Reflecting on Accuteque’s Principles
We reflect on the importance of our Accuteque values and where they can be found in the everyday with the help of our Tangram.
About Accuteque principles
Accuteque principles are derived from focusing on both results and the behaviours of our people, and are heavily influenced by the work of Dr Shigeo Shingo, a Japanese manufacturing expert, author and founder of the Shingo Model of Operational Excellence.
Relfections of where the values can be found in the everday
Learning and reviewing the Accuteque principles has meant we have reflected on our own behaviours and what is important to us on a day to day basis both as a company and as individuals. By using metaphors and imagery we have chosen a different way to express these principles and apply them to everyday situations.
Respect for every individual
To showcase the work ethic and inclusion of our team reflects the principle of ‘respect for every individual’. Respect allows everyone in the workspace to feel at ease when pitching ideas, looking for help or support and decreases the amount of stress or conflict. By empowering our people we are giving them a voice, respect for their say and to be heard.
Seek perfection
Presenting an insight towards the attempt to reach one’s highest potential and goals within themselves. The dynamic/contrast between the taller and smaller buildings and having the tangram appearing to be at the top of a smaller one, reflects the point that one’s goals may not be the same as others. Alternatively, that they are able to appreciate and take in what they have accomplished so far and then aim to set a goal for something bigger/taking another step up. ‘Seek perfection’ as although seeking perfection can be ‘an unattainable goal’ pursuing it creates the environment for a culture of operational excellence.’
Create consistency of purpose
Everything and everyone needs to be aligned and on the same page in order to achieve operational excellence/success. There must be transparency and certainty for the team and business of what the goals, purpose and direction of the organisation will be. Therefore the team can create aligned team and individual gaols, strategise, communicate and work in the same direction to achieve the overarching goal and be successful.
Strategic alignment is required for operational excellence. There must be certainty about why the organisation exists, where it is headed, and how it will get there. The strategy must be deployed to the extent that individuals can align their actions, decisions, and innovations with the overall objectives of the organisation. This allows for greater confidence and better decision making across the board.
Organisations with a consistency of purpose clearly communicate the mission and direction with everyone. They set individual and team goals that are well aligned with the overall strategy and goals.
Focus on Process
The deeper viewed concept of a metaphorical game of ping pong: ping pong can be presented as any real-life reciprocation/reliant/progressive situation. One person starts by serving and then the game plays out with hitting the ball and the other reciprocates by hitting it back and forth and back and forth and so on.
It can also be perceived as a conversational approach, with people in a conversation hitting/serving ideas back and forth like a rally and branching off of other people’s ideas. It can also be tied in with the ‘focus on process’ principle in which focusing on the process leads to getting to the root of the cause of what sparked the error in the first place, leading to improvement. Table tennis has morals and rules as any other sport would in the ‘progression and improvement’ field, where when a mistake or in this case ‘issue’ has arisen, continuous improvement leads to inner development and allows one to flourish further and become better at the game. Focusing on process and thereby constantly challenging those around you, encourage them towards progressively reaching their full potential as well.
Flow and pull
When a boat’s journey is interrupted, it is proven to take longer to reach its destination which wastes time. When producing value for customers, its important.
Maximizing value for customers means creating it in response to demand and maintaining an uninterrupted flow. When the flow is disrupted or when excess inventory occurs, waste is produced. Backlogs in work-in-progress create opportunities for error.
Therefore, it is necessary to avoid creating or storing more product or services than are immediately required based on customer demand. It is also essential to make sure that the resources needed to create value are available when needed.
Assure quality at the source
To depict the principle of ‘Assuring quality at the source’ and the ability to assure quality at the source becomes not only doable but accomplishable. To show that sustaining a well-organized and clean workspace contributes to greater productivity and efficiency and arises a desire towards a further improved work ethic. Ensuring you are set up to achieve success will ensure you are able to provide quality on an ongoing basis.
Lead with Humility
Acknowledging that having the ability to stand up and accept feedback, listen to others and learn from others is what can make leaders humble and open to collaborate with their team. In turn, engagement is high, employees feel safe, valued and heard, and the whole team benefits from leading with humility.
Create value for the customer
Putting in the time and effort to gain a deeper understanding of the customers and their wants and needs is essential to delivering value and exceeding their expectations. Putting the needs of the customer first and not assuming you know what’s best without taking stock of the situation and listening to their wants and needs.
Embrace scientific thinking
To represent ‘embracing scientific thinking’ and how following procedure and structural approaches when solving problems allows for ideas to be tested without the concern of failure. Operationally excellent organisations that follow these structures for problem solving test ideas without the fear of failure as its done in a controlled and safe environment.
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking is essential to understand relationships within the system in order to implement positive change, when work is moved from one process or team to another. Removing barriers and knowing that all processes are intertwined creates a great flow for all.
In addition to our principles we have been focusing on achieving and supporting gender equity and, embracing and learning from our mistakes.
These are reflected in our values of gender equity and learning from your mistakes. Read more about our passion for gender equity here.
Gender equity
Embracing and learning from your mistakes
Being able to assess the way others around you ‘play’ or in this case work, provides the opportunity to gain new tactics and ideas from them. The game holds much power when unveiling its relation to reality. When looking at it all together, it appears to be a significantly risky game, though, where is the gain without the risk? If the tower collapses, you build it back up and try again. This can be applied in workplace scenarios the exact same way, when something goes wrong, you learn from it and try again. You get knocked down; you get back up.
Jenga teaches us the way making mistakes can be taken as an advantage and can ultimately lead to a more successful outcome. It tells us not to be afraid to make mistakes, but instead to embrace them, continue persisting forward and create something even better than before.
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