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Stop Fixing Things!


Instead of fixing something that seems to be broken try improving things. I will talk about two things you can do starting today to improve the quality of your team. But first, the NFL football season is underway. Players, coaches, trainers, and owners didn't just show up for the first game. A lot of preparation went into getting ready for the season. After all there are championships to play for and money to be made. NFL teams begin with 90 players and by the time the regular season starts they have to whittle that down to 53. It isn't the number of players that make the difference in the NFL its the quality of those players. Coaches are always trying to improve their teams. They cut players, trade others, and still others are put on the practice squad. All of this jockeying and preparation to be the Super Bowl Champions. It isn't enough to just suit up and play 17-games they all want the prize, the ring that says, We are World Champions! There focus isn't solely on solving their problems it is focused on improvement. This is the mission for all teams. But only one wins the grand prize.


In your world you don't have to be the "Super Bowl Champions" to be a winner. You can win everyday by improving little by little everyday you are in business. Continuous Improvement has been around quite some time like Lean and Six Sigma as examples. However at the core they truly are more of a problem-solving method used to “fix and repair”, as well as being used as a "water hose" to put out fires. When something goes wrong on the job they try to restore the system back to its original state rather than improve that state. They do little to build innovative teams trusting one another enough to take risks together.


For at least 10-years now employers have been complaining about the workforce. Most companies are treading water. Why? Companies stifle innovation when they focus on problem-solving rather than truly improving. 3M was a company that utilized Six Sigma to improve efficiencies, cut costs, and train thousands of employees and they did. But at what cost? First, become a culture of innovation. 3M was getting results in quality but losing an innovative edge in the production of new and innovative products. Their competition was beating them. Yes, you will always need to solve problems but with a culture of improving rather than solving, you will have a noticeable difference in your employee turnover. Secondly, develop innovation teams in your company. Let go of and let loose of your agenda and your way of wanting things done and let the workforce innovate their way to a stronger, healthier team that is advancing rather than keeping the status-quo. Improving rather than solving problems.


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