As companies challenge their lean programs and drive teams toward specific goals, you have to ask yourselves, have we lost focus on the fundamental meaning of Kaizen? Does Kaizen focus only upon a small simple change or maybe “Kaizens must achieve at least a 20% improvement” or should we only have 2-3 major Kaizens each year? The intent of Kaizen, as is relates to business, is to drive a philosophy of continuous improvement every day. Often where we lose our focus related to the Kaizen philosophy: the idea that everyone is using ‘Kaizen Eyes’ in everything they do, which leads to the ongoing improvement.
The process of learning to spot and eliminate waste in our business processes can only truly be successful when we humanize the Kaizen approach. Ongoing praise, support and encouragement are the tools to drive a Kaizen philosophy. This will enable everyone, at all levels, to be part of the simple productivity improvements, which we desire to become part of the everyday employee’s work life.
Why challenge your teams to focus on the small incremental improvements versus a few larger projects? Here are a few reasons to consider:
Motivation – Quick wins keep teams motivated.
Engagement – You can get more people involved with several small projects.
Teamwork – As they stay engaged, teams learn and develop together.
Payback – Typically, overall savings are greater with numerous successful small projects over a short period of time, as opposed to one big project which may never get implemented.
When talking about Kaizen opportunities and selecting where to focus your attention, make sure you include the long-term vision of your lean journey, go back to the basics, and nail those quick wins. By giving your team the tools and capability to make positive changes every day, you will begin a transformation that can impact more than just your company.
Interested in learning more about MAU’s Lean Management principles and capabilities? Contact us today!
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