Sharpen the Saw

 Is now a good time for manufacturers to think about continuous improvement?

Welcome to episode 1 of a fourteen-part series by John Broadbent from Realise Potential. 

When times are good the message I often hear is, “We don't need to improve right now” meaning the business is making a good profit and happy with the status quo.

When times are tough though, the message I hear is, “We don't have the money!”

So, when is the right time to think about and implement continuous improvement?

This cartoon epitomises the general attitude towards continuous improvement, especially when we’re ‘busy’.

Although it might seem funny, it sadly reflects how many businesses fail to take a breath and explore if there are better ways of doing things.

If you're a fan of Stephen Covey and his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you may remember the 7th habit is ‘Sharpen The Saw.’

And while Covey conveyed this as a personal habit for self-improvement and renewal, it's also understandably being applied to business itself. We have to view the business as something that needs continuously improving.

History is scattered with examples of businesses that didn't do this and failed.

It was Abraham Lincoln who stated "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I'll spend the first four sharpening the saw!" or in his case, an axe.

It pains me to experience businesses that refuse to even consider any form of continuous improvement, especially when some of the issues they face have already been solved elsewhere. And it was Ray Kroc, who bought and expanded the McDonald's Empire, who when he saw French fries on the kitchen floor asked, "What's wrong with this picture?"

This led to the French fries scoop we see in use today, and his approach to improving everything in his business is one of the pillars of McDonald's success.

Sadly, businesses who didn't invest in sharpening their saw when times were better than they are now, might find themselves in dire straits, as they struggle to deal with the inability to be agile and responsive to rapidly changing market conditions.

So, when should you be in a continuous improvement mindset? Well, the answer of course is, ALWAYS. If you're a manufacturer and you want to sharpen your saw, why wait? Now is the time to act. Contact me and we can discuss whether together we can solve your biggest issues.

John Broadbent

Watch John's original LinkedIn video here.