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Organise for full efficiency and effectiveness - The message of 5S

by K. A. I. Kalyanaratne, Head - Human Resources & Administration Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka Limited (MBSL)

While 5S provides the desired neat, orderly and clutter-free environment, it also sets in motion the expected mental revolution within the organisation that leads to positive thinking and the preparation of the background for the behavioral and system/analytical aspects of change management, 5S, therefore, acts as a strong catalyst, which is so vital for survival, sustenance and long-term success of an organisation.

The writer views with much satisfaction the extremely positive responses and evidence seen and the advances that have been made towards achieving productivity mainly by initiating 5S in many a public and private sector organisation. However, the most encouraging development in the march towards efficiency and effectiveness is the conscious and conscientious efforts of the schools. A developing country like ours, not blessed with even the most basic amenities in schools for the students even in the urban environs, is now blessed with a way out - a methodology to maximize the existing meagre resources, thanks to 5S. 5S is considered the helm to access the realm of organisational and national productivity.

However, one wonders whether the feverish enthusiasm shown by many an organisation has been the result of the perfect understanding of the philosophy of this whole activity and the genuine objective of reaping the full harvest of 5S and productivity or whether it is due to any fashionable thinking to keep abreast with other pace-setters. It needs no saying that the introduction of various colour combinations/codings (it being a distinct strategy in the 5S methodology) would carry away a person from the basics embedded in the concept.

Performing rituals or understanding the concept and philosophy - Which should come first?

If we take religion as an example, how should we apply the above. If we consider starting with the performance of rituals, we will only succeed practising the religion indirectly giving more emphasis - weightage to its pomp and pageantry. Obviously such colour and rituals will hold one's interest in the movement for sometime; that is until the rituals captivate their minds.

The human being is mainly a visually-directed creature. Thereafter, continuity of their interest would only be by adding more colour and rituals into the system. If not it will either die a natural death or it will deviate from the main objectives for which it stood initially. The reason for this outcome is not difficult to realise.

Any movement, whether it be a religion or otherwise, will not sustain unless its basics and philosophy are clearly and logically spelt out by those that matter and the adherents realise its goals and objectives with the same degree of clarity.

Evidence has revealed that many an institution that had colourfully (gleefully as well) started 5S programmes had colourlessly wound them up, with the fading away of the colours of their coding systems! These evidences succinctly emphasise the plain truth that for any movement to take a firm of footing its philosophy, goals and objectives are the first ingredients that should be driven into the minds of the target groups. In this context, it is very appropriate to commence the 5W1H (Why-What-When-Where-Who-How) questionnaire with WHY.

Let alone the programme one is going to launch the first interrogative to raise if you intend closing the gap between your emotions and intellect is WHY. Unless you seek the answer to WHY you would be surely groping in the dark, charged until your emotions last!

Why 5S? to be organised

Productivity, Business Re-engineering, Cost-Reduction, Minimising Costs and other related terminology that are being used in current business environs, boils down to the basic fact of constantly rising pressure to deliver with fewer resources. The term 'Resources' does not only mean the tangible assets men, machinery, money but also all other aspects/elements that contribute to the ultimate delivery of services or products.

Hence, the more conspicuous advantages that could be accrued by being organised are:

* eliminating time wasted firefighting and responding to crises;

* focusing more on things that contribute to producing of results;

* the ability to perceive more accurately complex issues - problems and challenges;

* gaining more time for socialising and leisure;

* reducing stress and fatigue;

* inculcating team spirit as organising is a collective effort and activity;

* realising a greater sense of achievement; and

* taking pride in a job well done.

The strongest contention for introducing 5S in an institution, as the writer considers, is that it provides the base and basis for launching further programmes towards the realisation of productivity. While 5S provides the desired neat, orderly and clutter-free environment, it also sets in motion the much expected mental revolution within the organisation that leads to positive thinking and the preparation of the background for the behavioral and system/analytical aspects of change management.

5S, therefore, acts as a strong catalyst - a change agent, which is so vital for survival, sustenance, and long-term success of an organisation. Any traditional means of inculcating the desired mental-frame/positive attitude to bring about the necessary change/changes may under normal circumstances be costly, time-consuming and at times may even be counter-productive.

This is a critical factor that needs careful handling and implementation. One may wonder why no mention is made of office-automation and I.T. in bringing about the expected change/changes in institutions. The information age provides us with some of the tools to organise our working lives, but it also presents us with many new challenges in the form of additional paperwork, expectations of immediacy, and interruptions to our routines.

Moreover, unlike I.T., 5S encompasses the whole workforce, CEO downwards, and it does not allow anyone to escape as all become active players/participants (and not passive onlookers) of the 'group-drama'. Automation and more specifically I.T. would assume a supplementary role in this whole episode.

5S and mindfulness (Samma Sati) - Organising the mind for full efficiency

The 5S methodology rests on five-pillars i.e.,

* Organisation - Clearly separating the needed items from the rest and eliminating the latter.

* Orderliness - Keeping the needed items in their proper places to facilitate easy and immediate retrieval.

* Cleanliness - Maintaining a well swept and cleaned workplace.

* Standardised cleanup - Organisation - Orderliness and cleanliness being maintained.

* Discipline - Making a habit of maintaining the established procedures.

All these clearly boil down to 'being mindful of all our acts and actions'. That is to say that one should think before he does anything as his act/action should fulfil the intended objective and that he should follow the best possible approach/methodology for its accomplishment. Isn't it 'Samma sati?' 'Samma sati' is the seventh discipline in the Noble eight-fold path of the Buddha's teachings. It represents the core concepts of Buddhism and one who wishes to realise the way - truth (i.e. 'marga sathya') is expected to tread on the noble eight-fold path.

Daniel Webster says the above differently: "Mind is the great lever of all things; human thought is the process by which human ends are ultimately answered". All these connote the basic fact that there is only one thing that can help you avoid chaos in business - in social dealings - in life itself, that thing is organizing your mind in order to realise your pursuits. According to Charles Darwin 'the highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognise that we ought to control our thoughts'.

Organisation - A unit eagerly awaiting systemisation 5S - Promotes systematic/organised thinking

It has now been accepted that basically, organisation is simply a question of systemisation, 5S helps people think clearly and in an organised manner. Further, it cannot simply be entertained that a person would deliberately/wilfully tolerate inefficiency in himself. It is mainly in this context that 5S should be propagated continuously and more vigorously in every possible nook and corner of the country. It is true that the concept has gained much steam mainly with the conducting of periodic productivity and 5S competitions. But it needs a more conscious/conscientious and a concerted effort on the part of those that matter, if the country is to be truly placed on the highway of productivity and prosperity.

The fastest, most efficient, easiest and best way of doing anything, is the organised way. 5S amply and aptly provides guidance and acts as mentor and consultant to those who wish to get system and order into their acts/actions in order to make themselves more productive. You live the way you think

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Leadership excellence through positive thinking and positive mental attitude

by Dr. K. Kuhathasan , CEO, Centre For Leadership Excellence and Personality Development 

Why are some people more successful than others? The key to success lies in your particular manner of thinking. When you change how you think about yourself, your relationships, your goals and your work habits will change. If you change the quality of your thinking, you will definitely change your attitude and the quality of your work life. If you think positively you will act positively.

Successful business leaders, whether they are consciously aware of it or not, are constantly demonstrating this truth in everything they say and do. They are successful because they are positive.

Positive leaders give much more of their time and attention to what is positive than to what is negative.

However, they don't just look on the bright side, they take positive steps to ensure that there is ample bright side for them to look upon. They behave in ways that actively foster a confident approach to life:

1. They have a strong sense of purpose

2. They think in optimistic ways

3. They foster energy and resilience to stress

4. They are strongly self-motivated

5. They are realists.

You are Unique!

Image yourself as a worthwhile person. Act as if you were someone worthy of admiration and respect - and gradually that is what you will come to be. What you can image, you will be, in the long run. You are what you think about yourself. If you think positively you will always be a winner. You are made and unmade by your thoughts. Positive thoughts will bring positive results.

Here are some specific things to do if you need to Bolster a shaky ego. Hold in your mind the image of the kind of person you want to be: confident, assured, competent, calm.

Break through the "fear barrier" by deliberately doing something that has been causing you apprehension. Say to yourself. "I will always be a winner" "My team is good" "My team is a winning team".

The positive thinker is a successful leader who gets powerful results for several reasons. He is not afraid of nor abashed by that phenomenon known as a problem. As a practical, positive - thinking Leader he knows that every problem contains the seeds of its own solutions. The positive thinker knows that good outcomes are rooted in the fertile soil of tough problems.

Positive mental attitude

A positive Mental Attitude is the right mental attitude.

What is the right mental attitude? It is most often comprised of the "plus" characteristics symbolized by such words as faith, integrity, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tack, kindliness and good common sense.

The positive thinker trains himself in the attitude of success. Better Sales. Higher profits. He expects it, and then he achieves better Sales, Higher output, Larger profits. What you look for, you will find - that is a basic law of life. Start looking for success and you'll find it. For when you look for it, you will be able to see and recognize it.

Who are positive thinkers?

1. They tend to disregard failure unless, or until, it is recurrent and unavoidable.

2. They ignore comparisons with others and prefer to evaluate themselves on their own terms.

3. They place a higher value on effort and commitment than on ability as a measure of self-worth

4. They pay little attention to negative occurrences - rather than going over them again and again, they let them fade from their memories quickly and naturally.

Precondition your mind to success

You can precondition your mind to success. This is a basic principle of positive thinking. You can actually forecast what your future failure or success will be by your present type of thinking. You are shaped by your thoughts. If you think positively, you can work positively.

The negative leader thinks negatively. He thinks of poor performance. Accordingly, his work becomes Dull! He fails! There is a law, the law of attraction, that "like attracts like". The old saying, "Birds of a feather flock together", sums this up. Thoughts of a kind have a mutual affinity. send out negative thoughts, and negative results will return. If you think negatively you will achieve negative results.

The positive thinker, on the other hand, sets very different forces in motion. He sends our robust thoughts of hope, and optimism. Positive thoughts flow vigorously from his mind, and the whole organisation is activated positively. On the basis of the same law of attraction, positive result come surging back to the positive thinker. How fortunate one is to learn and use this creative process of positive thinking early in work life! But it can be learned and applied to good effect at any age. You can practice this new knowledge, from today!

You will feel good about yourself

There is another benefit of a positive attitude which will accrue to you personally. You will feel better about things. Being positive means knowing where you are going at work, even in life generally, and doing the things you need to do to get there most easily. By and large, people with a strong positive attitude will also have an appropriately high level of self-esteem and self-respect. This leads to confidence in yourself and your management skill and this in turn facilitates your ability to approach problems with a positive attitude - it becomes a cycle of reinforcement.

Be visionary

A, positive attitude in management will often, if not always, be accompanied by what we might call vision. This means having a clear view of where you are going. If you have a positive attitude about yourself, you will almost certainly know where you are going. But as a manager, you will also know where your team is going and where your organisation is headed. If you know where you are going, the people you are managing have a far better chance of knowing where they are going. If you do not know where you are heading, how can they be expected to know?

How to make a start?

where to begin?

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Consider the following affirmation for a month as a new beginning, the door to a new reality. In each instance, actually "see" yourself acting in the prescribed fashion and getting the desired results:

1. Today, I have a positive mental attitude. I have eliminated criticism and impatience from my life, and replaced them with victory success and achievements.

2. Today, I totally believe in myself. I believe I am capable and worthy of high achievement. I will be appreciated and admired by all.

3. Today, I have a big, challenging goal I am working toward. It is adding meaning and momentum to my professional life.

4. Today, I accept full responsibility for all of my actions. Whatever results I achieve, I know they are the result of the thinking I am engaged in.

5. Today, I will manage my time effectively. I know every minute is precious and irreplaceable, and must be used to the best advantage.

6. Today I am pursuing a personal development program. I dedicate at least one hour each day toward improving myself.

7. Today, I value my health, physically mentally, and spiritually. I am taking very good care of myself. I will be fit, fine and excellent.

8. Today, I am a creative person in setting and attaining my goals. Possibilities about in all of my thoughts and action.

9. Today, I have a service - minded approach toward my employment and fellow human beings. I always do more than what is expected of me, knowing I will receive more of what I want in return.

10. Today, I am excellent at what I do. I believe it is through excellence that I will find my true self. I am a winner. I am always a winner.

11. Today, I am effective in all my interpersonal relationships. I believe people take priority over problems, and that they deserve my total respect and attention.

Repeat the affirmations for another month for better results. Think about the above affirmation as and when possible. Good luck!.

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