Treat the head when it aches and the foot when it hurts: The "superficial work disease" we often fall into in management
This morning, while chatting with a colleague, he mentioned the saying "Treat the headache when there's a headache and the foot when there's a foot pain". These four words were like a fine needle, suddenly jolting people awake. Isn't the most common trap we fall into in management this kind of thinking that "only treats the symptoms but not the root cause"? It's like a transparent membrane that wraps the essence of the problem tightly. Yet we're busy sticking "patches" on the membrane, thinking that we've solved the problem this way.
The "patch game" of work instruction manuals: It's better to change a set of logic than to change a single page
The document system clearly requires that "associated processes need to be updated synchronously when making modifications". However, when faced with the non - conformity item of "no record left for the modification of the work instruction", our solution is always to "supplement the records": fill out the "modification log" on the last page of the work instruction, sign the name of the person in charge, and then stick a "compliant" label. As for why the associated process cards were not checked in a coordinated way during the initial modification and why there were omissions in the process connection between departments, we never even think about dealing with these issues.
It's like only tightening the screws when the door hinge is loose without checking if the door frame is crooked. As a result, the work instruction is revised again and again, but the associated bill of materials is still full of errors and omissions. When the next audit comes, the same non - conformities will pop up again. We are always "patching a piece of paper" but don't have the courage to "change a set of logic".
The "paint repair cycle" for paint stripping problems: Spraying two coats of paint is not as good as checking the process once
When the workshop encounters paint peeling on products, the first reaction is always to "touch up the paint": take a spray gun and spray two layers on the area where the paint has peeled off, and it's done once it's no longer visible to the naked eye. But why is the adhesion of the primer poor? Is it because the concentration of the phosphating solution in the pre-treatment is 30% lower than the standard value, or is it that the temperature in the baking oven fails to reach 180℃? These problems are like the dust hidden under the carpet, and no one is willing to lift it up and take a look.
As a result, the frequency of touch - up painting increased from 5 times a month to 15 times. The cost of paint has gone up, but the customers' complaints haven't stopped. We're always "patching the surface holes" without the patience to "investigate the root causes". It's like only painting the wall when the wall paint peels off without checking if the water pipes inside the wall are leaking. The more frequently we paint, the faster the wall deteriorates.
The "blockade logic" of the employee strike: It's better to resolve the grievances of a group of people than to fire one person
The production line stopped for two hours last week because of a strike by the employees. The team leader fired the person who took the lead while swearing and deducted the performance bonuses of all employees for that day, claiming it was "to make an example of one to warn a hundred". But no one asked, "Why did they go on strike?" Was it because the piece - rate wages had been miscalculated three times in a row without any rectification, or because the team leader's management style was too harsh (for example, scolding the employees as "stupid as pigs")?
We only think about "silencing those who cause trouble" without dredging the "source of dissatisfaction". As a result, the turnover rate has increased from 10% to 25%, and the cost of recruiting new employees is even higher than that of solving the problem - just like only blocking the breach when a river bursts its banks without dredging the sediment upstream, and the flood will only rush more violently. Employees' emotions are not "stirred up" but "bottled up"; the key to resolving a strike has never been "firing people" but "understanding the demands".
The "spring cleaning trap" of 5S: It's better to set a standard than to sweep the floor twice
The on - site 5S is not well - implemented, and the management's countermeasure is "add two general clean - ups every week". They ask employees to stay half an hour after work to clean the equipment and arrange the materials. But why are the tools always piled up in a mess? Is it because the tool cabinet is too far from the operation position, or is there no clear "return standard" (for example, "wrenches must be placed on the red hooks" and "screw boxes must be labeled")?
We only pursue "superficial cleanliness" and do not address the "root contradictions". As a result, we meet the standards during the 5S inspection, but everything becomes messy again after the inspection - just like when the room is in a mess and we only make the bed without organizing the wardrobe, and it will be in a mess all over the floor again in a couple of days. 5S is not achieved through "cleaning", but cultivated by "standards"; without clear rules, even the most diligent general cleaning is a waste of effort.
The "Whac-A-Mole Game" of Quality Issues: Building a Wall Is Better Than Plugging One Hole
The daily work of a quality engineer is like playing whack-a-mole. Today, the customer reports "appearance scratches", and they immediately adjust the foam thickness of the packaging materials. Tomorrow, the customer says "out-of-tolerance dimensions", and they then adjust the feed rate of the machine tool. But why do defects keep popping up? Is it because the sampling standard for incoming inspection is too loose (only 1% is sampled, missing out on batch defects), or is it that the training for the operators doesn't cover "special characteristics" (such as "shaft parts must be measured three times with a micrometer")?
We're busy "putting out the immediate fires" and have no time to build a "firewall". As a result, the more problems we solve, the more problems emerge. The overtime hours of engineers are more stable than the product output - just like when there are always fires at home, if you're only busy carrying water to put out the fires and don't check if the electrical circuits are aging, the fires will never be completely extinguished. Quality problems are not "solved", but "prevented"; without systematic prevention, even the most capable engineers are just "firefighters".
The "temporary promise" complained about by customers: Making a wish is not as good as digging out the cause
When dealing with customer complaints, our usual approach is to "make promises and take actions": When a customer says "the delivery is delayed", we immediately pat our chests and say "we'll deliver two days earlier next time"; when a customer says "the packaging is damaged", we immediately guarantee "we'll use thicker cartons". But why is there a delay? Is it because the material preparation cycle in the supply chain was miscalculated (taking "7 days" as "5 days"), or is there a bug in the software for production planning and scheduling?
We only provide "temporary comfort" without digging out the "root cause." As a result, the customers' trust is like the sand in an hourglass, gradually dwindling away until there's none left. It's just like when a friend is angry and you only say "I'm sorry" without explaining "why you're wrong." After apologizing too many times, the friend will drift away. What customers want is not "promises," but "the ability to solve problems." Without fundamental changes, even the sweetest words are just empty talk.
The "water - adding thinking" of personnel flow: It's better to retain old employees than to recruit new ones
Three old employees left last month. The HR immediately posted a recruitment notice, but why can't we retain employees? Is it because the salary structure is not competitive (the monthly salary in the same industry is 8,000 yuan while we only offer 6,000 yuan), or because the promotion channels are blocked (the supervisor position has been vacant for half a year and no internal employees have been recruited)? We always think that "just recruit new employees to fill the positions", but we fail to see the "disappointment list" when old employees leave: no overtime pay for working overtime, no one listens to the suggestions they put forward, and no salary increase after three years of work.
Just like adding water to a leaking pool without patching the cracks, the pool will never be filled. The experience of senior employees is a "living asset", while the cost of training new employees is a "dead expense" – if you can't retain senior employees, no matter how high the recruitment efficiency is, it's a "losing business".
What is more important than "solving problems" is "finding the right problems"
The essence of "treating the head when it hurts" is to avoid trouble and not to touch on deep - seated problems. After all, it is more difficult to change the process than to revise a single page, more troublesome to adjust the technology than to touch up the paint, and more time - consuming to meet the needs of employees than to fire someone. However, only by stepping out of the comfort zone of "superficial efforts" and tackling those "tough nuts" can we truly solve the problems.
- When encountering problems with the work instruction, first ask, "Why wasn't there a coordinated change during the modification?" - What is being modified is the "process connection," not just "a single page."
- When encountering the problem of paint peeling, first measure the "phosphating solution concentration" and "baking temperature". What needs to be adjusted is the "process parameters", not "touching up the paint".
- When facing a strike by employees, start by asking, "What are your demands?" —— What you need to address is the "demands", not "firing employees".
- When encountering quality defects, first check "incoming materials, training, and equipment" —— what is being established is a "prevention system", not a "whack-a-mole" approach.
The real solution has never been to "patch the holes" but to "get to the root". Just like treating a fever, one has to check the blood routine first, find the virus, and then prescribe the right medicine - rather than taking antipyretics forever to suppress the "symptom" of the fever while allowing the virus to accumulate more and more in the body.
The essence of management is "the essence of problem-solving". If you always treat the "head" when it hurts and the "foot" when it aches, in the end, your whole body will hurt. Only by breaking the inertia of "superficial efforts" and tackling those "deep-seated, troublesome and essential problems" can you truly "solve" the problems - rather than "cope with" them.