A Lesson in REspect and Continuous Improvement
During my recent trip to Thailand with my husband, we flew on Japan Airlines. I must give a quick shout-out to their excellent service and hospitality. After a long 14-hour flight from JFK in NYC to Haneda in Tokyo, we landed at 5:00 am. While waiting for the Japan Airlines lounge to open, I quickly noticed how clean and respectful the Japanese people were. This was my first time in Asia, having only traveled to Europe and Latin America before. My husband, who has been to Tokyo and other parts of Asia several times for business, has shared many wonderful stories, as have others like Katie Anderson. Being immersed in the Continuous Improvement world for over 14 years, visiting Japan has always been high on my list.
Once the lounge opened, the excellent staff there was incredibly respectful and helped us with all our questions. By the way, the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge is fantastic. With a six-hour layover until our flight to Bangkok, we made full use of the lounge and all its offerings.
The Culture of Lean and respect
As it neared time to board our flight, we headed to our gate. Haneda Airport was bustling with activity, and I noticed even more the respect people had for one another. While waiting to board, I witnessed something I had only heard about from my husband and others regarding Japanese culture. Two people greeted each other by bowing and exchanging business cards. Both individuals used two hands to present their cards and read them carefully before respectfully placing them in their cardholders. Reflecting on this and discussing it with my husband, I said, “This is what Lean culture is all about—respect for people!”
It is more than Process Improvement
Often, my clients and students come to me because something within their processes or products needs improvement. While Lean or Lean Six Sigma can help improve processes, it’s really about the people. It’s about giving people at all levels the respect and empowerment to learn about problem-solving and continuously find ways to improve through education and culture.
Respect for people and customers needs to be taught alongside problem-solving and the tools that come with it. Once this is in place, process improvements, cost savings, and increased revenue will follow. Now
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