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38 MMS December 2017 mmsonline.com COMPETING IDEAS Columnist people who are probably aware of the value of such tools and techniques never commit the time and effort needed to make them work. They take a half-hearted approach and just "go through the motions" of seeking improvement. In too many cases, these people are in key positions in an organization, and their actions actually can stifle the efforts of their staff and co-workers. For example, one of these key players may initiate an effort to improve organization in his or her area and promote 5S as the best approach to accomplishing this. He or she may even go as far as holding meetings to explain the impor- tance of a safe, clean, organized workplace in which all unneeded items are removed and there is a place for everything. Yet that is pretty much where the ef for t ends, as no time is set aside for anyone to clean up and organize the area (due to being extremely busy). A mixed message i s s e nt a n d e m p l oye e s l o s e i nte re s t ( i f th ey aren't doing it, why should I?). As a result, the supposedly important workplace organization effort never gets off the ground. Similarly, a SMED event may be held and generate many good ideas for reducing setup time. If the key player simply plays lip service to the ideas, another opportunity for real improve- ment is wasted. The same can be said for TPM, pull systems, and all of the other tools or tech- niques discussed in this column. If there is no commitment, there will be no improvement. Before beginning any improvement effort, ask yourself if you are really committed to making it work. If not, don't start, as this is preferable to simply going through the motions. Before beginning any improvement effort, ask yourself if you are really committed to making it work. If not, don't start. Never starting is preferable to simply going through the motions. Mitutoyo America Corporation | 1-888-mitutoyo | www.mitutoyo.com C M M • V I S I O N • F O R M A N D F I N I S H • P R E C I S I O N T O O L S A N D I N S T R U M E N T S • D A T A M A N A G E M E N T As the world's leading metrology company, Mitutoyo is committed to break-through technologies in current and future product development for its full range of dimensional measurement tools, instruments, software and systems. Held in the belief that providing the highest quality products and services to our customers, in turn allows you to do the same for your customers, Mitutoyo continues to develop the most advanced metrology solutions. "Precision is our profession," is not only the company motto, but also the principle by which every Mitutoyo employee stands. Precision is Our Profession www.mitutoyo.com/cat Product Catalog