Its important to look for messages
from our history for the value of the things we have inherited and the values
they signify. If you are a spiritual person, you would look forward to your
religious symbols for guidance when you are looking for directions and as to
how to live your life. Muslims today offer their prayers towards the Kaaba at
mecca. Temple mount is the holiest place in Judaism. Mount Kailash is
considered as one of the holiest places in Hindusim.
These symbols are our guidance, our
beliefs and the inspiration in our lives. I have always spoken to my teams on a
symbol in lean which encapsulates the philosophies and the perspective in which
the symbol has to be seen. The symbol is a pond and is mentioned in books from
Taichi ohno who is the founder of Toyota production system. The message that it
tells you is - There will be stones in the pond and its your duty to jump into
the bottom of the pond and rid it of the stone. The stones are the wastes.
Train yourself to identify them – use the variations of muda, mura and muri to
create healthy disturbances in the pond; every impediment that the team brings
is an indication that there are more stones in the pond. Empower your team to
jump into the pond and pick the stones out. Pond is a sacred symbol and jumping
into it the sacred duty.
