Terminal

A good part of my life has been spent at airports and on airplanes; I have been keynoting conferences, consulting and teaching somewhere in the world.  With 72 trips to Japan, 75 to the Caribbean, close to 50 to India and other parts of Asia and a lot of trips to Europe, I finally exhausted my frequent flyer mileage privileges.  I just had to figure out how to stay home.  And through divine grace, last year I was given a Polycom video terminal.  Now, I can teach you over this marvelous device with live video - able to see the students and they can see my slides and me. 

This past year, I have taught many two to three-hour Quick and Easy Kaizen workshops from my office in Vancouver, Washington with very effective results for my clients AND I don't have to get on a plane to meet you.  You can now have me in your training room at a greatly reduced cost without any loss of effectiveness.
Near the end of a video workshop with employees of Gorell Windows and Doors in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Scott stood up and came to the front of the class.  I had previously asked all of the attendees to write down two problems and then two solutions to those problems. 

Scott said, "My problem is that occasionally when I move windows along the factory floor I go over a bump and a window breaks." 

"Okay, Scott what is your solution?"

A week later, I was teaching another video class with a room filled with Gorell supervisors.  Remembering Scott's problem, I asked them what would you do when Scott presents his problem to you?

"I would tell Scott to be careful!"

"I would tell Scott to move the cart around the bump!"

"I would tell Scott to put more padding around the glass!"

Back to the workshop with Scott:
"Scott, what can you do to prevent the problem from happening?' 

Scott said, "I need to fix the floor and get rid of the bump." 
"How would you do that," I asked. 

"I would get a shovel and break up the bump." 

"Then what?" 

"I would need to cement over where the bump was removed." 
"Great," I said.

 
But Scott said, "I don't know how to use cement."  

"Who can teach you?" 

"The maintenance people can." 

"Then go ask them to teach you and you Scott, you fix the problem."

Taiichi Ohno, former VP of Toyota, would never tell you what to do.  He would only ask you and let you figure it out for yourself.  If you really want to empower people then you have to learn how to ask them and then let learn by doing it on their own.