The joy of kaizen problem-solving

Have you tried solving problems without being told by your boss? If you’re an ordinary manager, I suspect you will not lift a finger until the problem threatens the size of your merit increase, bonus, if not your job security. Why is this happening? Why are there so many reactive managers out there?

There are many reasons. For one, take it from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) who said: “Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.” They judge that proactive problem-solving may not be important to top management. If it’s important, they must tell their people to actively define and solve problems.

Of course, that’s a pathetic excuse.

It’s no secret that almost everyone wants to enjoy his or her comfort zone. Most people strive to meet only the barest minimum requirements of their jobs. I’ve seen this happening with certain managers. Management maverick and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs (1955-2011) knew such a problem that he told his people to “stay hungry, stay foolish.”

Staying hungry and foolish means actively looking for things that have not been found before. It’s the emotional hot button of successful inventors and entrepreneurs. It prompts you into a state of incredible euphoria to discover and do what’s unique.

At times, we can readily understand the lazybones who think they’re already overworked and underpaid. The simple truth is – they don’t know how to prioritize their tasks using simple logic. Indeed, there are many ways to skin a cat, except that we don’t want to see and touch its entrails.

Who are these lazy managers who are not proactive in solving problems? They bum around as if they’re secured in their lucrative jobs as they continue playing Air Supply records in their Sony Walkman instead of using Spotify. Many of them are soon to retire except that they’re making it difficult for their successors to take over. And that’s a bigger problem.

Kaizen Joy

I met three of their kind last week when they tried to examine the recommendation of their deputies on kaizen problem-solving. With a hint of arrogance, they claimed they tried kaizen before and nothing came out of it. “So, what’s the reason?” I asked them. Sound of silence. I was tempted to tell them:

“If you don’t know the reason, then you don’t know what you’re doing.” Now, who would want to debate with people who don’t know what they’re doing?

Let’s go straight to the point. How do we distinguish my kaizen strategy – similar to how Howard Shultz did when he created Starbucks which was copied many times by its competitors? He made Starbucks unique by offering the best ambiance to people who can afford to pay for expensive coffee blends. In my case, I’m making every kaizen problem-solving activity an enjoyable experience for everyone.

That’s why I call it - Kaizen Joy as opposed to what others think of problem-solving as a killjoy activity, no matter how we affix the term “empowerment” or “engagement” into it. So, why not make problem-solving an enjoyable or rewarding experience? Choose one or both depending on the company’s capacity.

If you don’t have the money to reward people with their excellent ideas, then at least make it a pleasant experience. Otherwise, send them to Japan for an all-expenses paid trip to learn more about the origin of kaizen, lean thinking and the much-acclaimed Toyota Production System.

It’s guaranteed. They would do more than what’s expected of them.

That’s what many of my clients are doing when their key people save them hundreds of thousands of dollars for solving their recurring operational issues. But then, you have to make problem-solving an enjoyable or rewarding experience. If despite your efforts, they still don’t become enamored with problem-solving, then think of a different approach.

Reverse psychology

Remember The Adventures of Tom Sawyer written by Mark Twain in 1876? It’s an old classic packed with many lessons, including the part when Tom turned a problem into an opportunity. Orphan Tom lives with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother Sid in Missouri.

Thirteen-year-old Tom is a mischievous teenager who often skips school to play or go swimming. When Aunt Polly caught him sneaking home late on a Friday night with bruises all over his body, she discovered that Tom was involved in a street brawl. To teach him a lesson, Aunt Polly penalized him to whitewash their fence the next day.

Unperturbed, Tom ensured that whitewashing the fence would make Aunt Polly proud of him. Instead of feeling bad about a laborious task, he showed the neighborhood boys that he was enjoying a masterpiece done only by real men. Bystander Joe Harper who was his age was amazed at how Tom perfected the job like a real pro. He asked Tom if he could try it, too.

At first, Tom rejected the idea while emphasizing it’s a job for real men. Tom says not everyone gets a chance to whitewash a fence every day. That put the task in a new, positive light. Joe begged Tom to let him do it, with an offer of a bagful of apples. Tom agreed on the condition that the coat must be done three times.

Seeing that Joe enjoyed the job, many boys came into the picture and negotiated for the chance to try it. They gave Tom gifts in exchange for the same opportunity. Now, that’s reverse psychology. In business, it’s called a win-win solution. In politics, it’s manipulation.

Rey Elbo is a quality and productivity improvement preacher. Consult your management issues with him via Facebook, LinkedIn, X or email [email protected] or via https://reyelbo.com