ISHIKAWA FOR SUCCESS

Back in 2005, I followed a programme in Quality Management at the Chamber of Commerce in Pontoise. Most of the classes were very interesting and I learnt a great deal about the ISO norms 9001 and 14001, as well as techniques for increasing security, reducing accidents and saving time. Indeed, when people ask me what quality control is about, I tend to simplify things and say it’s for avoiding mistakes and saving time in order to reduce stress and become more efficient … and therefore gain a lot more free time.

One of the people we studied was the Japanese quality expert Karou Ishikawa. Working principally for the Toyota corporation, Ishikawa produced, in 1968, a cause and effect diagram; it is known more commonly as the fishbone diagram.

At first, Ishikawa used this technique for analysing why mistakes happened in the factory, why things went wrong and why time was lost. He broke this down into a number of areas or phrases… often referred to as the 5 Ms because the keywords all began with the same letter.

Although more focused on the wold of industry in the late 1960s, Ishikawa’s ideas of avoiding mistakes have been passed down and adapted to the current business world. Over the years, I have worked on these areas with a number of clients, and as a result, I now have my own approach.

Rather than focus on problems and failures I’ve turned things round so that the fishbone now points to success and the entry question has become… “in order to succeed, what do I need?” Furthermore, the original five Ms have now increased to twelve!

Here is a breakdown of what these are:

Members – which people are working with me on this project? Do we work well as a team? Is there a weak-link or a person who is not sufficiently motivated or involved? If not, what needs to be done to get this person on board? Do they need more supervision, training, mentoring etc.

Manager/Management – who is leading this project, me or another person? Is the other person sufficiently involved? Does he/she lead by example, give clear instructions and make it obvious to the team Members where we are going and why?

Moment – what is the specific context and time framework? Do we have enough time for the project or is it a last minute job? Is it the right moment to launch such a project or service? Are we too early or too late?

Matter – where do we stand right now, what do we have to begin with? What happened just before and is the anything we can learn from this?

Materials – this refers to anything from raw materials to smaller things such as sufficient paper and ink for the printer or business cards and brochures/samples for a potential client.

Machines – this can include all the complex machinery found in a factory as well as the high tech computers, laptops and other such devices. Ask yourself, is your laptop reliable or near to breathing its last? It may be time to consider upgrading, just in case…

Maintenance – this point should be the obvious follow on from Machines. Have you put in place a system to make sure everything works according to plan? Do you perform a regular back-up of all your important computerized documents and data? If you’ve ever lost important files when a computer crashes or somebody’s phone details because you neglected to save the information elsewhere and you mobile is stolen then you know what I’m talking about!

Methods – have you written a series of processes to follow, do you have some simple protocols, a checklist, a roadmap… or just a few vague ideas noted down? Whatever system works best, remember to think before you start doing something and consider some kind of plan that includes how you intend to reach your targets. Don’t just jump in and assume that everything will work out fine; it rarely does!

Measurements – check your progress, or lack of it! Are you on time, have you achieved what you expected to? Whether you are counting the number of successful commercial meetings, your turnover or your integration into a new position, it is essential to stop and check. Take any correction or preventive action as required.

Means – consider your budget; do you have sufficient financial means. If not, rather than trying to cut corners (not a good idea since a client will easily identify a shoddy product and may quickly become an ex-client) see how you can raise the necessary funds. Indeed, don’t ask yourself “can we afford to do it” but “can we afford not to do it?”

Mind Power – how many times have you read about brainstorming or thinking outside the bow? Well, once again, this is a fundamental part of preparing for success. Try to work with other people and bounce a few ideas around. Don’t reject any of the crazy ideas straight away, but let them develop, and see if you can do something with them. Bear in mind that in 1943, Thomas Watson, President of IBM said that he felt the world only needed five computers, while in 1977, Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation said "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." Thankfully, some people did not agree with them, and look at the progress made in computer technology every year!

eMotions – (yes, I’ve slightly cheated on this one!) – at the moment, management books and magazines warn us about the risks of burn out and how more and more people are impacted by this. As a result, so many good projects – not to mention people – collapse and fall by the wayside. Try to focus less on your Limiting Beliefs (I’m afraid of failing because…) and focus more on your Liberating Beliefs (I know I can succeed because I’ve done something like this already). This is not the same as hoping you can succeed and creating false positive emotions; it is rather using past successes as ways of building more in the future.

In conclusion, try to be positive about the project or process you’re currently working on. Before you get too far and run into problems, take the time to consider what is really important, and use these keywords as guidelines to help you define what you need to reach those objectives.

limiting beliefs