Change happens. Every business environment requires continuously changing strategies, processes, tools and skills. Implementing a Continuous Improvement program is one way a company can harness their response to change and create competitive advantage. As companies launch Continuous Improvement programs, they need to have a plan. Effective programs require the following 5 elements leading to successful and sustainable …Read More

Focusing on one methodology for continuous improvement can limit progress, diminish innovation and restrain the organization’s ability to realize its full continuous improvement potential. In Part IV of this series, we talk about using the best practices and best tools for your Continuous Improvement program. Continuous improvement best practices include: …Read More

In Part V of the series on Driving Continuous Improvement, we discuss the importance of utilizing the right combination of continuous improvement tools and data. This is where the rubber meets the road. Once you have your program aligned with your business strategy and …Read More

Many people believe that continuous improvement is a culture.  It certainly is in the eyes of the Japanese and many others, but is continuous improvement really a culture or something else? …Read More

Continuous improvement has a long history in the business world and after over 50 years, many leadership teams we talk to believe that it can be done quickly and implemented throughout the organization in 6-12 months.  How wrong they are. This article is about not overdoing continuous improvement at the outset.

It is important to understand the base you are operating from. Most organizations …Read More

In the introduction, I identified 5 things you need to do to drive continuous improvement.  They are:

1. Align continuous improvement with strategic objectives
2. Don’t overdo process excellence at outset; this is an evolutionary process
3. Integrate continuous improvement into a culture of strategic execution
4. Blend the best practices from the different methodologies
5. Focus on data, not emotions

In this article, we show how business strategy should drive continuous improvement programs and not the other way around. Continuous improvement …Read More