|
This
Week’s Topic:
Four Dreaded Words: “...but we are unique”
Remember the movie “Groundhog Day”?
In that film, Bill Murray is condemned to relive the same day over and over again. Lean advocates have their own Groundhog Day experience but, sadly, it never ends with winning over the beautiful co-star. Our outcome is far more mundane.
My most recent Groundhog Day moment came at a business reception.
In the course of normal business chit-chat I explained that I was a Lean Manufacturing Consultant. Then, as seemingly 1,000 times before, I heard, “Oh, I'm sure that Lean works really well for other companies…” followed by the four dreaded words, “…but we are unique”.
My mental counter ratcheted up to 1,001.
We continued with an interesting discussion about the specific products, processes and problems that his business faced. But I couldn’t help but think about one of those parody motivational posters that float around on the internet. You may have seen it yourself. It has the customary black border around a picture of a huge crowd of people. The caption reads “Always remember that you are unique – just like everyone else.”
The business analogy from the poster is that of course every business is different. Each has unique customers, products, methods and people. As a result, there is no single template for successful Lean Six Sigma implementation – but also no reason it can’t work. In our experience the formula for success is to understand the fundamental principles and then use the knowledge and skills in your organization to overcome the unique obstacles.
After getting past the frustration of the four dreaded words, it is actually rather entertaining to listen to various organizations convince themselves that they are the one company in the world that is tragically unable to use Lean Six Sigma technology:
- Big companies complain that their rigid silo structures will never allow flow between functional areas or processes. Small firms bemoan the fact they never have the resources to work on improvement efforts like the big guys do.
- Process industries are convinced that the principles work fine with discrete products. Companies that make discrete products know it is impossible to apply Lean methods with all the individual parts and processes that they must deal with.
- Some facilities just know for a fact that accounting will never allow it. Other plants tried something similar once and everyone in production hated it so much that there is no reason to even consider trying again.
- A high percentage of doubters are convinced that it all much easier in Japan because “they have a different culture and work ethic”.
- And so on, and so on, and so on…
If your organization is on its way to a Lean Six Sigma transformation – congratulations! Either you have already overcome the “but we are unique” argument or you are able to deal with resistance as it develops.
However, if the dreaded four words are the obstacle to your progress then the first battle you face is to convince doubters that all companies face unique challenges. Those that succeed find creative ways to apply the fundamentals rather than accept excuses for never even trying.
Do you have any thoughts or experience with Operational Excellence in Administration? Please visit our blog to add your comments. To add your experience follow the link to Our Blog.
Interested in more ways to improve operations and
increase earnings at the same time? We invite you to
download our white paper “Targeted Lean Six
Sigma". You are also welcome to browse the
list of
free white papers and other articles at
Free Resources.
If you have a topic that you
would like addressed, or an Insight you would like to pass
along, e-mail us at:
Jack.Rink@rmdonovan.com
Browse our Operational Excellence
Insight Archives |