One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan’s biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty.
Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty.
Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent whoopee amount to do so.
But when a workman was posed with the same problem, did not get into complications of X-rays, etc but instead came out with another solution.
He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.
Moral of the story: Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problem. So, learn to focus on solutions not on problems. “If you look at what you do not have in life, you don’t have anything; if you look at what you have in life, you have everything”
Thanks for all your support in 2011. I’m always looking for inspiring stories to share here and will hopefully be posting many more in 2012.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
My friend Luddite Lass shared this poem on her blog today and it is such an inspiration, I had to share it here too. She’s started a meme on her blog called Wednesday Memories and today she remembered her dad. This poem reminds us about living. Enjoy.
The Dash PoemI read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
©1996 Linda Ellis
I have attended many workshops in my career, many of them fantastic learning experiences that created great shifts for me, but few (and I can count them on one hand) delivered as this one: “Authentic Leadership through the gift of horses”
How does one begin to describe the learning and experience this workshop offers? I mean, doesn’t it sound so far fetched? Or perhaps intriguing? Or crazy? Or a load of horse sh*t! You might have thought some of these thoughts when you read the name of it; however, perhaps you will indulge me and let me illuminate this gift?
Did you understand what unconditional love felt like before your experienced it?
I’d only ever been a receiver of it from my parents and my dog. That was my experience of it, until I held my baby girl in my arms, and in that moment I found my heart outside my body, bigger than I ever thought possible. I experienced giving unconditional love, there were no judgements, no expectations, only love and trust. Then I got it. I truly got it.
Do you remember struggling to master anything in your life? How it felt like you would just never get it? And then one day it just clicked into place and you wondered why it seemed so challenging when in reality it was quite easy? Like learning to ride a bike or car, learning to touch type or perhaps forming letters?
When I got my first calligraphy pens I spent hours practising the letters, line after line, stroke after stroke, pushing through my finger cramps and stretching my aching hand I practised daily. I felt like giving up, it wasn’t worth the frustration. I thought I’d give it one more try…and in that moment, the perfect letter formed, the angles aligned in uniformity and I felt the pride well up inside me. Accomplishment, I got it. I truly got it.
These are examples of moments in our life that simply take our breath away; or we grin like the Cheshire cat or dance a little jig. They are not always earth-shattering to others but they are always meaningful. They change us somehow, sometimes very subtly. When these moments come into our awareness we can’t help but make a change, because once you know something it can’t be unknown. You may choose to ignore it, but you still know it.
This is what the horses do for you. They provide you with insight into the parts of you that will trip you up in your life if you leave them unaddressed. In under 10 minutes!
Accepting feedback can be hard. We hear it from others and instinctively we want to push it away. We deny it is true, we justify it, try to rationalise it, mask it, and often blame the messenger. What’s their intention? Who are they to judge us? This loops until we find acceptance within their message, and then, only when we accept it, can we say we are truly self aware and can make a positive change.
This is the gift of horses. They have no hidden agenda, and their feedback is a mirror to you that gives you the opportunity to see yourself as you truly are with all your masks removed. What shows up is what you need to work on to become an authentic leader, whether you are leading people at work, in your community or your family.
You see it, straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak and it is delivered gently and you feel supported and safe. As you see it, you become aware of your internal dialogue, you connect with how you are feeling and in that moment, as you let their feedback sink in, you realise how this part of you has been playing out in your life.
In that moment, you know that if you could make one small change the horse will respond so differently to you. You know that if you practice and embed that change you will connect with your inner authenticity. You become conscious of what you need to do to embrace the authentic leader you were born to be.
So simple, yet so powerful.
Footnote:
What I’ve shared here is just based on the first one-on-one interaction with the horses.
The workshop covers much more; and for me who works in the leadership space, I was familiar with most of the content; however, knowing the subject matter did not detract from my personal learning through the experience.
There was an area of my development that I was grappling with. I couldn’t find the cause of it and yet in just one day I’d identified the reason for it. Rarely as leaders do we take enough time to reflect on our personal leadership journeys or the opportunity to immediately implement a new way of being. On day two I was able to practise the internal shifts I needed to make. I received instant feedback from the horses. We had several exercises to affirm our shift had taken place.
With the constant change in our worlds, we are not only leading teams, we are influencing people at all levels. To do this just by being ME is invaluable. So now I can take a horse to water and make it drink! (Or in my case, lead her through an obstacle course AND have her lift her hooves for me only because she trusts and respects me and chooses to follow. There are no adequate words to describe it.)
PS Did I tell you I was anxious around horses? Oh yes. I forgot to say that upfront. And the reason I forgot is that I’m no longer afraid.
PPS If you’d like to find out more you can click here
PPPS If you have any further questions about my experience please ask away
I attended an awesome workshop last week and our facilitator shared this lovely story about happiness with us.
There once was a little kitten chasing his tail around and around. An old wise alley cat stopped to watch him for a while. Of course, curiosity got the better of him and he asked the little kitten, “Why are you chasing your tail around and around?”
The little kitten beamed, “I’ve just returned from Cat Philosophy School where I learned two important things. The first thing is that happiness is the most important thing in the whole world and the second is that happiness is at the end of my tail.”
“Ah” nodded the wise old alley cat.
“Yes,” the little kitten continued to explain, “I know that if I can catch the end of my tail then I will have a hold of happiness and I never have to let it go.” he finished off feeling quite self important to know this life gem.
“Well,” laughed the alley cat knowingly, “I’m not as fortunate as you have been. You see, I never had the opportunity to attend Cat Philosophy School but my life here on the streets has also taught me some valuable lessons. I too have learnt that happiness is the most important thing and that, it is indeed located in my tail, however, I have discovered that if I chase it I never will be able to reach it. Furthermore, I have learnt that if I go about doing what I am supposed to be doing I find that happiness follows me everywhere I go.”
What are you doing? Chasing your tail, or doing what you are supposed to be doing so that happiness can follow you?
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as “Euro-English”.
In the first year, “s” will replace the soft “c”. Sertainly, this will make
the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard “c” will be dropped in favour of “k”. This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome “ph” will be replaced with “f”. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent “e” in the languag is disgrasful and it
should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing “th” with “z” and
“w” with “v”.
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary ”o” kan be dropd from vords kontaining ”ou” and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.
If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl.
A reason, a season, a lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is; you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing
on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the
relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that once our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never known, or done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real!
But, only for a season!
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson.
Love the person or people in question (and in the way that is right for them) and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
Anon
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.
“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
Excerpt from “The Velveteen Rabbit” By Margery Williams
[You can read the full story here in this digital library as part of the Build-a-Book initiative celebrating women writers.]
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learnt to love myself more easily, even the shabbier, stiffer bits. My hair may not be rubbed off, but it’s definitely changing colour. My eyes still sparkle but they get tired more easily and my laughter lines are deepening, and yet as I’m aging I’ve found myself becoming more accepting of myself. I’m feeling Real. I’m becoming Real through loving myself.
Always be growing
You are strong… when you take your grief and teach it to smile.
You are brave… when you overcome your fear and help others to do the same.
You are happy… when you see a flower and are thankful for the blessing.
You are loving… when your own pain does not blind you to the pain of others.
You are wise… when you know the limits of your wisdom.
You are true… when you admit there are times you fool yourself.
You are alive… when tomorrow’s hope means more to you than yesterday’s mistake.
You are growing… when you know that you are but not what you are becoming.
You are free… when you are in control of yourself but do not wish to control others.
You are honourable… when you find your honour is to honour others.
You are generous… when you can give as sweetly as you take.
You are humble… when you do not know how humble you are.
You are beautiful… when you don’t need a mirror to tell you.
You are rich… when you never need more than you have.
You are you… when you are at peace with who you are not.
Anon
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