"the ability to add your creative ideas & changes to your own work is what makes it possible to do work that is worthy of humans." -- Taiichi Ohno
Also known as the "Respect for People" principle, it is one of two pillars of The Toyota Way. The other is "Continuous Improvement". So why am I focusing on this particular aspect of the Lean Management System? While it may seem to most to be a simple enough principle to comprehend, it clearly is not. Although many organizations tout their employees as their greatest asset, their actions, behaviours and attitudes indicate otherwise. Never was this more evident than during the economic recession when lay-offs, cutbacks and organizational restructuring were the order of the day. When I ask managers what "Respect for People " means to them, I get answers such as: being fair, paying them well, listening, being friendly, or providing a safe work environment. The "Respect for People" principle goes so much deeper than that. It is critical to the long-term survival and prosperity of an organization to fully grasp the true meaning of this vital principle.
Toyota's "Respect for People" principle consists of two elements:
"Respect: We respect others, make every effort to understand each other, take responsibility and do our best to build mutual trust.
Teamwork: We stimulate personal and professional growth, share the opportunities of development and maximize individual and team performance."
The wording is simple yet powerful. Doesn't everything sound so much better when the word "we" is used? It's inclusive and fosters a feeling of being part of something bigger than anything that any one individual could ever accomplish.
Can you just imagine the impact Respect and Teamwork could have in your organization? How many of you in reading these two elements of the "Respect for People" principle can honestly say, "That's how it is in my workplace"?
Wouldn't you agree that there is a lot of unused brainpower in our workplaces? How many people do you have who actively show initiative? What kind of joy and satisfaction does your workforce experience in the work they perform? How easy do you make it for them to do a great job?
I recently read a quote on a T-shirt that said: "I want to go the extra mile but my boss keeps bringing me back". Do you give your employees the opportunity to reach their full potential?
Looking back to when I worked in the corporate world, I now realize that I could and should have done things differently. For example, I certainly could have given the people who worked with me more say with respect to their day-to-day activities. How? By allowing them to work in their areas of strength and on the things they were naturally good and effective at rather than being focused on titles or job descriptions. So why didn't I? It may seem like a poor excuse but I was simply too caught up with my own work. My department seemed to be humming along quite nicely. The work was getting done, people were getting along and I thought "its' all good". If they didn't like it, surely they would tell me. I sometimes think how much more could have been accomplished and how much happier everyone could have been. My focus should have been on developing the people who worked with me to be the best they could be. Don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of complacency. It's not a good place to be.
As I work with companies to help them improve their organizational effectiveness, more often than not I see a common thread. Employees do not feel that they are valued. They do not feel as if the work they do makes a difference. The aspect of trust and mutual respect is missing. Teamwork for them is just a buzz word. Maximizing individual and team performance is just a dream. As a result, they settle for the status quo. They come to work in body, but their mind is somewhere else. What a huge missed opportunity. And yet, many companies claim that they are doing well. If that is truly the case, then just imagine how much better they could do if their people were truly engaged, if they came to work each day with body and mind.
The main reason many continuous improvement initiatives fail is because the people factor was overlooked. Include them in any upcoming changes and ideas and allow them to provide feedback. Many years ago I heard a wonderful quote that essentially said: "If you get people to plan the battle, they won't battle the plan." Your employees have fantastic ideas. Demonstrate your respect by actively listening to them.
Fujio Cho, the current Chairman of the Toyota Motor Corporation, co-authored a paper in 1977 titled: "Toyota Production System and Kanban System: Materialization of Just-in-Time and Respect-for-Human System". In this paper, the "Respect for Human" system was described as follows:
"...where the workers are allowed to display in full their capabilities through active participation in running and improving their own workshops...which is the most distinctive feature of Toyota's respect for human system."
"Toyota firmly believes that making up a system where the capable Japanese workers can actively participate in running and improving their workshops and be able to fully display their capabilities would be the foundation of human respect environment of the highest order."
In the latest edition of the Lean Manufacturing classic Lean Thinking, Underutilization of Employees has been added as the 8th Waste in Taiichi Ohno's original 7 Wastes. Companies hire people for their nimble fingers and strong muscles but forget they come to work every day with a brain. Tap into the brainpower of your employees. Help them to reach their full potential. It's not training, it's learning. Always, always, always ask: "Is there a better way?" It is only by capitalizing on employees' creativity and ingenuity that organizations can truly get to the next level. Lead by example. Make a genuine effort to demonstrate "Respect for Humanity" each and every day and in return, your people will follow your lead and also have "Respect for Humanity".
Be the BEST You Can Be!
Heidi
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