A Lean Journey 
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
“Chaotic Action is Preferable to Orderly Inaction.” — Karl E. Weick
For leaders,
action is one of the most important traits they can embody. Taking action means getting things done. It means seizing the initiative. It conveys momentum, and energy, and creating
something new, something that didn’t exist before. And this excites followers and others who
understand that going towards something is always better than sitting around
staring at the wall.
action is one of the most important traits they can embody. Taking action means getting things done. It means seizing the initiative. It conveys momentum, and energy, and creating
something new, something that didn’t exist before. And this excites followers and others who
understand that going towards something is always better than sitting around
staring at the wall.
Often managers
spot a chance to do something valuable for their company, but for some reason,
they cannot get started. Even if they begin the project, they give up when they
see the first big hurdle. The inability to take purposeful action seems to be
pervasive across companies. Managers tend to ignore or postpone dealing with
crucial issues which require reflection, systematic planning, creative
thinking, and above all, time.
spot a chance to do something valuable for their company, but for some reason,
they cannot get started. Even if they begin the project, they give up when they
see the first big hurdle. The inability to take purposeful action seems to be
pervasive across companies. Managers tend to ignore or postpone dealing with
crucial issues which require reflection, systematic planning, creative
thinking, and above all, time.
If you do nothing,
nothing changes. Things at rest have a tendency to remain at rest. Be aware of
items that stall your action. It’s better to have a 50-percent improvement
right away than it is to take no action and hope for a 100-percent improvement
sometime in the future.
nothing changes. Things at rest have a tendency to remain at rest. Be aware of
items that stall your action. It’s better to have a 50-percent improvement
right away than it is to take no action and hope for a 100-percent improvement
sometime in the future.
The only cure
for inaction is action. That’s why the first step in creating a successful
culture of execution is creating a bias toward action. People who make things
happen need to be praised and rewarded. People who don’t should be coached to
change, or weeded out. Failure cannot be unduly punished. Unless people feel
free to make mistakes, they will not feel free to take bold actions.
for inaction is action. That’s why the first step in creating a successful
culture of execution is creating a bias toward action. People who make things
happen need to be praised and rewarded. People who don’t should be coached to
change, or weeded out. Failure cannot be unduly punished. Unless people feel
free to make mistakes, they will not feel free to take bold actions.
Action hurts
now. We’ll get scarred. We’ll be uncomfortable. We’ll take losses. But we’ll
grow. Inaction doesn’t hurt now, but it hurts for the rest of our lives. We’ll
be comfortable now and be unable to do the uncomfortable thing later. We’ll be
made soft by our stagnation. Every day we choose inaction over action it makes
it harder to take action. We weaken ourselves. Every time we take action we
become stronger.
now. We’ll get scarred. We’ll be uncomfortable. We’ll take losses. But we’ll
grow. Inaction doesn’t hurt now, but it hurts for the rest of our lives. We’ll
be comfortable now and be unable to do the uncomfortable thing later. We’ll be
made soft by our stagnation. Every day we choose inaction over action it makes
it harder to take action. We weaken ourselves. Every time we take action we
become stronger.
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