STOP!

2/8/14…”I’m just tired of hearing all this negativity,” says one of our managers. Can’t say I blame her but as I told her, I don’t know what to do with what she is conveying to us. Apparently, a vocal few are voicing displeasure regarding coming in for a two hour meeting every other month.  Not sure this is the real reason or not. As I stated in previous blogs, complaining seems a normal part of human nature.

 

As I sat and listened, I wanted to throw my hands up. After almost four years into high performance teams, I felt like some of our leadership wants to stop. At my core I know this is not the right answer. So I addressed the group. Over the last four years, 359 problems were solved as improvements with an 85% sustainment rate.

 

So I wonder aloud to the group. What if we stop? As of today, no more meetings, no more employees working on improvements. What will happen? I ask everyone to think about this. Every day in manufacturing, employees will encounter problems. Most problems are disguised as frustrations and may even fester for years. If we stop, the only avenue for employees to resolve these frustrations is through their supervisors. But when a supervisor has 20 or more people reporting to them, they may desire to help solve problems but due to the sheer quantity accumulating on a daily basis, they are unable. There is only so much time in a day. They also have those above them asking them to solve problems.

 

I challenge the group with this thought. If we stop, yes complaining will cease…regarding coming in for meetings. Instead a new complaining will arise. The complaints will instead center on, “leadership is not solving our problems”.

 

I also am afraid we will hear another type of complaint return. Before high performance teams began four years ago, I used to consistently hear complaints regarding how one shift left another in bad condition and vice versa. After teaming started, these complaints nearly evaporated. So if we stop, I am afraid shift to shift bickering will once again start.

 

Unfortunately complaining is part of human nature. Why? I believe at its core is a spiritual longing, of which most people do not realize. In a TOIL environment, people look to leadership to solve this longing within, but even the best leaders with the best intentions, will find it difficult to fill a void never meant to be filled while on this earth.