News

I recently caught myself again. As I drove home, I had time to think deeper about the ‘little’ thing that I had done and the impact this may have had on the individual and our relationship.

Several quick iterations fed by ideas from the front line led to a visual mini system on a 50lb bag sealer that has improved the quality of bag seals at Helena Industries Des Moines. How did this evolve?

An aspect of A3 problem solving tools that has always intrigued me (Oscar) is what I believe to be an imbalance. While I respect the importance of analysis and planning, my ever increasing belief is that most learning takes place when trying process adjustments. Yet in A3 documents the actions tend to be listed bottom right, one line each, the impression being one swing of the bat and ‘success’, cause mitigated. I’m not sure this is usually the case.

After posting our last newsletter I (Ben) rightfully challenged the thought of asking ‘what’s getting in the way of doing your job really well that we can do something about?’ I felt this raised the risk of ‘recreational improvement’; Oscar believed I was right. So how do we reduce the risk of this? What else might need to be established before asking this question (without losing the ‘improvement energy’ of the people)?

What follows in this news item is underpinned by an Eliyahu M. Goldratt quote – "The only thing that overcomes the energy of resistance is the energy of discovery.” It highlights the idea that genuine progress in the face of resistance to change comes from a mindset of curiosity and exploration rather than forced action.

The work planning system (WP2.0) detailed in our March 2 (2025) news item is being practised at a mid western NSW utility and has been for about 12 months. Some would say the system is ‘old style’ – it requires routine and specific communication between human stakeholders, no computers. The argument for the system is that humans collaborating effectively will still outrun computer based systems. Results support this. The utility is now setting up WP2.0 to plan a road upgrade, one of the largest projects the utility has ever undertaken.

Richard Abercrombie, a colleague of mine (Oscar), speaks of a management perspective that behaviour can be modified most readily through rewards and punishments. Richard suggests we challenge that thinking as each person as an individual has a directional, actuating tendency toward their potential as they perceive it.

Recently I participated in a webinar with Petal Bartlett from the University of Kansas Health System. As she spoke, I could feel myself leaning in. It was engaging because Petal was focusing on the environment ‘around’ the change; something I feel isn’t considered ‘enough’. Very early in the session Petal said, “you have to have all the right people at the table”.

I was lucky enough to attend the TWI Summit and KataCon11 this week in Indianapolis. I nearly got run over about seventeen times (not kidding). Although I know they drive on the ‘other side’ of the road I couldn’t change my behaviours. I’m now 48; my habits are well engrained!

As discussed in the mid-February update, people naturally resist change. Accordingly, I’ve had reinforced to me in this exercise that the leader’s primary role is to ‘work with people to accept the change’. Note please the three words ‘work with people …’. This largely means listening, understanding and explaining all of which take time and patience. What’s really happening when we do this? Trust is being established (in my case) and trust is being maintained in terms of this maintenance leaders’ case.

We are conditioned from a very young age (via our education system largely, but perhaps by society in general) that ‘right’ is good, ‘wrong’ is bad. Opportunity to value ‘wrong’ and learn from it is thwarted. Introducing a system whereby ‘wrong’ is valuable is very challenging because this conditioning is run into head on!

A large intensive farming maintenance team will undergo a major change in the week commencing Jan 28 in the way they plan their daily work. They will embark on a high collaboration / low tech system (no computers) to plan their (routine) work. Our preparation has been very deliberate and ticked certain boxes, mostly human ones.

What I (Ben) find is if we are ‘on track or in front’ of the plan we’re happy to let others know (usually with a big green tick). If we’re ‘behind or off track’ then the information must seemingly be pried from us; it is nowhere near as freely forth coming.

Sixteen participants (plus observers) in four teams with one focus process per team for one week. The task at hand? Practice a routine for development of Work Standards via a series of learn by doing cycles. The goal – by the weeks end, be able to continue on their own with some ongoing guidance.

Story Construction are early in their endeavours to develop the countermeasure skill to the problem or risk of ‘don’t know, can’t do (well)’. A group of ten (field and engineering) staff very recently undertook practice of the Job Instruction routine in order to develop their training skills.

I (Ben) am working with Cabonne Shire Council. Recently we broke down an invisible wall within management and I wasn’t expecting it. Let me explain.