I was recalling various work experiences, this one stick very vivid in my memory and taught me so much.
I was seeking a new role and career advancement so I saw an advert for a direct report to a site director for a large stationary company. I won't name and shame but I will share my experience with you.
I had to complete a few rounds of interviews some mock appraisals and review meetings with people on site. I also had to complete a presentation with some information and data I had been given. I thought this very professional and if this is the business then am going to enjoy working here.I was successful and looked forward to starting my new challenge and also my first ever company car. 
I had a weeks induction a good overview to the business and various departments, spent the day in tele sales. It was really refreshing to have a good induction and understanding of the business. I thought this is great.
I had a little niggle though I wanted to understand what was expected from working hours point of view. All I kept getting told "whatever it takes", I've never been shy of getting stuck in doing the hours in time of peak or when I felt that little extra was needed, so I understood "whatever it takes" to be just that.
Day one in my new role designate to site director I turn up in my suit and tie ready to lead the team and look to how I could improve the various department. I had travelled in my own car I asked what's the lead time for my company car to arrive as I am selling the one I have. I should have realised this was not going to go well when the Director was mortified that there was a company car with the role (it was one of my reason for taking the job), so reluctantly he had to order one.
Now as a leader I like to understand what the performance is current what's expected and any problems with services or errors that I could address. So that's just where I was going to start. I went to the office and was handed a little packet, being told you are going to need this. I opened it and it was a picking stamp (a numbered stamp to identify who had picked the customers order and was used to stamp the parcel on the order line), puzzled I asked why I would need a stamp. I was informed for when you are on the line picking "That's what we do here". I soon discovered all the leadership team were driving fork lift trucks, loading cases and picking orders. They were not leading looking for improvements they were merely over paid workers, boosting the site's performance as they weren't  recorded in the calculations of performance.
So just imagine am stood there in my best suit picking items putting them in boxes and loading them on the conveyor belt, not  just for a few minutes or when it was really busy but all day. I challenged this not because I am lazy but I could see where we could make improvements and Lead the teams to improve, that was met with deaf ears. I was frustrated and realised this was one of the biggest mistakes of my life to date. 
There were two shift one that started around 08:00 an overlap shit that finished between 21:00 -22:00 each day. So I arrived at work at 09:00 and left at around 20:00 for the first few days as thought I need to see what's happening throughout the day (in between picking). Imagine the surprise when I was requested to the office to explain why I was not there to open the site and close the site each day. Now I realised what the "whatever it take meant" you'll be here as long as we are operating. To make matters worse another colleague said wait till we are in peak we are here 18 - 20 hrs a day.
I lasted just over a month there until I went into my line managers office to discuss what I wanted to do and what was expected. It ended with me putting my car keys on the desk and requesting a taxi home. All sorts of emotions went through my mind, I was relieved as it was sole destroying and nothing like I was expecting. I was also not looking forward to informing my partner "Am on my way home because I've basically told them to stick the job". That was not a very pleasant conversation.
I still have the picking stamp in my office and often look at it as a reminder, how not to lead a team and to always be 100% sure the company I plan to work for is the right one and not just a mirage of something great.


Duggystone

More and more people are setting up their own business, unless it's a brand new product or services they face a lot of competition in crowded market space. 
I don't want to go into too much detail about niche markets and market share and all those kind of business strategy. That can wait for another time, what I do want to cover is a different way of viewing the market place and how it has helped  new business grow and create new opportunity.
Whilst on an international training program somewhat like an MBA, I had the amazing opportunity to Study at a number of Universities including  Stanford University (who ran the program). I was then fortunate to meet the Authors of Blue Ocean Strategy, W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. If you've never heard of the book or read it well its worth the time.
The book looks at how you make the competition irrelevant. One of the key parts of Blue Ocean Strategy is the "Four Actions Framework", in this you look at a current offering and follow these 4 points
1. Reduce - Reduce the parts of the current offering below the industry standard , the things that people are not really bothered about.
2. Create - Create factors that the industry has never offered 
3. Raise - Raise or increase above current industry standards 
4. Eliminate - Remove the factors the industry takes for granted and that should be eliminated.


By following the above you can not only gain customers from the current industry , but attract new customers to your offering.What does that all mean I can hear people asking the question so some examples are required to make it relevant and easily understood.
A great example is Cirque du Soleil if you've never seen a show I can recommend truly great experience. Cirque du Soleil was entering a space occupied by the circus industry. They followed the 4 steps , 
1-Eliminated star performers, animals ,multi-show arena
2. raised - Unique venues ( Albert hall as an example , was a great show) 
3. Reduced - Humor, Thrill and danger
4. Created - Theme , refined environment , multiple productions , Artist music and dance (they don't use language as such so anyone can watch and enjoy)
These changes from traditional circus also attracts another kind of customer, those looking for entertainment such as cinema and theater. 
There are loads of examples to Blue Ocean , Budget airline, Hotel chains such as travel lodge just look how they have changed their industries with the 4 steps. There is obliviously more than the 4 steps but it give you a flavor.
I look for blue ocean strategy in other business, I am group Leader at 4n leamington Spa breakfast .
Let's look at 4N is that Blue Ocean?
1. Eliminate - Forces referral and attendance 
2.Raise - Introduce a 4sight slot not a sales pitch but informative, motivating
3. Reduce - Reduced the corporate approach making it more human, friendly 
4. Create - Introduced a passport system where your not restricted to any one meeting making it flexible 


So if you're looking to enter a crowded market re- thing your strategy don't just emulate what's already there create your own "Blue Ocean"
www.duggystone.com

Being on top in your market is a great achievement, brings rewards and opportunities to grow, money to invest and maintain a successful organisation.
Being on top can bring with it a number disadvantages.
1.Size - like comparing a giant fuel tanker with a small sail boat, the tanker is on course and it take a long time for it to change course, even slowing down take a long time. Were as the sail- boat might not have as much in the way of power and presence but can identify obstacle's and quickly change course its agile.
2.Mature Culture - now cultures are great and they are what makes an organisation what it is, a bit like a personality of an individual. Mature companies can be so focussed on what worked for them to give them the original success they miss things that are happening outside of their bubble.
3.Arrogance - The business believes they are the best, well everyone keeps buying our product so we must be here for the long term. they miss those subtle changes miss what the competition is working on and miss potential disruptive innovation. They don't believe they need to change anything !.
So what does all that actually mean where can we see what Strategic drift are there examples of companies?.
A classic strategic drift company totally top of their industry and their product was Nokia. Nokia were market leaders in the mobile phone market, the hands set were robust, battery life was brilliant. Everyone either had the latest Nokia or wanted one. 
They had focussed on the phone as a communication device, stayed with their original idea product. Whilst other companies identified the need for a Smart Phone allowing users to have more than just an amazing mobile phone. Nokia strategy had resulted in them drifting away from what was emerging in the handset market. Their market share and dominance were eroded with the emergence of companies like Apple and Samsung.
So could they have avoided their demise? ultimately they could have had the market share that Apple currently enjoy ( note I say currently). However it would have required a change in culture over a period of time, new developments and people in the organisation that not only could see changing trends and technology advancement but could change the companies direction. Just think about it if you are number 1 in your field and someone says, "these hand set are great but let's make something completely different" it's a big risk and as the CEO would you take that leap of faith. So Nokia could have remained number 1 but Culture, Size and arrogance prevented them from doing so.
The take away from this post is continually review your business strategy, what changing in the world that could affect your current position. For smaller organisations identifying these trends could result in your product or service rising up to replace the current organisation that occupy that space.
Being the biggest or the market leader is not always an easy position to be in. 
Remember change is not a bad thing what you originally set out to achieve may change don't be too precious on your original idea, product or service because if no one is buying it or wants it anymore its just your passion.


Duggystone 
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So let's talk quality, in a previous post I discussed implementing 5's before attempting any business Quality improvements. if you missed that it's on my blog page, I suggest you read that also http://www.duggystone.com/kirks-blog.
So you are looking to improve your quality output, your productivity or improve your safety performance. I imagine your looking for consistent results right !.
So what do you need to do to improve your current performance and more importantly sustain that improvement?. 
My advice do not make quick assumption and implement changes that relate to the symptom and not the true root cause. I like to use analogies so here is one on the subject. 
Someone slips at work due to oil on the floor, the reaction to the symptoms would be to blame the house - keeping program and look at ways to step that up. Just hold on a moment and think about WHY and think WHY 5 times till you exhaust all the potentials and get to the true root cause.
Employee falls -WHY
Oil on floor - WHY
From material handling equipment - WHY
Leaking hydraulic seal - WHY
Equipment not serviced within guideline time frame - WHY
So from the original assumption its down to house- keeping, in fact the correct solution is to review the servicing program with the person or company responsible for the equipment. 
You can apply the method to everything you do, as it's vital to get to the true cause of the problems before you can get to improving or removing them completely. In the long run it will save you time and money as it prevents you wasting resources on a symptom and not the cure.
So if your producing widgets, have production problems or errors just step back for a moment and ask WHY. You should be able to identify the cause of the issue , word of advice don't look to blame someone as it better to get the whole team adopting and using the method. If they feel it's a witch hunt they are likely to find the wrong WHY. (obviously if the real root cause is a breach of company policy or an illegal act then that's a different matter, in that case if you don't have an HR department then I would suggest bringing in a professional to help deal with it https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarnyabrink this is someone I would recommend you use).
So my challenge to you review some of the problem's you are experiencing  and ask WHY, WHY,WHY,WHY,WHY... then solve it.
Let me know if you implement the 5 whys and what effect it had on the problem and solution.
www.duggystone.com
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