Breakthrough Improvements

Breakthrough improvements are major changes in processes that yield business-altering results. Continuous improvement, on the other hand, is the relentless attack on waste that makes companies get better at a steady pace. A strong, improvement-oriented company will have both breakthrough improvements and a continuous improvement culture as part of its Read more…

Key Principles for a Lean Business System

One of the mistakes companies make when they try to create a business system or develop a continuous improvement culture is that they focus on the wrong things. They scrutinize behaviors. They spend their energy reacting to unexpected results. They bounce from tool to tool trying to find a fix for their problems.

What they often overlook, though, is that fact that their employees are often not guided by unifying principles. There is no clear corporate identity. Guiding principles are like beacons for the team, and create continuity as people come and go.

While the exact principles you settle on for your organization will vary based on your industry, national culture, corporate mission, and a host of other factors, there is one common thread among all great companies. They have a belief system that is shared by their employees.