are holding an award for the historic event. Now, back to the question. What really is the beginning of such powerful events?
Think about why you need these events? A friend used to call them “Big Days”. Big Days build strength in an organization, overcome defiant obstacles, and release energy of the team in a positive manner that is brooding in a negative manner. For those reasons alone, you need to engage the next three points.
One: Get dissatisfied. Yes, that is the beginning of all great change. If you are comfortable and content, change is a threat. You must engage vision for the future with passion and be dissatisfied with the status quo.
Two: Spread your dissatisfaction. Now, you don’t need to get people upset over nothing. But if the people you are serving can’t get their jobs done or their product delivered or their services received on time, you need to get some partners in your dissatisfaction. Other managers, co-workers, staff, key customers, executives and others probably are already dissatisfied. Let them know you understand and listen to their view points.
Three: This is where real change starts. Pick a key point over which everyone is dissatisfied and attack it with passion and purpose. Dig for a root cause that will help everyone in the process. The theory of constraints explains that when you dig out a major point of constraint, you loosen up other constraints to become visible so they can be resolved. In other words, break the dam!
You will be amazed. This team went into overdrive for customer satisfaction when they found this one barrier to productivity resolved. They annihilated this bothersome downtime issue on key machines, developed new procedures for maintaining the equipment, gained independence from the vendor, improved production turnaround times, and improved the entire shop morale.
Just a thought today for those looking to do something good for themselves and those they serve.
SOLUM SERVICES 