AN INTERESTING NEW PHENOMENON HAS DEVELOPED AS MANAGERS AND COMPANIES ARE FINDING THEIR WAYS THROUGH THESE CHANGES. IN THE PAST, A PART OF THE COMPETITIVE EDGE WAS TO KEEP CONFIDENTIAL THE DETAILS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, STATISTICAL INFORMATION AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. MOST COMPANIES, EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN COUNTRY WERE RETICENT TO HAVE OPEN VISITATIONS AND EXTENSIVE INFORMATION SHARING. AS THE WORLD MARKETS EXPAND AND THE DEMANDS REQUIRE INCREASED AND DIVERSE SUPPLIES, MANAGERS AND COMPANIES HAVE BEGUN TO REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER IN BOTH TECHNOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL EXCHANGES. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE SHARED IN MANY OF THESE EXCHANGES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, MEXICO, JAPAN AND EUROPE.
THE EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN INTERESTING AND STIMULATING IN MANY WAYS. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SIMILARITIES IN INTERESTS, CONCERNS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND FEARS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. BUSINESSES ARE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF TRANSITION, BUT, THEY ARE VIRTUALLY DISCOVERING AND MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS.
FIRST, THEY ARE DISCOVERING THAT THEIR GREATEST ASSET IS FOUND IN THE MINDS AND IDEAS OF THEIR PEOPLE. MOST MANAGERS ARE TAKING MORE TIME FOR LISTENING THAN EVER BEFORE IN THEIR CAREERS. AND, THEY ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP BETTER LISTENING SKILLS.
SECOND, THEY ARE LEARNING THAT ALLOWING THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK SOME CONTROL OVER HOW THEY FUNCTION CREATES A FEELING OF OWNERSHIP AND RESULTS IN MORE DEDICATION OF ENERGIES AND YIELDS GREATER RESULTS AND SATISFACTION.
THIRD, THEY ARE ALL DISCOVERING THAT COMBINED TEAMS OF MANAGEMENT, PRODUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES ARMED WITH DATABASED INFORMATION, TRACKING AND CONTROL WHILE FUNCTIONING IN BUSINESS UNITS ((PROFIT CENTERS) BRINGS PHENOMENAL SUCCESS.
FOURTH, THEY ARE LEARNING THAT USING STATISTICAL APPROACHES TO CONTROLLING MANUFACTURING PROCESSES IS CRITICAL TO MAXIMIZING QUALITY. AS THE MANAGERS AND THOSE WHO MAKE THE PRODUCTS ARE LEARNING THIS LESSON, THE GUESS WORK (ART) IS REMOVED, RESULTING IN CONSISTENT PRODUCTS THAT FUNCTION THE SAME TIME AFTER TIME. THIS ENABLES THE BEST ANALYSIS OF HOW WELL PRODUCTS ARE ENGINEERED AND HOW BEST TO IMPROVE THEM FOR BETTER FUNCTION AND RELIABILITY.
FIFTH, THEY ARE DISCOVERING THE NEED FOR LEAN MANAGEMENT AND LEAN ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE LEARNING, AS THEY TRY NEW WAYS OF OPERATING, THAT TOO MUCH MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION CREATES NONVALUE ADDED WORK. THIS IS WORK THAT DOES NOTHING FOR THE PRODUCT, SERVICE OR CUSTOMER. IT ONLY ADDS COSTS AND MUST BE REMOVED.
SIXTH, THEY ARE LEARNING THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPING AND EXPANDING OF MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR CREATING ENOUGH DEMAND FOR GOODS AND SERVICES TO KEEP MOST COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS AT WORK FOR DECADES AND GENERATIONS.
SEVENTH, THEY ARE DISCOVERING THAT THERE MUST BE COOPERATION BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND UNION LEADERSHIP TO SURVIVE THE COMPETITION.
THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THIS PHENOMENON IS THAT EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION, EACH ROLE AND EACH PROCESS MUST CHANGE. STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ARE UNIVERSAL REGARDLESS OF THE COUNTRY, COMPANY, PLANT, MANAGER OR WORKER. THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE INFLUENCED BY THE CULTURE AND PERSONALITIES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED. THE FACTS SEEM EVIDENT. ALL ARE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS. THOSE WHO GET THERE FIRST WILL SHARE IN THE GREATEST REWARDS AND FOR THE LONGEST TIME. EVERY PERSON, AT EVERY LEVEL, IS INFLUENCING THE TIMING.
DAN ROBLING©