things better . The more you achieve , the better you want to become . In the end , there is no end .
Many companies and business teachers have tried to understand Toyota and refine the company ’ s routine to their current business models and business challenges . Even General Motors has camped at Toyota ’ s plants to learn The Toyota Way led by engineering groups and Six Sigma Black Belt gurus . The gurus would however turn the Toyota model today into a PowerPoint to use tomorrow when Toyota already got better yesterday .
Bottom line is , you can buy the books , hire the consultants , implement the recommendations full proof then loose the gusto to carry the lessons : The result ? Business as usual ! Cutting edge companies are always looking for ways to improve and close the gap , remain ahead of competition , set the trend , or whatever other name you may want to call it .
The shift will only be plausible through learning and self-correction . All the companies sending people packing have some form of recognition among them ISO and standardization certifications .
‘‘ Most lessons in management and how to improve business output revolve around words like innovation , lean , people management , future perspectives . It is the repetition of these phrases , more like words without actions that take away the real spark of the words .’’
Like many of us , team work is about tweeting our horn at meetings and focussing less on how to achieve the recommendations at the end of the report . Like the Six Sigma gurus we are engulfed in making the PowerPoint work for today and pulling it out again tomorrow while the rest of the world is changing and improving .
Our customers have always loved our products in a box without a ribbon , so why spend time and money trying to find out if they would prefer a ribbon on the box ? What colour of ribbon would they actually like ? Will it be a thin ribbon or a fat ribbon ? Where will the bow on the ribbon sit ? Can ’ t it be a coloured tape perhaps ? Is it possible that we have been wrong about the whole box , or the kind of box all this time ?
It ’ s not rocket science that something is amiss . With close to 4,500 job losses being announced in one month , there is no plateau to relax . Marketing plays a critical role in the success of the organization . To remain afloat and make our total contribution , we must do the task and then do the task better .
First , reflect and admit the mistakes and work within the mechanism designed to learn from mistakes . The big folders and expensive Six Sigma trainings sit on the laptops and in the desk drawers . This could be the best time to pull them out and ignite the fires required to move out companies to the next level .
Diana Obath is a seasoned Public Relations and Communications Specialist . You can commune with her on this or related issues via mail on : ObathD @ gmail . com .