Below is an Autogenerated Transcript

Ron: Now, this story happened in Sweden, but it happened to a man from California. He was a consultant. A consultant that helped factories become more efficient and more productive and more lean. The job that he got for a month was in Sweden. So he flew from California to Stockholm, landed in the evening, and when he stepped out, his Swedish host was there to pick him up. Took him in the car to the hotel, and explained to him that in their factory, everybody needs to be in the factory by 8:30 a.m. because that’s what they need to get started. So the Swede said to the Californian, I’ll pick you up at 8:00 so that we get to the factory in time at 8:30.And the California man said, “Thank you. Very good”, went inside, went to sleep.

At 6:00 in the morning, the phone rang in his hotel room. Ring. Woke him up. It was the Swede. And the Swede said to him, “Hey, I’m sorry that I’m calling you so early, but last night there was a big snowstorm. And so because of the snow and still going on, I’m not going to come and get you at 8:00. I’m going to come and get you at 7:30 because everybody needs to be inside the factory by 830 for us to get started.”California man said “Okay”, jumped up, had his breakfast, took a shower, got ready, stepped out at 7:30 in the morning into the car. The Swede drives the car out onto the highway, and just as they get to the highway, a snowplow went by. So there was no snow, and because they were on the highway at 7:30 a.m., there was very little traffic, so they drove to the factory quickly. In fact, they arrived at the factory at 8:00. Half an hour early, and because they were so early, the parking lot was empty. 

So the Swede drove his car all the way to the farthest edge of the parking lot away from the factory, and parked the car. Said, “Come on, let’s go.” Stepped out and walked across the freezing cold parking lot with the California consultant going. Brrr. and by the time they got into the factory, the California man looked at him, said, “Well, what did you do that for?” And the Swede looked at him and said, “Do what?” California man said, “Well, what did you park all the way over there for?” And the Swede said, “Oh, that! I parked over there because we were early.” The California man said, “Yeah, I know we were early. All the spaces near  the factory were empty because we were early. Why did you park all the way over there?” And the Swede looked at him funny and said, “Well,  I mean, we were early, so we had all the time we needed to be able to walk across the parking lot. But my colleagues who come later and later this morning, who because of the snow may be delayed, they’re going to need the spaces that are closer and closer to the factory.Doesn’t that make sense to you?”

It’s a fundamental shift. A fundamental shift in the way of thinking from “What’s in it for me?How much do I get? How do I get more? How do I get praise? How do I win?” To “What can I do for you?”