How to Get the Most Out of Your Kaizen Japan Tour

If you are participating in the Enna Kaizen Japan tour, you can expect an informative and profitable experience. You will be given opportunities to:

• Get a feel for the history of the Kaizen and Lean philosophies
• Participate in discussions and classes with some of the leading developers of Lean methodologies
• See Lean practices applied to real world situations and problems in actual live work environments
• Learn about new advances in Lean systems and methods
• Participate in sessions that cover specific elements of your operation that can be streamlined with Lean methodologies:

◦     Supply chain issues

◦     Staff productivity

◦     Cash flow and cost control

◦     Staying effective even when downsizing

◦     Staying successful in a down economy

When engaging in a project like the Enna Kaizen Japan tour, it is important to be prepared to get the most out of the experience. A trip to Japan is not cheap, so you want to be able to take advantage of all the opportunities you encounter while there. To that end, here are a few tips to make your trip more profitable:

• Study the course offerings and event schedules. Make an effort to schedule time for the events that best fit your needs. You want to concentrate on your top priority items and make sure that you pick up the tools you need to make a difference when you return home.
• Include some time for events that are outside your areas of concern. While it is recommended to focus on the issues that are most pressing to you, it is also a good idea to get out of the box a bit and learn more than just 'what you need'.
• Take some time to review some of the materials you went through when you first implemented Lean. The more knowledge you have when you arrive, the more you will be able to learn once you get there.
• If you are looking to implement a new feature of Lean and want to participate in related events in Japan, consider taking one of the entry level on line courses from Enna before you go. It will be helpful if you already have some of the concepts in your head when you arrive.
• When you are in a session, be prepared to participate. Ask questions, get into discussions, spend time with other participants and learn from their experiences in implementing Lean. The whole point of a group exercise is to benefit from the synergy that takes place naturally in a group setting.
• Make the group you are taking as representative as possible, allowing multiple segments of your operation to benefit from what can be learned on this trip.
• If possible, use this as an opportunity for some cross training. Let some of your group experience sessions on subjects outside of their specialty.

The Lean philosophy is designed to make your business operations smooth, efficient and effective. This same principle can be applied to your trip to Japan, helping to guarantee you are getting full value for your time, effort and expense.

Source : articlesbase.com