5 Key Lessons from Dr. Kano

Dr. Noriaki Kano is one of the most respected Quality Gurus worldwide. His popular contribution to the world is a model of understanding customer satisfaction which is popularly known as the Kano Model. Organizations across the globe have utilized the Kano model to obtain and sustain their competitive edge. Amongst many laurels to Dr Kano’s name is the Deming Prize for Individuals which was conferred to him in 1997 for his outstanding contributions to the world of TQM.

Last year, I got an opportunity to have close interaction with Dr Kano, including dinner at his residence in Tokyo. While his lessons on Quality can be best understood by reading his publications and attending his programs first hand, I would like to share the following key lessons that I learnt by spending time with his greatness.

1.      Humility is a reflection of success

It started to rain as we approached Dr. Kano’s residence for dinner. As our van took the turn into his street, we found none other than Dr. Kano himself standing on the street, in front of his bungalow with umbrellas in his hand. The number of umbrellas was same as the number of visitors. This was followed by a Japanese traditional welcome and a generous tour of the beautiful house, conducted by Mrs and Dr. Kano. They addressed each person by her/his first name followed by san and gave us personalized attention. Dr. Kano also invited his domestic support staff to be a part of the gathering and gave details about her contributions to the upkeep of the house and in preparation of the dinner that night. She was being treated at par with the family throughout. We were no celebrities, just a group of ordinary professionals from India while our host was actually a celebrity. This behavior of Dr. Kano is simply a reflection of his humble character and his thorough belief in TQM which considers ‘Respect’ as the base of ‘Quality’.

2.      Treat everyone you meet as your customer

Dr. Kano’s application of his model in every part of his own life is evident. The Kano model sensitizes us on the importance of understanding latent needs of the customers. Dr Kano treats everyone he meets as his customer and is quick to understand their spoken and latent needs. It became evident as he unveiled an array of Indian food for dinner and introduced each dish with its brief history including the Indian state of its origin. It was delightful to see vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes on different tables, clearly demarcated, displaying his understanding of the sensitivity of his Indian guests. Similarly the English food was served with pure English etiquette, to our friend from UK.  A discussion with Dr. Kano is a delight as he is quick to understand the intent behind a question and provides a thorough and satisfying answer. He does not forget to take your feedback on his ability to answer your questions, regardless of the seriousness of the discussion.

3.      Utilize every opportunity to observe the world

There is a wall in Dr. Kano’s living room that has shelves for souvenirs from different countries. The shelf dedicated to India has souvenirs arranged in the order of the state of its origin. Dr. Kano could not recollect how many times he had visited India but he clearly remembered having visited 21 states of India. His knowledge about the cultures of different states of India and the accuracy of his observation of the people astonished us. He possessed similar knowledge of 49 states of USA, 20 provinces of China and 47 prefectures of Japan that he had visited till then.

4.      Never stop researching

At 76, Dr. Kano spends 8 hours each day on his research work (when he is not travelling, training or consulting). His office is a temple of Quality and Management studies. Uncountable recognitions, a huge library of books and heaps of his research papers leave a visitor energized and fresh.

5.      Stay devoted to the cause

Other than his research and services to help Industry across the world, Dr. Kano is known for making significant donations and doing a lot of voluntary work, to help developing countries impart education on Quality to their citizens. His firm belief in Continuous Improvement can be seen in his attitude towards interacting with new people, learning new concepts and continuously upgrading himself.

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Above article is based purely on individual observations of the author, contactable on [email protected]; Skype: amitjsharma