Meaningful change is difficult, and for some it is impossible. Why?
We see it in our personal and professional lives. Some type of improvement is needed, in our health, our finances, or our tennis game. Beginning is easy- the difficulty is staying true to the course. Consider a successful change in your own professional or personal life.
I began playing tennis about 15 years ago. Unhappy with my lack of skill, I hired a coach. He taught me some basics and my game improved a little. Then one day, he spread a towel on the court. “What is this about?” I asked. He said I needed to improve my upper body strength and instructed me to get down and do pushups. My reaction was negative, especially for someone in the business of change who was paying this coach to help me improve my game.
This has become a running joke between me and my coach. Sometimes when he pushes me to try something, I outright refuse. Or (after a few or several unsuccessful attempts) I am back to refusing. We joke about it often and I say my reaction is no different than some of my clients- the ones that pay me to help them but refuse to implement the changes.
I pay him to teach and coach me. It's a weekly session with the expectation that I do drills, use the ball machine, and play matches between coaching sessions. We review my match play based on my personal observations and work on counter measures. My game has improved greatly, but not to the degree it should or as much as I would like. Simply, the problem is me- not my coach. I do drills twice a month (at most), get in on 2-3 matches a month, and almost never use a ball machine.
My conditioning has greatly improved, but technique has provided better speed or quickness on the court than my physical ability. He discovered things like I was taking too many steps when trying to get to a ball hit wide to the corner. We worked on a simple technique to reduce the steps and get to the corner from the center in 2 steps rather than the 6-10 I was taking (small stutter steps, etc). The change was almost instantaneous and the guys I play with noticed it the next time we played. But I can't rely on a few quick technique changes to make the type of dramatic change I want to see.
It's no different with implementing lean manufacturing. We implement takt time, rebalance the work, start making small improvements and see positive results. Sometimes the results are outstanding! Unfortunately, those initial quick results are unsustainable and won't deliver the maximum potential when compared to a comprehensive approach utilizing all the tools, techniques, and philosophies of lean.
A comprehensive, committed approach, the courage to try, and the right work ethic will save your business millions with lean manufacturing.
Are you looking for a lean manufacturing consultant? LJ OKeefe Inc is a premiere lean manufacturing consulting firm with over 30 years of experience based in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact us today to discuss your challenges and learn how we can help you stop wasting so much time and money. Or, check out our client's real results, our approach and services, and other helpful lean manufacturing blogs.
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