Leadership
A Mindless Worker is a Happy Worker
One thing I know from experience: when people are given a chance to participate in creating something good, solving a problem, and play a role in adding value through the use of their mind, hands, and heart, good things happen. Indeed, morale increases and a type of magic takes place – a feeling joy can be seen in people’s faces.
One thing I know from experience: when people are given a chance to participate in creating something good, solving a problem, and play a role in adding value through the use of their mind, hands, and heart, good things happen. Indeed, morale increases and a type of magic takes place – a feeling joy can be seen in people’s faces.
How to Add Value
In Lean Thinking, we use the phrase “value-add” and then qualify that term as taken from the “customer’s perspective.” While that might be true, it’s not concrete enough and is actually difficult to understand.
I am reminded of something my older brother taught me a long time ago. He said simply (I’m paraphrasing):
In Lean Thinking, we use the phrase “value-add” and then qualify that term as taken from the “customer’s perspective.” While that might be true, it’s not concrete enough and is actually difficult to understand.
I am reminded of something my older brother taught me a long time ago. He said simply (I’m paraphrasing):
Ask Gretchen Rubin: The Happiness Interview
We’re delighted to have Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, on shmula.com today.
Similar to prior interviews we’ve done [1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15], you – the reader – have a chance to ask Gretchen questions related to her findings on the Happiness Project. But first, here’s some background:
We’re delighted to have Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, on shmula.com today.
Similar to prior interviews we’ve done [1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15], you – the reader – have a chance to ask Gretchen questions related to her findings on the Happiness Project. But first, here’s some background:
Nothing Else You Need To Do
I reluctantly filed and survived – I finished my taxes. I used TurboTax and things went smoothly. Today, I received a message that was relief to read:
Nothing Else You Need To Do
It’s nice to know exactly what is expected of you. In this case, I’m done and I need to do nothing else.
Expectations…
Let’s bring things back to home:
I reluctantly filed and survived – I finished my taxes. I used TurboTax and things went smoothly. Today, I received a message that was relief to read:
Nothing Else You Need To Do
It’s nice to know exactly what is expected of you. In this case, I’m done and I need to do nothing else.
Expectations…
Let’s bring things back to home:
In Their Natural Environment
I scheduled a meeting this week and a room for our meeting. During the course of our conversation, we began to discuss process and other items related to the their work. Gratefully, I had enough awareness to stop the conversation and we, as a team, walked out to the Gemba and continued our discussion there.
I scheduled a meeting this week and a room for our meeting. During the course of our conversation, we began to discuss process and other items related to the their work. Gratefully, I had enough awareness to stop the conversation and we, as a team, walked out to the Gemba and continued our discussion there.
Kanban Family Job Chart
The Opportunity
We have a big family – we’ve adopted a bunch and we’re very thankful for our chance to be parents. We’ve got great kids.
The Opportunity
We have a big family – we’ve adopted a bunch and we’re very thankful for our chance to be parents. We’ve got great kids.
Extraordinary Response
Often, our best moments are during times of trial. Indeed, what we remember most and what is most inspiring are not the scores of naysayers that exclaim “it’s dark, it’s dark” to describe the gloom that is all around us, but the humble, smug, and steady person that lights a candle so that others can see.
Neal Maxwell said this best:
Often, our best moments are during times of trial. Indeed, what we remember most and what is most inspiring are not the scores of naysayers that exclaim “it’s dark, it’s dark” to describe the gloom that is all around us, but the humble, smug, and steady person that lights a candle so that others can see.
Neal Maxwell said this best:
Shining Metal Pointing Direction
Hoshin Kanri is a management tool used at Toyota to align business strategy and mobilize the entire organization toward the business strategy. Hoshin Kanri means “Shining Metal, Pointing Direction” or “Directional Needle”. In other words, Hoshin Kanri is a North Star or a Compass.
Hoshin Kanri is a management tool used at Toyota to align business strategy and mobilize the entire organization toward the business strategy. Hoshin Kanri means “Shining Metal, Pointing Direction” or “Directional Needle”. In other words, Hoshin Kanri is a North Star or a Compass.
Homogeneous Innovation
Things are all too familiar. That’s good and bad.
It’s good if the service or product meets my basic needs and is memory-neutral: that is, the interaction results in neither good memory or bad memory. It just is and I don’t care.
It’s not good if I come away from the experience thinking “I could have received that same service or product at 50 other places, with no material difference.”
Things are all too familiar. That’s good and bad.
It’s good if the service or product meets my basic needs and is memory-neutral: that is, the interaction results in neither good memory or bad memory. It just is and I don’t care.
It’s not good if I come away from the experience thinking “I could have received that same service or product at 50 other places, with no material difference.”
Respect for People, Underutilized People, and Waste
The two pillars in Lean Thinking are Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. What is not well understood is that most of what we know as The Toyota Production System comes from these two pillars. The Lean sub-culture tends to over-emphasize the “tools” of Kaizen, but miss the point altogether, since the tools stem or originate from one of the pillars above. The relationship between the 2 Pillars and Waste is subtle, but important.
The two pillars in Lean Thinking are Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. What is not well understood is that most of what we know as The Toyota Production System comes from these two pillars. The Lean sub-culture tends to over-emphasize the “tools” of Kaizen, but miss the point altogether, since the tools stem or originate from one of the pillars above. The relationship between the 2 Pillars and Waste is subtle, but important.
