Continual Improvement is one of the hallmarks of the Toyota Way because the mindset and efforts never go away, continual is forever. In my quest to offer the broadest range of solutions to today’s economic requirement that we do even more with the same or fewer resources I am regularly attending education courses and reading material that help me help my clients. The Toyota Way by Jeff Liker offers extensive insight into the practices that propelled Toyota to be one of the best made and most frequently purchased automobiles. These practices are also ensuring that the company continues to be healthy while the American counterparts are getting economic aid and facing bankruptcy.
The Toyota Way is my 3rd or 4th read on Lean - the Toyota systems of production also called TPS (Toyota Production System). This books offers the great measure of Lean Basics generally called the 5 Ss and 7 Wastes. It also covers the mindsets and culture in eye-opening detail. One of the most long-last thoughts that I learned is that Toyota does not think of shareholder return as its #1 mission. It’s #1 mission is to create a company that employs the right people for very long (and often their whole career) and is thereby profitable for generations.
This is a must read & re-read for those interested in continual improvement and/or lean. The thoughts are provoking, the timetable implement drawn out, and some ‘take now’ action surface for Lean in the Office as well as Lean in the Factory. Oh, and the results are also continual - continually great!
Studies of the brain show that laughter releases endorphins. In turn endorphins elevate your mood. And finally an elevated mood increases your effectiveness on many levels. For example, you look forward to working with other people because you have an optimistic mindset. You looking forward to working with them impacts their attitude toward working with you and the partnership, team, and even customer/provider relationship goes better. Cooperation is easier when this mindset pervades. Coming to agreements through a shared vision and compromise is easier and more effective when one’s mood is positive.
So, make yourself laugh every day to improve your effectiveness.
Find the humor in situations such as grocery shopping - loft the loaf of bread to your shopping ass’t (whether your kids or sister)… everyone will get a lift. Find humor on the internet as in this 34 second video from YouTube:
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(Tip: limit yourself to just 1 or 2 YouTube Video- laughter is addictive and soon you won’t be working with anyone if all you’re doing is watching videos!)
Make faces in the mirror with your kids. You’ll build your relationship there, too!
Comment with what you do to laugh so we can all have better and more effective days!
What words represent keeping things fresh while progressing toward a worthwhile goal? You might embrace all or some of these. They’re important because the words we use influence who we are and what we accomplish. Here are some of my top-of-mind words… please add a comment that includes one or some that work for you.
Retool
- using what you have to come up with something different
Example: rather than every group in a company having its own supply cabinet, centralizing supplies for more effective ordering, storage, retrieval, and tracking
Reinvent
- start over to create great things. Great things are those that make life better.
Example: After Jeff ended up in a wheel chair as the result of the accident, he became one of the most inspirational physical therapists in the practice
Reuse
- when you’re done with something see how you can repeat your success
Example: You’ve created a prized presentation. Take it to another organization, profit or not-for-profit that could benefit from that work
Repurpose
- same thing, different application
Example: a bookshelf relocated from against the wall to divide a room
Review
- literally view something again. You will see different things when you’re in a different place and/or your perspective is from a different point
Example: read a book or take a training class again.
Recycle
- you’re done with it… pass it on!
Example: pluck 10 books from your shelf and donate them to the company library, a school library, or your public library
Re-words are particularly relevant in this strapped economy because they use resources that exist. One doesn’t need to go out and develop or acquire much more. He looks at what he has, might have help reassessing what resources, experience, and talents he has, and starts down a new path. What words help you?
A tidy workspace just feels good to some of us. It certainly projects a part of your professional image. Some of us just don’t care… this post isn’t for you. That is unless you have a tangle of wires behind your A/V and home theater equipment. Then someone more than you might care.
What can you do about that abundance of cables? Hide them! I just learned that the things that hide cables are called raceways, wire looms, and wrap-around braid. A great site for this is Cable Ties & More.com. These hiders of cables are smart looking, practical and inexpensive. Fortunately most of these can be do-it-yourself so costly technical or handyman assistance can be avoided.
A really inexpensive and clever option is demonstrated by the Jerry Bruno on YouTube. I would enhance his suggestion by first looping cables, securing with hook & loop (Velcro), then hanging the bundles on the hooks.
For another option, check out this perennial favorite Productivity Cafe solutions for Cable Organization:
Who would have thought that leaving a voicemail would impact your reputation?! This morning Kim @ Bike Virginia commented that my message was the easiest for her deal with because I left my name and number twice at the end of the message. Kim takes care of the customer experience and handles loads of calls every day. That my message elicited a comment prompts me to get back online and share the experience with you.
When you are asking someone to help you, make it as easy as possible for them and you’re more likely to be at the front of the line. Duh! I know. And, I’ve seen people that seem to want to be right more than they want to have their problem solved. They’re demanding, sometime rude, and sometime just missing a couple of bits that would help them reach their real goal – getting help. Sometime the caller (we) don’t realize the customer experience person doesn’t have all the background we do and they need to be filled in – calmly. And trust me, if you’re asking for help, unless you’re the boss, and even if you’re the customer, others can make things tough – drawing out the process, requiring extra steps, putting you on hold just because they need to calm down or think that you need to calm down.
Regarding the voicemail example, which is also addressed in another post here: Good Voicemail Messages Matter. When you give the full details for your call you leave a good impression. You build your brand to be what you want it to be. And, you’re more likely to get the results that you want. A little planning trick many people use is: jot on a piece of paper:
Your goal for the call
Supporting point 1
Supporting point 2
Supporting point 3 (max)
What you’re going to ask the listener to do – be specific
This little trick also avoids hanging up, snapping your fingers and thinking, “Oh man, I forgot to mention…..”
Having this record also gives you confidence that you made the first call, what you said in case they miss something on their end, and allows you to move on.
Susan Sabo brings solutions to today's overworked, overloaded, and overextended professionals to help them achieve peak performance. Susan helps you get more done and go home sooner.
extensive insight into the practices that propelled Toyota to be one of the best made and most frequently purchased automobiles. These practices are also ensuring that the company continues to be healthy while the American counterparts are getting economic aid and facing bankruptcy.
