Doing the Wrong Things Righter: A Lesson in Operational Excellence

Years ago, I attended the Shingo Prize Conference in Jacksonville, Florida — an experience that completely reshaped the way I think about Operational Excellence (OpEx). The conference itself was rich with knowledge, but the true value came not from the presentations — it came from the conversations.

Between sessions, I spoke with passionate leaders, problem-solvers, and continuous improvement champions who, like me, were trying to unlock the secret to successful OpEx implementation. During one of those conversations, a gentleman from Great Britain made a comment that has stayed with me ever since.

He said,

“It’s interesting that we all keep trying to do the wrong things — only we try to do them righter.”

That statement hit me like a ton of bricks. We were all working hard, applying tools, running kaizens, holding stand-ups — but often on the wrong priorities. We were polishing processes that didn’t matter and improving systems that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

The lesson was clear:Operational Excellence isn’t about doing more things right. It’s about discovering the right things to do — and then doing them with discipline and purpose.

The Right Path Requires the Right Guide

So how do you know what the right things are?

That’s where experience makes the difference. Real OpEx transformation isn’t learned from a manual or copied from another company’s playbook. It’s learned from walking through the fire — leading change, facing resistance, learning from failure, and earning success.

I’ve always been cautious about traditional consultants. Too many operate with a dependency model — they stay embedded long after the need is gone, creating reliance instead of resilience. But that doesn’t mean expert guidance isn’t essential. It absolutely is.

When organizations tell me, “We’re going to do this ourselves with our internal people,” I always smile — because I understand the intent. But I also know the reality: unless that internal leader has personally led a full transformation from start to finish, the journey will be steep, slow, and often discouraging.

True transformation requires both know-how and know-why. It demands a mentor who’s been there — someone who knows not just the tools, but the thinking and the principles behind them.

Why Otto OpEx Exists

That’s exactly why Otto OpEx exists — to guide, empower, and elevate organizations on their journey to Operational Excellence.

We’re not here to create dependency. We’re here to build capability.We don’t do the work for you — we develop your people so they can do it without us.We exist to help you identify the right things to focus on, build systems that sustain improvement, and create a culture where excellence becomes your natural way of operating.

Because the real danger isn’t doing something wrong.The real danger is doing the wrong things righter.

Your Journey Starts Here

If this message resonates with you — if you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of “doing more” but not “getting better” — then you’re in the right place.

That’s what the Otto OpEx Forum is all about: learning, sharing, and growing together.

👉 Post a comment below:What challenges are you facing in your OpEx journey?Where do you feel your organization might be “doing the wrong things righter”?

I’d love to hear your story — and I’ll personally respond to your questions and help you navigate your next step toward excellence.

Let’s start the conversation.Let’s do the right things — and do them with excellence.

https://www.ottoopex.com/group/otto-opex-community/discussion