The idea of continuous improvement comes from the Japanese word
kaizen and has been adopted by western corporations and individuals alike since the publication of Masaaki Imai’s book
Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success in 1986. Any kind of change takes time, and changing a culture (rather than implementing a program) can take many years.
[1][2] If you are looking to create a culture of continuous improvement for your business, patience and planning are necessary.
Part 1
EditMaking a Plan
-
1
Consider the future. The demands of the present often
take priority in our work and non-work lives. However, having a vision
for the future and long term goals are the starting point for
improvement. Start by considering where you see yourself and your
company in five to ten years.
[3]
- Be honest and specific as you consider where you are now and where
you want to be in the future, and determine what you need to do to get
from point A to point B.
- For example, if your business has issues with quality control, identify the recurrent issue and map out a plan that resolves it.
- Privilege behavior over production. It’s easy to say, “My company
will double our profits,” but improvements never happen without changing
behaviors. Changing outcomes is a benefit of changing habits,
attitudes, and skills.[4]
-
2
Write a True North statement.[5]
True North statements indicate a change in direction. Consider your
business goals and write a few statements that address these goals, and
then determine which statement best fits your long term plan.
[6]
- A True North statement for a business might be “100% customer satisfaction.”
-
3
Reflect on your past. After deciding on your True
North statement, itemize past behaviors that could hinder your overall
goal. These behaviors must be modified in order for you to reach your
goals.
[7]
-
4
Start with small improvements, rather than grand, large-scale changes. Think “quality over quantity”!
[8]
- Small improvements allow you and/or your employees to see results
more quickly, which can be a positive reinforcement. While large
improvements are of course the goal, not seeing results for years can
foster a sense of disappointment or hopelessness. [9]
- Local improvements can also serve as a model for large scale changes. [10]
-
5
Be consistent. Changing everything at once can cause
confusion and frustration. Make one change and make sure it sticks
before making another change.
[11]
- Strive for consistency also as you implement these changes. For
instance, if your True North statement was "100% customer satisfaction,"
one change you might make is to set a standard time span for responses
to customer complaints.[12] If you decided that all customer complaints should be answered within six hours, be sure to keep that change consistent.
Part 2
EditSharing Your Vision
-
1
Paint the big picture. Employees should understand
how they, individually, contribute and are necessary to the larger goals
of the company, not just in terms of how what they do benefits an
increased profit return, but also how what they do matters in the larger
world.
[13]
-
2
Give clear instructions. Having clear guidelines and
clarifying your expectations from the start is important for any
collaborative or individual work. Showing employees how to do something
versus telling them how can also clear up any initial questions.
- However, demonstrate trust by allowing employees to be in control of
their own work. Allow them to determine how they can best complete the
task at hand or to make modifications to the changes so that they can
complete their work efficiently. [14]
-
3
Make your True North statement your personal or business mantra.
This phrase should be repeated often. Your employees should know the
True North statement and how it is important to their own projects and
daily tasks.
[15]
-
4
Participate in your vision. Be visible as someone
contributing to the goals in everyday ways, rather than simply
“overseeing” your employees. Actions speak louder than words! If your
employees see you interacting with customers and responding to customer
complaints, you are serving as a model for future behavior and reminding
them through your actions that this goal is important to the overall
success of your company.
[16]
- Although administrative work is a large part of managing a company,
schedule regular intervals to step outside your office and help your
employees with their tasks.
- If you run a retail business, for example, help out with stocking
inventory, ask customers if you can help them find anything, or work the
register.
Part 3
EditCreating Desire
-
1
Allow experimentation.[17]
Making room for creative approaches and even failure fosters a positive
working environment and allows employees to bring their own talents to
the table.
- While the goals you have itemized in your plan should be consistent
across the board, understand that your employees have different ways of
thinking and a variety of skills. One employee’s method for resolving a
customer complaint, for instance, might not be what you specifically
envisioned—it might be even better!
- Consider posing situational examples in group meetings and asking
employees how they would resolve the problem. For instance, “X customer
has a screaming baby and can’t find Y product. How would you help
him/her?” Thought experiments can then be tested in the work
environment. In the following meeting, have employees reflect on how
these experiments went in actuality.
-
2
Show appreciation publicly. Everyone needs
affirmation, and highlighting jobs well done both reinforces new habits
and skills and inspires others to do well.
[18][19]
- Make a point to give praise immediately when possible. [20]
- Set aside time in weekly or bi-weekly meetings to compliment
employees on what they are doing well. Mention specific instances when
you have observed an employee utilizing a new skill or behavior that is
part of your long term vision and reaffirm how that small act is
important to the larger goals.
-
3
Incentivize employee objectives.[21]
While verbal praise offers emotional reward, tangible benefits (such as
time or money) also reinforce a job well done and create a positive
work environment.
- For example, if your True North statement was “100% customer
satisfaction,” you might offer a bonus to employees who have had no
customer complaints for a month.
- To promote a collaborate environment, you might choose to reward all
of your employees with a nice group dinner or a weekend trip if your
company meets the quarterly goal.
Share this
1Consider the future. The demands of the present often take priority in our work and non-work lives. However, having a vision for the future and long term goals are the starting point for improvement. Start by considering where you see yourself and your company in five to ten years.[3]
2Write a True North statement.[5] True North statements indicate a change in direction. Consider your business goals and write a few statements that address these goals, and then determine which statement best fits your long term plan.[6]
3Reflect on your past. After deciding on your True North statement, itemize past behaviors that could hinder your overall goal. These behaviors must be modified in order for you to reach your goals.[7]
4Start with small improvements, rather than grand, large-scale changes. Think “quality over quantity”![8]
5Be consistent. Changing everything at once can cause confusion and frustration. Make one change and make sure it sticks before making another change. [11]
1Paint the big picture. Employees should understand how they, individually, contribute and are necessary to the larger goals of the company, not just in terms of how what they do benefits an increased profit return, but also how what they do matters in the larger world.[13]
2Give clear instructions. Having clear guidelines and clarifying your expectations from the start is important for any collaborative or individual work. Showing employees how to do something versus telling them how can also clear up any initial questions.
3Make your True North statement your personal or business mantra. This phrase should be repeated often. Your employees should know the True North statement and how it is important to their own projects and daily tasks.[15]
4Participate in your vision. Be visible as someone contributing to the goals in everyday ways, rather than simply “overseeing” your employees. Actions speak louder than words! If your employees see you interacting with customers and responding to customer complaints, you are serving as a model for future behavior and reminding them through your actions that this goal is important to the overall success of your company.[16]
1Allow experimentation.[17] Making room for creative approaches and even failure fosters a positive working environment and allows employees to bring their own talents to the table.
2Show appreciation publicly. Everyone needs affirmation, and highlighting jobs well done both reinforces new habits and skills and inspires others to do well. [18][19]
3Incentivize employee objectives.[21] While verbal praise offers emotional reward, tangible benefits (such as time or money) also reinforce a job well done and create a positive work environment.
