The reality on the ground can damage reputation

Are we like goslings or baby geese that follow a mother goose wherever it goes? It appears that way, at least in my case. Looking back in 1994, when I completed my scholarship on Japanese management in Tokyo, my eyes and ears would automatically open up to almost anything about Japan, including those that pertain to kaizen or the branded Toyota Production System.

What’s good for the geese is also good for humans. In psychology, we call this phenomenon “imprinting.” Both human and animal babies instinctively follow the dictates of the first living thing near them, usually their mother, who provides them with food, shelter and a safe environment while teaching them basic survival tricks.

Imagine my euphoria whenever I’m coached by the famous kaizen guru Masaaki Imai (1930-2023) and my good friend Kenji Kitamura, who spent 40 years in Toyota. Like a gosling, I would follow the lead of Imai and Kitamura, who taught me how to interpret the best practices of world-class organizations.

Gemba Walk

Three months ago, I visited a major factory in Laguna to learn from its best practices, touted as a paragon for world-class operational excellence. I was invited by its factory executive who told me he’s a follower of my irreverent “Elbonomics” postings on social media. He asked if I could do a one-hour Gemba Walk for free.

They’ve already exhausted all means to be a world-class organization and they want an outsider to discover what they’re missing. I accepted the offer. It was a win-win situation.

I wanted to learn from them as well.

The problem is that I’m only limited to doing it for one hour without my mobile phone.

They don’t want me to record my experience. That’s understandable. Not even a small notebook and ballpoint pen. I had no choice but to understand their operations using my aging memory.

After emerging from a reception area with a funny, blue baseball cap and yellow polyester shirt-jack with the name “Guest” embroidered on the breast pocket, I asked the host if I could field brief questions to those on the shop floor. They agreed.

Misrepresentation

So, what were the highlights of my experience? What are the things they overlooked, if not ignored that could cause potential issues on quality and productivity? Was there a disconnect between management goals and what the workers understand?

I was a bit nervous dealing with my manager-guides, whose corporate experience according to their LinkedIn profiles was thousands of miles away from where I was seated. I felt like David dealing with three Goliaths, especially when they mentioned “world-class operational excellence” – four words, that were dramatically spoken. I bet they even talked about it with their grandchildren last Christmas.

I knew I could help them. The trick lies in discovering what they’re missing without disrespecting them. It could be an unintentional distortion of facts to suit legal requirements, circumvent industry standards or all of the above.

We started the meeting with a brief introduction. I was given a beautiful brochure, followed by a five-minute video presentation. I was amazed.

However, my inner self told me: "Don't go by what they claim to be. Instead, pore holes in their claims." After all, they hired me for my critical thinking skills.

After all, they hired me for my critical thinking skills.

Now, here are some of the “holes” that I discovered, which I discussed with their management after that one-hour tour:

The identity of the customer. I asked an operator manning a machine: “Who is your customer?” His answer: “Diabetic senior citizens. This powdered drink can help them manage their diabetes.” Wrong! His customer is the next person within the organization. That includes the team leader, line supervisor, and department boss, in that order. Why? A machine operator does not have direct, proximate relations with consumers.

Visual management control. “If you need a tool to restart a machine, how long would it take you to locate that tool?” A worker standing by replied: “Five minutes.” That’s too long. “Is there a way you can reduce it to one minute?” Every minute counts knowing that a machine must be restarted every hour.

They claimed it’s a special tool that must be kept under lock and key.

Quality inspection. “Who has the primary responsibility of ensuring product quality?” Another machine operator chimed in: “We have a hybrid inspection system at the end of the line – electronic scanning and manual checking.” I asked: “Can we make the quality inspectors irrelevant?”

There was a sound of silence.

The employee suggestion system. I asked the managers about the number of ideas they’re receiving from the workers every year. It could be an issue about safety, a potential accident, or even a boss-subordinate conflict. They’ve no idea except to direct me to a nearby wooden suggestion box. I asked if we could take a look at what’s inside.

There was no time for that. The key was with the human resources department.

I wish I could share more in this space. As a management consultant, I’ve realized that this company exaggerated its version of world-class operational excellence without seeing the reality on the ground. That one-hour experience with me swiftly brought them back to earth.

Rey Elbo is a quality and productivity improvement enthusiast. For free insights, contact him on Facebook, LinkedIn, X or email [email protected] or via reyelbo.com.