When it comes to kaizen it is not enough to know the techniques and methods that integrate it, it is necessary to make it feasible to be imbued with the kaizen spirit. It is something that goes beyond philosophy as well as the system in question.
Now, what does being impregnated imply or mean? It means being consubstantiated and totally committed to a cause, an objective, a way of being, of feeling and of seeing work and life.
The reason why the implementation of kaizen in companies so often fails is due precisely to this lack of kaizen spirit on the part of its top leaders and executives.
You need to understand that a kaizen leader is very different from a traditional leader.
Kaizen leadership requires other types of skills and attitudes. A manager cannot be truly committed to kaizen if he is not imbued with its philosophy and spirit before.
The kaizen spirit
Above all, it requires submission. Submission to the wishes of customers and consumers, submission to quality as a great goal, submission to the needs of the staff, submission to study and research.
It is therefore not easy to apply if managers have not really been willing to submit to such demands before. Traditional companies are the opposite, they try to subject customers to their products and designs, they subject their employees and workers to their organizational structures and corporate objectives, they subject society to their own quality standards, and they do not take anything at all. Consideration to allocate time and money to training and research.
Whoever submits really dominates the situation, because it is a submission not of slaves but of true servants. Well, those who best serve the community and consumers will be those with the highest profits and market shares.
Kaizen is not for arrogant managers. Pride is an arch enemy of kaizen.
Pride leads one to point the finger at the problem to others when it is their leaders and managers who must take charge of the challenges and inefficiencies.
Saying: "I know what kaizen is but they (the employees) do not understand it", or saying "I agree with kaizen but I cannot make them understand and apply it" shows very poor knowledge on the part of said manager, and what is more a total ignorance of the authentic and true kaizen spirit.
Kaizen involves releasing and driving the enormous and phenomenal inner energies that employees possess, hence Matsushita's famous phrase "we will succeed and you will be defeated, for your workers only lay hands (but not your brain and spirit)."
Unleashing those creative, innovative, and disciplined energies requires a new type of leadership, Type "Y" (D. McGregor) leadership or even more, "Z" Type. Releasing that energy and driving it, guiding it, will lead to a process of permanent improvement in the organization.
The employee or worker has and feels the urgent need to release and apply his creative energies.
Every human being needs it. But both in companies, as in traditional schools and colleges, they are forced to submit, to accept established fees. So we have underutilized human resources. Used on a very small scale of their authentic and true possibilities, which in turn leads to a great waste of material resources.
Undoubtedly, the big question is the waste of the company's human resources. It is precisely team activities and suggestion systems that are ways to encourage participation.
Something that is strengthened by what Imai calls "the deployment of policies." Without a true understanding and kaizen spirit, these systems will never be able to generate the results expected of them.
Karatsu's teachings
Hajime Karatsu (winner of the Deming Prize) tells us in his work "CTC: The Japanese Wisdom" that an organization can only be transformed when a capable manager assumes command.
Now, what are the skills that a good manager must possess. According to Karatsu they are:
- Specialized knowledge: at the outset, a manager needs basic knowledge about the production process. It is what everyone expects, and the higher the company pyramid is, the more knowledge they should have. General knowledge: no matter how good you are in your field, without general knowledge a manager can be considered "a fool of his own specialization." Enthusiasm: no matter that you have good general and specialized knowledge, a person without enthusiasm is not in a position to become a director. A director must appear to be a walking encyclopedia, but without a fighting spirit, he cannot direct his subordinates. Common sense: having enthusiasm does not mean repeating the same thing over and over or scolding subordinates.A well-informed and motivated person lacking common sense is probably the worst kind of manager. Who is a sensible director? The person who has wisdom and common sense. Teamwork: each director is the head of her own organization. No matter how capable and enthusiastic she is, the manager who doesn't know how to work in a team can't motivate her subordinates. Impartiality: Subordinates are always aware of how their manager views them. If they have been treated unfairly, they are less motivated to do their job. The higher a manager is in the company pyramid, the more importance he should give to treating subordinates fairly. Comprehension: It is the ability to quickly and accurately capture what another person is saying.A subordinate will quickly lose interest if, after careful presentation, the manager's remarks are irrelevant. Subordinates are willing to assist in difficult times to the extent that they feel that what they offer is understood and appreciated. Power of persuasion: No matter how good a plan is, if a manager is unable to persuade others to adopt it, he will not go anywhere. Without the ability to speak persuasively it is impossible to lead people. Stability: when a manager lacks self-confidence, subordinates may not know how to act. Fearlessness: Implementing a plan requires fearlessness. Management always carries some risks; Fearlessness and courage are essential to face them. Responsibility: never blame subordinates for a mistake;take responsibility yourself. And don't take ownership of your successes, instead acknowledge your success. Sensitivity: In any country, good human relations begin with sensitivity to the feelings of others.
These are, according to Hajime Karatsu, the qualities that a manager needs to manage an organization effectively.
Conclusions
How a company can improve, which tries to reduce its costs while trying to impose its designs and wishes on consumers. How can a company of excellence be considered those for which the management of knowledge or human relations is only a waste of time.
While in a traditional company the manager blames poor results on his subordinates, in a competitive company with a true kaizen spirit, the manager apologizes to his workers for not knowing how to lead them to victory.
Many managers do not want to apply kaizen in their companies because they do not intend to change their way of being and feeling, others try to apply it but lack the necessary spirit for change, while others consider that change can be achieved only by adding merely technical questions.
The truth of triumph, as in all important achievements in life, is in the strength of the spirit. In embracing a cause trusting in your own energies and in those of the people who accompany us in the challenge.
A company will be able to hire the best gurus in Japan and will not achieve any result, but is willing to make a real and profound change in its way of thinking and feeling.
It must remove the old paradigms of the Taylor company to give rise to the new paradigms of the globalized company.
Bibliography
- CTC - Japanese wisdom. Hajime Karatsu. Editorial Gestión 2000. 1992What is total quality control? - Kaoru Ishikawa - Editorial Norma - 1989The Toyota Production System. Taiichi Ohno. Editorial Gestión 2000. 1991Excelencia: a way of life. Heberto Mahon. Vergara Editors. 1991 Get used to success. Mack R. Douglas. Iberonet Publishing. 1994
