Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead, and Succeed with OPEN-MINDEDNESS!

People are very open-minded about new things - as long as they're exactly like the old ones. 

~ Charles Kettering

Have you ever wondered WHY it is sometimes so difficult to accept other people's ideas? It seems particularly difficult if the idea comes from someone who, in our mind, is hierarchically below us because..... "I am the boss, I am smarter, I know best, and I have to know it all". 

Being open minded is to consider all perspectives as possibilities. However, it does not imply that one necessarily believes in all perspectives. As long as we are willing to accept that others beliefs are equally as legitimate as our own.

In our faced paced society it is important to be open and aware to new ways of doing things. I know that I am guilty of this myself but many times I think that I have to do it all on my own, instead of accepting and appreciating other people's help and input. It is very difficult for me to accept help but I am learning. :-)

If you are open-minded it helps you to be more flexible and to better deal with change because you are more willing to change your perspective on certain things. Open-minded people are also less judgmental, more optimistic, they have great problem solving skills and they are always willing to learn and to grow. 

Many of you who follow my videos and articles know that I am a firm believer that there is a lot of unused brainpower in many organizations. People in general but especially front-line workers are still seen more as bodies than brains and that's why many companies don't reach their full potential. 

I am convinced that every worker has a 50,000 $ idea in his or her head but there are 3 main obstacles that need to be overcome:

1. We have to find a way to get the idea out of the employees' head.
2. We have to listen to the idea with an open mind and avoid using the words no, but, or however.
3. We have to empower employees to implement their ideas, even if it means that they have to find cost saving ideas in order to make the implementation of their idea possible.

You think this won't work? Think again!

Although it may not always be easy to be open-minded, it certainly is well worth the effort for both, you and your team, and can go a long way in improving things around you.

It has been said "Your mind is like a parachute. It only works if it's open."

So, what do you think? Are you open-minded?