The Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Solutions
April 13th, 2009 | 
Author: One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan’s biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem.
Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.
But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.
Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems.
 | RT @rupertmurdoch: OWS and Tea Party share motivation: open and real equal opportunity. Neither should be dismissed or abused. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:46 +0000 |
 | @Sassy_ItalianP Yeah, wrong motivation. Someones I read to feel special. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:46 +0000 |
 | RT @rupertmurdoch: OWS and Tea Party share motivation: open and real equal opportunity. Neither should be dismissed or abused. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:45 +0000 |
 | awkward moment when u hv to go for a date but ur feeling sleepy AF I need sm motivation to get uppTjY Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:44 +0000 |
 | Whoa RT @rupertmurdoch OWS and Tea Party share motivation: open and real equal opportunity. Neither should be dismissed or abused. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:34 +0000 |
 | ahhh yes, sweet sweet motivation Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:33 +0000 |
 | I need to get the motivation to work out more, I'm too lazy now a days Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:31 +0000 |
 | I have no motivation to get out of my bed right now #socomfy Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:24 +0000 |
 | RT @rupertmurdoch: OWS and Tea Party share motivation: open and real equal opportunity. Neither should be dismissed or abused. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:24 +0000 |
 | Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score.The real excitement is playing the game #.. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:24 +0000 |
 | Lol:-) with all do respect this Eddie Murphy n that dude on for Better or worse Fault motivation. http://t.co/r13JLVSN Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:24 +0000 |
 | Good post. RT @HealthBastard: The progression principle and the 80/20 rule: #fitness #diet #weightloss #motivation http://t.co/WV7vQ99Z Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:23 +0000 |
 | watching keeping up with the kardashians until I have enough motivation to leave my house Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:20 +0000 |
 | Telling me I cant do something just makes me try harder! #Motivation Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:10 +0000 |
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