🎙️ Get ready to dive into the world of continuous improvement with our special guest, Russell Watkins, the Co-founder of Sempai®! With a diverse background spanning Operations, Materials, and Lean across the Automotive, Aerospace, and Construction Equipment sectors, Russell brings a global perspective to enhancing business performance.

In this exclusive episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, Russell opens the door to his incredible journey, sharing real-life stories of failures that have not only shaped his career but also served as stepping stones to success. 🌟 Join us as we uncover how setbacks can be transformed into invaluable lessons that propel both individual and organizational achievement.

Russell's experiences, from "5S gone wrong" to tackling the world's largest fishbone, reveal the gritty realities of continuous improvement. 🌊 But fear not, for these tales of challenge and triumph are bound to inspire you on your own journey of improvement, innovation, and growth.

Prepare for an insightful conversation that delves deep into the ups and downs of a continuous improvement career. Stay tuned as Russell 'opens the Kimono' and invites you into his world of transformation, problem-solving, and unshakable determination. 🎧📊 Don't miss this opportunity to gain fresh insights and motivation to elevate your own professional and organizational endeavours. Welcome to the Ever-So-Lean Podcast with our special guest, Russell Watkins! 🎉

Key Takeaways:

1. Russ describes "opening the kimono" as a Japanese term originating from the 1890s, meaning showing a bit of yourself, some humility, a bit of the real you. This practice can help build strong and trusting relationships, creating a comfortable environment between hierarchies in organisations.

2. If you find yourself at the early stages of your career, there's no need to panic about the next steps. Take your time, try different things, learn, and keep forging your own path. In the end, it will work out.

3. Factories represent a microclimate where the shop floor is brimming with knowledge, experience, politics, banter, and familial-like units. Taking the time to involve and understand this environment is well worth the investment. Russ's story from Lotus, where he travelled to Belgium and Peru to understand why windscreens were cracking, serves as a prime example of how time, money, and effort can be wasted when direct engagement with operators would have provided the necessary information.

4. Imposter syndrome often preys on our insecurities. It can lead us to become defensive and reluctant to show vulnerability and humility. We might fear that revealing a lack of understanding, asking questions, making a mistake, or showing a "weakness" will cause others to lose respect for us, judge us, or mock us. However, in reality, very few people will react negatively to this. In fact, evidence suggests that the perception of vulnerability and humility is often viewed more positively by others than those experiencing imposter syndrome might anticipate. Sharing doubts, asking questions, or admitting to a lack of understanding can actually enhance trust and collaboration in professional and personal relationships. This aligns with concepts of psychological safety and a growth mindset.

5. Coaching and developing others is an incredibly rewarding exercise and a fantastic way to learn and grow as a leader and coach yourself. If you're looking to enhance your coaching skills and have lifetime access to supporting materials, the online Toyota Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata Basics course is an excellent place to start. It's cost-effective and provides a brilliant framework that can be applied in various settings. You can find the link in the description below.

6. Well-placed and appropriate humour can be a valuable tool for building relationships and fostering understanding. Research supports the idea that using humour appropriately can stimulate positive emotions, improve memory retention, reduce stress, facilitate communication, and create a sense of camaraderie among individuals. It's a powerful tool for making connections and facilitating effective learning and communication.

7. Russ also spoke about how, as we age, we tend to feel more comfortable and secure about admitting where we could have done things better in the past. The examples Russ provided fall into three categories: 1) the way he leads activities, 2) places where he has failed to practice what he has learned, and 3) in planning Lean transformations where he has made mistakes. This got me thinking about the mistakes I've made during my career. I found it to be a cleansing exercise to reflect on what I've learned over the years. I highly recommend this for you as an individual or even as a group exercise with your team. You don't have to share your reflections, but encouraging the thinking process is a valuable one. Reflecting on past mistakes and areas for improvement in your career is beneficial because it promotes personal and professional growth, enhances self-awareness, improves decision-making, and can be a valuable exercise for teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Useful Links:

Sempai - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellwatkinssempai/

Russel Watkins LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellwatkinssempai/

Sempai YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@the_lean_expert

To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk

Visit the BQF to learn more about the wonderful work they do.

Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother!

Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com

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