“Growth and comfort do not coexist.” ― Ginni Rometty, CEO, IBM
This is an important point to understand in education in general and particularly on point for those of us training and coaching Toyota Kata.
Getting out of your comfort zone is an important step to growing new skills, including Scientific Thinking, PDCA, and the entire Improvement Kata methodology. Reaching the outer limits of what you know —your "knowledge threshold"—is by its very nature an uncomfortable place to be. But right there is the starting point for learning, improving, and growing. Are you ready?
Here are a three ways to get started learning and working with Kata:
- Check out my Toyota Kata workshop coming up on October 14 as part of the IISE Engineering Lean Six Sigma 2020 Conference + AI Symposium. This workshop will provide a good overview plus quick hands-on practice. It's a great jumpstart for skill-building tools that will advance your career & build your problem-solving chops. WEDNESDAY, OCT 14: Toyota Kata: People and Processes. Only at VIRTUAL #ELSS2020 + AI. CEUs available. Conference registration: https://link.iise.org/ELSS2020register
- Visit www.doyoukata.com — This is our Kata overview and resource page (approved by Mike Rother, the guy who literally wrote the book(s) on it) for understanding the fundamentals of the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata, along with links to Starter Kata resources, including a Kata Storyboard template and other templates and materials.
- Read Mike Rother's books (list of the books and links to purchase them). This will take a little longer, but if you've checked out Kata and decide to go full-steam ahead, the Toyota Kata Practice Guide is a must.
For reading all the way to the end, here's the bonus way to start learning about Kata: Call me. When you click that link you'll be able to schedule a call at a time that's convenient for you. You can ask questions, learn more about what's available for Kata training and coaching, or talk through whether Kata would be a good fit for your particular challenge, personal or professional (hint: it probably is).
However you choose to get started, just get started! The skills you build with Starter Kata will serve you for a lifetime.
