Poka Yoke with a new twist

I’ve already written that Poka Yoke means “Do it right the first time.”  But, how about doing the right thing?  How much of our time do we spend doing things that are not helping us reach any of our goals?   A lot!   Now, I’m not suggesting we stop having recreation or relaxation – those are good things.  What I mean is all the unnecessary chores we do, tasks we could assign to someone else, and places we go that have no redeeming value for us.

I’ve been giving a lot of speeches and workshops lately on “Doing More with Less” because of this damn never ending recession we are in.  (Did you know that unemployment is really about 22%, not the 8% they are saying?)  In any event, people go to networking meetings and meet others networking – but never anyone who might potentially be hiring them.

How many actual tasks do you do at home or at work “just because?”  How many things do you do for your boss, your client, or your spouse, that they could care less about?

I hired a consultant who spent so much time giving me stuff I didn’t want on my computer like a password I didn’t need, an alternate to Outlook I didn’t want, and some security on top of the security I already have, that he charged me a fortune, but never got around to doing the things I’d hired him to do.  Oh yes, he charged to undue all the stuff he put on the computer as well.

My clients often complain about IT people who add bells and whistles that are not only not necessary, but cause more work.  CEOs often marvel at the waste of reports that middle level managers generate for each other to keep each other busy.  I was once on a Commission until I realized the only reason for its existence was to give staff a purpose to get a paycheck.

In this time of tightening your belt, of doing more with less, I urge you to really look at the places you go and the tasks you do and see if they really are helping you achieve your goals.   Good Night.  ArLyne