Is continual improvement the place to start your lean journey?
Many people feel the implementation of a continual improvement initiative, with the promise of low hanging fruit payoffs, is the first step on the path to becoming lean. Continual improvement is required by many as evidence that the organization is moving forward in the pursuit of perfection. Yet all too often continual improvement gets confused as a tool for quality problem solving or kaizen blitzes. Management begins to lose interest as the low lying fruit is gathered and initiates a search for the next silver bullet.
Many fail to realize continual improvement is a required discipline, to be applied everyday by everyone as a tool in the pursuit of perfection. Making perfection the goal, opens the door to creative thinking and innovation at all levels of the organization.
Is it wise to allow everyone to improve upon what they do, to become creative and innovate? This may be overwhelming to organizations as they are today. Organizations can however change over time to create a culture of innovation. A work place where innovation is the job!Over the coming weeks I will explore this topic in much more detail. I look forward to having you participate in the journey.
Until then, ask yourself this; what role does innovation play in your job?
You can also email me; leanthoughtstarter@gmail.com
