The Mindset: My father (who is a great guy by the way at 81 yrs of age) worked in the textile industry for 43 years following the boom after WW2. He started from the ground up at the CIL munitions plant in Beloeil Quebec and worked his way into the lab and into the textile division. Through true grit his career survived several corporate sell-offs and evolved into yarn design, quality control and customer relations. He also became part of the "old school" mindset in manufacturing of the times where they kept their processes and practices to themselves for fear of their expertise falling into the hands of "the competition." Seven years ago when I told him I was going to work for a manufacturing "consortium" where I was going to facilitate the sharing and benchmarking of best practices between all sectors of manufacturing at all organizational levels (regardless of their size and sophistication) he looked at me as if I was from mars! After explaining to him the current world of manufacturing he did see the light, and I know that if he were in manufacturing today he would likely be the type of person to engage learning from others...(I hope!)

Times have changed! I don't need to go into detail to remind everyone how the current global economic situation that we are all experiencing has created the NECESSITY of benchmarking and networking at all levels (that includes Sr. Management Strategic Thinking, Lean Initiatives, Health & Safety, HR, Engineering, Logistics, Environmental, etc. to name a few). To survive today, reaching out to your manufacturing community to learn from others is (and should be!) etched in your business practices. The 5th Lean principle from the Toyota production system states: Create Perfection. For many in Continuous Improvement this also implies benchmarking EXTERNALLY (both within and outside of your manufacturing sector) from your current practices to try to make them better.

After facilitating hundreds of manufacturing benchmarking/networking events in communities of various sizes across Canada, I have learned many things from participants at all levels of organizations. Most importantly, it starts with the Mindset.

Art McNeil, author of "The "I" of the Hurricane" identifies the need for a "not knowing mindset" in order for business to truly embrace future change and innovation. What this implies is:

• 1. Acknowledging that you do not know everything, no matter how good you are or how much market share you have. Your current success is only a snapshot of the present. You must ask yourself: what are you doing in the present for your success in the future?
• 2. There is always something to learn from others, no matter how different the sector, process, or business.
• 3. Humility: You must have the intestinal fortitude to be told you may be doing something wrong, or be offered a way of doing it better, no matter how much time, effort, or resources you may have put into a certain process.
• 4. Be open to share: Synergy of benchmarking is fueled by a willingness to share what you do both best practices and challenges.
• 5. Necessary time well spent: We are all busy! You have to be of the mindset that no matter how busy you are, a couple hours a month is time well spent benchmarking and networking. There is something to take away from every plant tour, every benchmarking exercise. The dots may not connect right away all the time

If some of these points referring to Mindset give you the "willies", that's perfectly normal since engaging in the business practice of benchmarking, sharing, and networking is not always easy at first. For many it is a learned behavior.

Rest assured: I have witnessed a room full of CEOs, Presidents, Plant Managers, Production Supervisors etc. sitting across the room from each other with their arms crossed, very nervous and uncomfortable at first. However, by the end of a session or two their conversations extend out into the parking lot as business cards get exchanged and a peer to peer network is developed.

The next post will address preparation and conduct for benchmarking and networking world class in manufacturing!

Yours in networking,

Mike Baker, EMC