Perhaps I am overendowed with self-confidence; or perhaps nothing more than plain old hubris. Then again, maybe some things are just as obvious as they seem to me. Take 5S, for instance. Really? There’s a place for everything and everything in its place. If you got it out, you put it back.
Six Sigma: Know what you want to do, do it, check back later to make sure it worked. Rinse and repeat.
Root cause analysis: ’nuff said.
It boggles my mind to think there is an entire industry thriving on the codification of the obvious. I have to wonder if there is any real value in these seminars, schools, and materials. This particular line of thought (read: rant) comes up often with me, and I always end up like a dog chasing my own tail. The circular logic starts with the previous paragraph. I bemoan that my personal experience has shown that very few leaders demonstrate any understanding of what I would call the basics. Judging by the lack of leadership skills in the business world, apparently there must be a need for basic management and operation training.
It then occurs to me that quality process training can transform a basic axiom, such as 5S, into a valuable tool by teaching the methods to employ that basic idea at a companywide scale.
I’m guilty of stating that Six Sigma, reduced to its core tenets, amounts to nothing more than: The faucet is leaking where it joins the water pipe. Applying thread tape stops the leak. Checking on it the next day reveals that the repair is still holding. Make sure to use thread tape on any future faucet installations. Although Six Sigma on a personal level may indeed be that simple, it’s a different beast altogether when applied to the production of 3,000 DVDs a day.
Design for process is next to godliness in my eyes, and training for such is very valuable indeed.
At this point I realize that belts and certificates give employers and prospective employers an indication that a person has at least some basic ideas and tools in his repertoire.
And finally I settle down with a nod of appreciation that there are so many high-quality consultants, materials, and training programs out there, helping the current crop of leaders to become that much more effective.
Of course tomorrow I’ll come across an article dealing with time-use studies, and the whole cycle will begin all over again.
Ryan E. Day is an assistant editor at Quality Digest. With a varied career from mechanic to artist to inventor holding a U.S. patent, but a journalist at heart, he’s produced freelance feature articles, op-ed pieces, ad copy, and display communications. His book, If It Grows, EAT IT! was published in 2011 and Day continues to use Minus B Productions as his personal platform for creativity.
Comments
The Value of Process Training
Hi Ryan,
I very much enjoyed your article - and agree with your point. I also argued against training folks in "common sense" topics, until I became convinced that common sense is not at all common. In fact, my perspective is that it should be referred to as "uncommon sense".
The need for, and value of, training, stems from this realization. I often ask myself: "How can such a simple concept elude so many people?" Yet, I continue to be amazed at the look of amazement on attendees' faces when they hear the rationale behind root cause analysis and its use in preventing the repitition of the same failiure mode.
Leaders are no exception. Very few are, indeed, "leaders" - they simply have that title. Very few are in their positions as a result of ligitimate past performance and acquisition of the skills, knowledge, and experience required to perform as a true leader. A simple example will illustrate my point. Over the past few years, many companies have gone "belly-up". It is not uncommon for the "leaders" to appear on national tv and explain the reasons for the companies' failure as : "unexpected downturn in revenue" or "unforseen influx of offshore goods" or "taken unawares by foreign competition". What happened to strategic planning? Aren't the leaders supposed to be looking out 5 or 10 years to prevent being blindsided by those sorts of things? Indeed, many so-called "leaders" are oblivious to the most basic "common sense" concepts.
As a 40+ year practitioner of corporate turnarounds, training & development, and process improvement, my bias is clear. I sincerely hope that my efforts have delivered value to my clients. As clients, they evaluate the value/quality of the products they purchase, or services they receive.