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INDUSTRY
- August 2002 by Dr. Arlie Hall Creating Harmony
in the Workplace During the 2001-2002 school year I provided faculty advisory assistance for a graduate student, John, who is currently in the final stages of his research for a masters degree in manufacturing systems engineering. Since it is now summer vacation and I do not go to the campus on a regular basis, we decided to meet every few weeks. John is working this summer, full time, for a small local manufacturing organization we will identify as XYZ Company. XYZ Company is a manufacturer of high-variety, low-volume products for the automobile industry. This organization is providing John an opportunity to study the effects of “lean manufacturing” principles as they are applied within the organizational setting. John and I met recently and he began to talk about his frustrations with XYZ’s management practices. “Dr. Hall, I can’t believe the management at this place. They just do not understand manufacturing!” I said, “John, you know I, along with two other professors, have taught this organization’s management team six different three-day seminars, going into great detail about the characteristics and management philosophies of a lean manufacturing environment. I am surprised! Are you telling me the these managers did not learn anything?” John countered, “I know you did this and that is why I am working with the organization. But they just do not understand what is required. Let me give you an example. One of the shop floor managers just will not stop pushing his employees for more production. He thinks this is the way to get things done! “I have just completed setting up a cell of production that requires six team members to operate,” he continued. “I have designed standardized work and everything. The team members have been trained and they know how to perform their roles. One operator, Bob, is a little slow but he is a good worker. He is a positive influence with the other team members and often offers good improvement ideas and suggestions during a given day. He is at work on time and has not missed a day since I have been there. “But the manager, Charlie, just must not like Bob. He gets on him every day about what I would see as little things. I just don’t understand what Charlie is trying to do.” I said, “How does Charlie treat other employees?” John thought a minute and said, “Well, actually I have noticed him after a lot of people. He just believes you ‘must ride ’em hard and put ’em up wet,’ as the old saw goes.” I asked, “What did Charlie do while you were setting up the cell and getting it operational?” John responded, “He left me alone while I was setting up the cell. But now that we are operational, he comes by two or three times a day and gets after Bob, ‘Keep parts built ahead! Don’t let them run out of work,’ as he points to the next team members. I am frustrated with his attitude. What can I do?” I said to John, “Have you ever heard of Dr. W. Edwards Deming? Do you recall, Dr. Deming once said, “Drive out fear from work environment?” Do you think Charlie is driving out or causing fear? Dr. Deming gives credit to William J. Latzko, who first pointed out the prevalence of fear and the devastating economic losses that it causes in the work environment. Deming has said that most people on the job do not understand what the job is or what is right or wrong. Shigeo Shingo has stated in his book, A Study of the Toyota Production System From and Industrial Engineering Viewpoint, the worker should be free from fear and its cousins, stress and anxiety. In general, Japanese organizations who operate in America believe they must have good working relationships with their employees. Toyota Motor Manufacturing believes that good two-way communications between all levels of team members is essential for their system’s effectiveness. “Toyotiasm” is strongly rooted in the belief that team members must be treated with respect and dignity at all times. Their approach places the team member firmly at the “top of the management pyramid.” Charlie, the XYZ manager, is building anger in his team member Bob, but it is probably submerged anger. Anger is probably the most devastating of all emotions. Anger can be layered, one layer upon another, until the organism finally explodes in a rage. Medical researchers have found that people who experience chronic anxiety, long periods of sadness and pessimism, unremitting tension or incessant hostility and similar emotions were found to have double the risk of serious diseases. Anger seems to be the one emotion that does the most damage to the heart. It is hostility that puts people at risk. The evidence is clear that once a person has had a heart attack, a continued life of hostility and anger is sure to trigger a second heart attach. At least we now
have some idea as to why Dr. W. Edwards Deming himself lived to the
wonderful age of 93. He, at least, knew how to manage his emotion of
anger. Perhaps it is time we go back and review Dr. Deming’s Fourteen
Points of Management. Dr. Arlie Hall is an adjunct professor
for the Center for Robotics and Manufacturing at the University of Kentucky's
College of Engineering.
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