Improvement Report

Recently I facilitated a workshop for business managers, a workshop with a difference. 

Its aim was to illustrate how the wisdom of children can be successfully used in a business setting.

Difficult as it might be to believe, many current business improvement methods can best be explained in child-centric terms. Yes of course, we are adults working in a grown-up world (most of us) but we can learn a lot from children.

Have you ever watched a child at play or learning; drawing a picture, reading a book, using a computer? They become totally absorbed in what they are doing and it isn't a chore, it isn't something they have to do, they love it.

Well, that is what the workshop was about, how to use the child in all of us to improve our working lives - and the performance of our business. Being practical and focused, determined and unafraid, to improve business processes.

Participants drew a simple but effective process map of their business. This literally maps out how a business works.

Using such a visual method provides a good way of identifying where improvements can be made. This could be in reducing delays, improving customer service, better measurement of business processes and current problems. Through this exercise, participants left the workshop with a plan for improving their own business and making it more effective and efficient.

I'd like to share with you some key points we covered:

* Focus on your own business. Kids don't compare themselves with others - they just try things out. The lesson here is concentrate on what you are doing and not the activities of others.

* Kids are great at prioritising and we need to do this with our businesses. Don't get sidetracked, keep unnecessary activities to a minimum. Business guru Tom Peters coined the phrase 'Stick to Your Knitting' - do what you do well!

* If at first you don't succeed - don't give up! Kids learn to walk this way. Iteration is usually required to make something meaningful happen!

* Get to root cause when problem solving. Kids don't accept answers to questions at face value - and neither should we. Dig deep to get to meaningful answers. This will enable to you solve real problems and not just chase symptoms.

* Embrace routines to manage your obligations. By that I mean have good structures in place that enable you to manage your workload and deliver products and services. This could be as simple as good diary management and time keeping.

* When introducing changes, you are bound to have problems. At times it will seem that progress has shuddered to a halt, often because people are afraid of change. Take tiny steps to overcome procrastination and win people over, allay anxiety.

* Be clear on what your client specification is in order to deliver brilliant service.

"Perhaps we can all use the wisdom of the child in all of us to do better business!"

Giles Johnston, MD of Smartspeed.