In last week’s letter, I introduced you to Ari, AME Home Team member Sara O’Hara’s feline coworker. Since that letter went out, Ari now has her own personal fan club. We may have to make her the official AME mascot with all the attention she is garnering.
This prompted me to think about how everyone working from home has some intentional and unintentional coworkers who occasionally pop into the Zoom calls and provide joy to our everyday lives. Over the past few years, I have met your “coworkers” – family members, children, neighbors, and yes, your pets. I even met one member’s Amazon delivery driver.
By now, most of you have seen my foster failure feline girl, Cricket. Four years ago, I agreed to “foster” her, and we all know how that works. She now collaborates with me every day, showing up on time and being the best coworker ever.
Cricket
In a meeting this week, the AME Home Team laughed about our pets and how cats, in particular, are the epitome of Lean. Cats are very much efficiency experts and are always looking for the best ways to do things. They are hyper-focused on the end goal, and nothing will stop them in their quest for their version of excellence. They are constantly looking for more accessible and practical ways to conserve energy for the things that add value. They focus on what matters. Cats are simply focused on the art of purr-fection, one paw step at a time.
Their standard work is simple: they must be fed at the same time, from the same bowl and with the same menu. They eat, sleep and repeat. I enjoy having my coworker around, teaching me to focus on what’s important. I would also love to hear about your coworkers and how they help you develop focusing skills, balance work life and make the workday just a little more joyful!
I look forward to swapping more stories with you in less than a month at the AME Atlanta 2024 International Conference. This is your opportunity to connect with like-minded continuous improvement professionals to share, learn and grow. It is not too late to register! Plus, you can take advantage of our October VIP prizes if you register and book your hotel this month. NBA tickets are on the table!
Finally, do not forget that we have some incredible workshops on Monday prior to the official start of the conference. You can choose from:
- Learn to see the invisible
- Building an engaged culture
- Kata and the scientific thinking mechanism
- The new lean game: DDbrix Factory
- Coaching for GROWth
- Leadership zen: Mastering mindful agility for change, support and peak team performance
- Lean boot camp
- Let Go to Lead
- What is Lean Product and Process Development?
- LeanSetGo
- The Lean office: Learning to see the invisible
- Kata and the scientific thinking mechanism
- Cultivating psychological safety to create a learning organization
- Wiring the winning organization
- Strategy deployment
- Achieving workforce stability with MEE™
- Making standardization the standard
Thank you all for all you do to make our community so impactful. As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
