Continuous Improvement Strategies

The concept of continuous improvement is that there is always an opportunity to get better. Sometimes, though, team members question how much better they can get. The truth is that Lean is not a magic drug that can cure everything about a company instantly. It takes work, and commitment, and Read more…

There’s an old saying that even a broken clock is right twice a day. Unfortunately, many office environments face a similar problem regarding balancing capacity and demand. Because the incoming workload fluctuates, it never matches a static capacity. This effect is compounded when work is assigned to individual employees rather Read more…

In any job, you will encounter difficult aspects of the work. Lean companies are no exception. Fortunately, in a Lean organization, there are established methods for both dealing with the problem tasks, as well as for justifying the need to make the improvement.

Lean requires commitment. It is easy to have that dedication when the philosophy has proven itself in the organization. But when the culture of continuous improvement is in its infancy, it is easy to lose one’s way. A common challenge that leaders have is resisting the urge to abandon a Read more…

People like closure, so the thought of taking on something with no end can be a major challenge. Continuous improvement can create a mental hurdle that people must clear in order to fully commit to the idea that the achievements of today won’t be good enough tomorrow.

Sometimes taking the scenic route is fun. But not when your livelihood and financial future are at stake. People feel much more comfortable when they know that their bosses have a plan, and employees know what that plan is.

Learning about Lean often takes a leap of faith. But faith only goes so far. On occasion, you will struggle with various aspects of your Lean job, especially when you don’t see the point in what you are beings asked to do.

When an organization embarks on a continuous improvement journey, few people may have a strong understanding of how to implement a Lean business system. There also may be a shortage of people who understand the Lean tools well. This lack of knowledge does not just apply to team members. Leaders Read more…

As a company proceeds down the path of continuous improvement, the vernacular in the organization shifts. It makes sense. Doing new things in new ways will require a way to communicate what is going on concisely. This new “Lean language” can be a challenge to grasp when one is receptive. Read more…

Some people are born “scrappers”. They like mixing it up and debating the merits of an idea. Others prefer to avoid conflict. They like peace and harmony in their relationships. That can make things difficult for them when people begin debating the merits of ideas when making improvements.