Direct Observation | Stand Here

The Power of Direct Observation -

the Three Gs

I am constantly reminded of the importance and power of using direct observation or what the KCOE System calls the Three Gs: Go and see, Get the facts and Grasp the situation.

As a father of four, I often shoot from the hip and make decisions without a good grasp of the situation.  Let’s face it: it is a lot easier to say “no” than to deal with the effects and stress  of saying “yes”.  Still, if my mandate is to train my kids up in the way they should go, I often set aside my mandate for my personal gain and comfort.

At times, I find myself doing the same thing at work.  I’m sure we’ve all had similar experiences. The truth is that there is no substitute for applying direct observation | the Three Gs in everything you do.  To do any less, is to manage without the facts.

Illustrating the Direct Observation | Three Gs

Let me illustrate my point.  A few years back, I was trying to coach a C-suite-level team of executives to stop managing by the seat of their respective departmental pants and start managing with the facts: start using direct observation | the Three Gs.  They just couldn’t see the benefit in it.  They were highly paid “experts” in their respective disciplines.  Surely, they didn’t need to use this simple technique to improve. Or, did they?

The problem I posed to them came right from their Top Three Problems in Quality from their Balanced Scorecard.  As background, the team ran a small blow molding operation.  The problem I posed to them was being observed at a machine that was producing hollow plastic wheelbarrow wheels.  The mold produced a set of four or six wheels.  If you aren’t familiar with blow molding, let me break it down for you: a shot of molten plastic is dropped into a two part mold (left and right).  Air is blown into the mold and the plastic is forced out against the walls of the void to produce the desired shape.

The problem in this case had to do with the flash (the excess material around the wheels), which has to be physically removed.  An operator would take the cooled sheet of plastic with the wheels and the flash and lay it down on a table, where, after a few moments more of cooling, he would cut the wheels out and toss the flash into a regrinder.  Every once in awhile – about 23% of the time – the flash would get stuck on the wheels, which would then have to be scrapped (reground).

To make a point, I locked the C-suite team in a conference room under the guise of creating a fishbone or cause and effect diagram around the point of recognition of the problem.  The team spent the better part of 90 minutes debating the possible causes for the problem.  They talked about the engineering properties of the raw material, the radius of curvature of the mold, the heat and subsequent cooling temperatures, the air pressure, the cooling timing, etc.  I called for a consensus decision about an hour into the exercise and the debate got more heated, each person pulling for what they thought was the cause of the problem.

From Exasperation to Facts | From No Facts to Direct Observation

Finally, after three tries for consensus, I ask them to bear with me as I reminded them about direct observation | the Three Gs: Go and see, Get the facts and Grasp the situation.  Angry and tired of the exercise, they trudged out to the manufacturing floor with me.  I had them stand in a line (as opposed to a circle – hey, I’m a westerner!) and watch the operator as he managed the parts coming off of the machine.

I wasn’t disappointed: the problem manifested itself on the third cycle we observed.  As the shot came out of the mold, it was conveyed on a hanger to the operator’s table.  He stretched up to reach the hanger and lifted the shot.  He took a step backwards, swinging the shot to his rear.  As he swung the shot to his rear, the flash flipped up onto the wheels.  He did that three times in a row.

In a matter of about fifteen minutes, the team applied direct observation| the Three Gs and was able to see the problem.  The problem had nothing to do with the raw material or the engineering performance of the mold or the machine.  Rather, the operator was having trouble following his standard work, which was to slide the shot onto the table as he unhooked it from the hanger.

For the best effect, let me show you a snippet from the Problem Solving sheet we filled out after we did the direct observation.

Using Direct Observation While Doing Problem Solving: The Three Gs

Note the root cause: the operator had not been rotated for three hours.  He had a couple of breaks, but he stayed on the same machine for an hour more than the plan called for.  Problem solving purists (like me) would say that we had just discovered the point of cause for the real problem: failure to follow the rotation protocol.  Instead, I just had the team start another problem solving sheet.

The real moral of the story is this: had the team not done direct observation| the Three Gs, they would have wasted even more time pursuing causes that had nothing to do with the real problem.

What Kind of Leader are You:  Do You Use Direct Observation | Three Gs or…Not?

I’ve had this experience and told this story many times and still, leaders – especially high-paid specialists – rely on what they think they know rather than on the facts.

Are you a direct observation| Three Gs kind of leader or are you relying on your expertise?  Where do you stand: in the circle observing the process or in your office observing your belly button.

GO and see  -  GET the facts  -  GRASP the situation

…and while you are doing direct observation, don’t forget (teaser alert) the Three Ps…

One of the most common “push backs” I encounter as an Operational Excellence coach is when we first introduce simple, individual, “five why” problem solving.  I encourage my teams by telling them not to worry about solving problems; I tell them to just fill out problem solving sheets.  Lots of them.

Shortly, a top leader will take me aside and tell me that I really didn’t mean that…did I?

Of course I did!  Why would I want them to solve problems when the organization doesn’t have a simple, standard problem solving tool?  How will we ever make quantum leap improvements if we don’t have gobs of skilled problem solvers, everyone, everywhere?  Why would I shunt the learning process by demanding solved problems from neophyte problem solvers???

This can present a real conundrum for leadership.  Of course I want them to solve problems…eventually.  But first, I need to help them develop problem solvers. This is the kind of thing that makes even the most pliable, willing and passionate CEO stop short and emit the universal, “Huh?” (Which, by the way, carries with it: what the heck am I paying you the big bucks for??)

So, let’s take this twisted contradiction outside of the situation.  Let’s look to a sporting illustration for some guidance. Hey, golf is something that most of you top level leaders can get your heads around.  Let’s think about golf for a minute. In fact, let’s tell a real story here…

Suppose you’ve been challenged by the local smart-alec competitor down the street to a dual to the death: your foursome against his at the local country club.  The stakes aren’t incredibly high, but they are worthy of pursuing: bragging rights for the year and a round of drinks for four at the club, later.

You realize your foursome is lacking.  Two of the four play golf on the local fund-raising tour.  One confesses that rather than count strokes, he counts the number of balls he loses.  Knowing you need them to improve, you hire the local golf pro to whip them into shape.  You’ve got three months until the big match up.

Your golf pro is a slight man with an aura of wisdom surrounding him like the glow around the harvest moon.  He oozes prophetic wisdom.  Once, someone at the beer stop told you, that he was overheard chiding a young golfer with, “Wax on. Wax off.”  You get the picture.  The pro’s results speak for themselves.  He has a regular gaggle of people eschewing his virtues.

You and your bad-news-bear foursome saunter up to the first tee for your legendary first lesson. The pro shuffles to the group and instructs them to swing.  After the tenth swing, you wonder out loud when you’ll get to hit a ball.  The pro says simply, “When you are ready.”

You want him to teach your foursome to put the ball on the par-stinking-four green, but all this guy wants to do is watch you swing.  Sicko.

He stops you and asks you to show him your grip.  You oblige with a furrowed brow.  He moves two fingers and tells you to swing some more.

The drill goes on for an hour.  When he finally tells your team to stop, he points to one of the new guys and says, “Next week, you get to hit the ball.  Everyone else, come prepared to swing.”

Furious, you stomp after the pro and demand an answer: why aren’t you teaching these guys to golf?

“I am,” he replies, head bowed.

“OK, so why does that guy get to hit the ball next week and I don’t?  I’ve been doing this for 20 years!”

“Ah. I can see that you’ve been swinging the club wrongly for a long time.  I have to teach you how to hold the club again – like a new golfer – so I can teach you how to swing.  Then, I can teach you to hit the ball.  When you can get your club face squarely on the ball, then I will teach  you to hit it straight.  Then I will teach you to hit it far. Then I will teach you to get to the green in par or less.  But, first, I have to teach you to hold the club.”

You expected him to teach your foursome to get the ball up on the green.  He is, in fact, doing just that.

Confused?

Imagine how ridiculous it would be to expect a new golfer to eagle. No: imagine how ridiculous it would be to DEMAND that a new golfer get an eagle.

Yet, you may be expecting your team to solve problems right now. You may be demanding that they solve problems.

Ah, I see, you’ve been solving problems for 2o years…

POST-SCRIPT:  OK, so I baited you and you took the bait.  The truth is that you will need to keep fighting fires while the team learns how to solve problems.  Shortly, someone will find a root cause, remove it and the problem will stop. Celebrate.  Jump up and down just like when you nailed your first long, straight ball on the golf course. Do a little dance if you have to.  Just celebrate the solved problems. Don’t demand them.  And, keep fighting the fires.