Tag: Al Gore

Continuous Improvement

Before Telecommuting and Online Retailing,  we got Management by Walking Around .

Then the gurus told us to “re-engineer” the corporation (Japanese influence).

Then, Toyota was on the roll with Continuous Improvement (Al Gore was buying into this when trying to re-invent the US Government). True to its form, Toyota continuously improves its R&D, from EV racing to 3-wheel concept EV. The Prius has established itself as the category leader.

If you don’t re-invent, someone else will (the Innovator’s Dilemma).

In fact, Steve Jobs did a great job at breaking the vicious cycle with 99 cents per song proposition, knowing that disruption would be followed by destruction (of the music industry).

Once again, we learn that corporations are sitting on their war chests full of cash.

They are looking to buy small and promising competitors, often times, to eliminate “disruption” in one fell swoop.

The big guys’ version of Continuous Improvement is Continuous Consumption, pac-man style.

From a Marketing standpoint, Hyundai and Kia have done a great job gaining traction and acceptance.

This is when GM, VW and other car makers all try to make a comeback in the face of pent-up demand (Recession hesitation).

Not only technology leapfrogs, consumers also buy in to the latest and greatest e.g. Galaxy IV.

More gadgets, more interconnection and integration.

From home to car to the office (even at those third places like Starbucks).

There will be a generation of consumers who take broadband for granted (reminds me of those pin ball machines, a 70’s must-have for off-campus hangouts).

Putting it all together. Companies need to continuously improve their products, services and ways to reach their target markets.

Buyers look for a positive experience, both on and off-line. Here is where the classic text, Influence, counts: social proof, consistency and scarcity.

When the Tesla is in back order, it’s a good sign (scarcity). So is the Prius (consistency). Before we know it, those with the guts to go for the Gold win e.g. full plug-in after trying hybrid cars(EV still needs critical mass -or Social Proof to be validated). With those war chests, I am sure companies can now afford to leap-frog their R&D knowing in their guts that there is a price for everything, including in-action. Even if you do nothing, just sitting on the track, you will likely be run over by a train. Kaizen.

Besides perspiration

Hard work is a given, a prereq for success. But that necessary spark, the 10% inspiration, must be there.

Two candidates, with  equal experience, the one with a great attitude wins. You must have the mojo.

It shows up in conversation, in off-hand moments (kicking the dog on the way out or giving the finger in the driveway to the one who ends up interviewing you).

In the Orient, job interviews often take on a new dimension. 3 finalists. Two walked by the broom that fell on the floor. The third picked it up and thereby, secured the job.

Attitude.

I just learned that Oprah ran the 1994 Marathon. On your way to success, you will have to walk across many “brooms”.

Just pick them up. Get used to removing obstacles. Habits of Effective (and not Deffective) People.

Tell me a success story, I will tell you how many obstacles he/she had to overcome:

– Colonel Sanders almost gave up until his last-ditch effort: a bar owner asked him to toss in more salt which is now the KFC recipe.

– Khan‘s wife offered herself to Silk Road traders to bail her husband out

– Al Gore, accepting defeat, but not becoming a failure, went on to win the Nobel Prize

– yesterday, at the London Olympic, Michael went on to break world swimming record.

Life gives us those stories to instruct and illustrate the point, unveiling new heights and setting new benchmarks.

Stay away from the Nay sayers. Prove them wrong. Or even better, think of them as never existed, for the longer we do, the more likely that this will come to pass.

Yesterday, I blogged about The Limits. But that was just one side of the coin. Today, there is another.

We have physical limits. But we reach out still to the stars. Feet on the ground, but eyes on the prize.

One more try. Then one more.

Another heart beat, then another. Breathe in and breathe out. Wax on and wax off. Karate Kid all grown up. Use all the pain and suffering and waste them not. They were there  to make us and not to break us. Each of us is different, not because of our limits, but because of how we dealt with those limits.   90 per cent inspiration, 10 per cent perspiration. Multiply that to the nth time. While perspiration is limited, inspiration is limitless.