Fight human nature- don't "jump" to solutions

As mentioned in chapter 14 of the Toyota Way Fieldbook, a mistake that most people make is jumping straight to a solution when they discover a problem. I agree that this happens, although I do not think it is so much an "American" reaction as it is just a natural instinct of human beings in general. This type of problem solving can work on occasion, but usually it is important to spend a little time investigating the issue to get to the root of the true problem.
People base their solutions off of personal experiences and they do not always know about other potential causes of the problem at hand.
Investigating the problem is extremely important because it enables the eventual solution to be more effective. It is imperative that the true issue is solved, and not just one resulting factor of the issue, because then it will continue and possibly grow. This lack of dealing with a problem could lead to inefficiency, loss of profits, lack of safety, and even the downfall of a company.
So, next time you encounter a problem, whether it be in business or elsewhere, make sure you discover the true issue before jumping to ways you can fix it.

operational innovation

While talking to my mom last night about her problems with inventory at work, I realized that her company would greatly benefit from operational innovation, or the invention and deployment of entirely new ways of doing work. Their current system does not appear to be working because they always have too much of one thing and not enough of another because it is virtually impossible to predict what people are going to buy this year and how much the company is going to grow.
Although the end results of operational innovation can make a phenomenal difference, the problem to getting there. Everyone is busy with their own work and does not often have time to think about such big projects that do not fit into their own job description.
I propose that companies create a position that is primarily responsible for creativity and innovation, including the not so "sexy" aspects of business.

Let the Blogs Begin...

The closest I have ever come to writing a blog was on livejournal.com, but I really only used that to keep in touch with friends from highschool who used it. This, of course, was pre-facebook and myspace so I rarely go on the site anymore.
So, here I am on Blogger.com!
Although I am somewhat skeptical about using these things seeing as anyone can be reading all about you, your life, and opinions without your knowledge. Including collegues, classmates, and stalkers (though the last I would believe to be somewhat rare). I also realize the tremendous benefits of such technology, such as being able to be a "published" author so easil and being able to get your opinions and input out there for all of the world to see.