Meeting with Genba Sensei – how to prepare?

Tips on how a Plant Director should prepare for a meeting with Sensei Genba Coach

1. Turn up ready to listen, look, ask, reflect, learn
2. Don’t talk about what you did. That’s history and oxygen muda.
3. Talk about current challenges, standards, expectations and problems.
4. Learn to listen and make notes. You need to think about the wisdom as there will be so much of it, you won’t comprehend fully, nor remember.
5. Don’t argue your point, because for sure your understanding of how to run a plant anywhere near tps is still at a level which can be at best termed House keeping. Don’t be offended that is what it will be in most cases. Just learn.
6. Ask questions and ask why A good sensei will willingly yokoten with you, so listen.
7. Practice humility. Difficult one for anyone, but try. what does it mean humility. The ability to put aside your pride and self adoration and listen with respect.
8. Don’t prepare company presentation for Sensei that’s BS muda.
The truth will be seen when going to Genba.
9. Respect has three pillars; the Sensei time Sensei hands, Sensei Head. Use these resources given you to learn to kaizen.
10. Kaizen; what is kaizen. Let’s cut the kaizen muda pontificating of experts.
if, your business is business, then kaizen means one thing only. Reducing the cost of one unit. stop.
Before you learn how to do this, start with a kaizen of yourself.
11. Invite the Sensei for lunch and attend the lunch.
12. A Sensei may not even need the fees as they are have secured income from other sources. Always pay all Sensei costs, even if this a first visit. If you have any dignity pay the full fee even if the Sensei does not ask for it, even if its just 5ths usd for the day. You have no idea what value a Sensei brings and how they will be more than willing to follow up the meeting with advice and materials from their home base.
13. Don’t say you are doing Lean, what ever that might be. It probably closer to house keeping if anything.
14. After the meeting sit down with your team and hold a yokoten workshop “what did we learn”.
15. Try to plan a draft implementation plan. Ask the Sensei back.
16. Don’t look at interpreter, look at the Sensei Olaf Boettger thank you.
17. Prior to the meeting read up on the Sensei… books, posts. Discern between copying and wisdom which is experience and principled thought.