[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” dimension_margin=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]So picking up my journal of my Japan Kaizen Experience, we’re back to my favourite, the Toyota tour, and the next discussion we had with our hosts was around how Toyota identified what I call “bright ideas” people.
I don’t know about you, but I really struggle to knock a nail into wood, without destroying either something or injuring myself in the process. What Toyota does is to recognise those employees that come up with simple labour saving and efficiency boosting ideas and then allows them time and resources to turn their mini innovations and ideas into reality.
Toyota positively encourages these ideas and turns them into practical solutions to further drive their Kaizen thinking. I heard of a guy at another Japanese corporation who averaged 200 ideas per year, some of which assisted the production system and some were even turned into commercial products that became world class ideas.
This natural ability to see your way through simple solutions to everyday problems, is known in Japanese as a mixture of kan which means “sense” and kuri which is probably the shortened for of creativity. “So sense of creativity”.
The example we saw at the Toyota training centre was a device that used opposing magnets to feed metal seals or O Rings one by one to the assembly operator. This resembled one of those soft drink lid dispensers at a fast food restaurant. Every time you withdrew a part, the next one popped out under the magnetic force, exactly in the right position every time.
A second example shown to us was a short gravity fed small parts container returns conveyor that was a one touch operation when emptied, and using gravity, delivered the empty to the exact position for the internal logistics operator to collect at the border of the line…pure genius and no energy other than nature’s own is required.
In summary, would you choose to single out people in your organisation that show a natural flair for solving problems with simple ideas and inventions and give them time and resources to tinker? Well Toyota does just that and with amazing results…food for thought?
For me this is an example of How Toyota fosters small innovations through best utilising the creativity and natural ability of their people, and realising that this is a valuable resource in improving efficiency, quality and safety in the workplace.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Diary of a Kaizen Warrior 