Kaizen – with a twist

by Jane-Michele Clark

Kaizen is the Japanese word for making continuous improvements in manufacturing processes, business practices and individuals' personal lives. Indeed, making small changes in your business life or personal life can lead to big results. But how do you figure out what small changes will help? People who have worked in Japan tell us that a better way to look at ‘Kaizen’ is to use the working definition used by the Japanese: "To take it apart and put back together in a better way”.

Recently, I had the opportunity to help a few students with two different MBA in-field studies (major group projects) and, by looking at their assessment from a different point of view, was able to make relatively small suggestions that led to substantive improvements.

In another instance, when brought in to look at a PR story in progress, I was able to see easily and quickly see what small changes were needed to improve the story, that would recognize the viewpoints of both writer and client and keep everyone happy. On the personal side, small changes in eating habits are leading to better numbers on the scale. The pattern has been repeated dozens of times and reminds me of Kaizen – but with a twist.

Kaizen is Japanese for "change for the better" or "improvement" and comes from two characters: ‘kai’ which means ‘change’ and ‘zen’ which means ‘good’. Frequently change happens slowly but consistently. For this reason the English translation has come to be “continual and never ending improvement”.

Toyota is known worldwide for practicing “kaizen” in every facet of its business – and input is appreciated at all levels of the company. Suggestions for improvement are always rewarded, something we learned to be true from stories we heard during the many years we worked with Lexus. The other thing we learned is that radical changes will also get full support from the upper echelons if these changes will help the company achieve its goals.

But how do you figure out what small changes will help? People who have worked in Japan tell us that a better way to look at ‘Kaizen’ is to use the working definition used by the Japanese: "To take it apart and put back together in a better way”.

But how do you know what to take apart? And how do you come up with better ways of putting it together? Conventional wisdom says that you have the people closest to the product or service dedicate intense time and concentration to the task – to the exclusion of all else. There’s no question that this can produce great results.

Here’s “the twist”, though, that can speed up the process, and perhaps produce even better results:

1. Get input from people who normally work on other projects, or in other departments within the company. They understand the company, but are enough removed that their perspective is different. Further, they won’t be attached to the outcome or fettered by “But we’ve always done it this way” thoughts.

2. Talk to people from outside your industry as they are not constrained by the ways your industry typically handles matters. When we run peer-to-peer mentoring groups, we bring together senior executives from different industries. An automotive VP may have a personnel problem, for example, and tried various means of resolving the issue – without satisfactory results. A hotelier may have encountered the same problem, but tried different approaches based on hotel industry practices. By adopting part of the hospitality solution, the auto exec may find the needed answer.

3. Talk to customers and employees of outside firms that offer products and services that work with yours – or complement your offering.

4. Talk to your customers and competitors. Not a big surprise or twist, but often overlooked.

5. Don’t work on it. You’ll often find that by putting some mental distance between you and the problem at hand, your subconscious will go to work on the problem and then presto! the solution appears, seemingly out of thin air.

6. Don’t dwell on the downside risk. Too many managers these days are so worried about quarterly profit statements that they are unwilling to make changes or take calculated risks. To make improvements, you need to evaluate the upside potential and seek out the ways to make things work. It goes without saying that you must analyze and minimize the risks, but focus on the possibilities.

7. Embrace the crazy ideas. When we hold synectics sessions (no holds barred sessions where any and all new ideas are welcomed), we often find that the “craziest” idea holds the germ of the best solution.

8. Talk to your friends. Unless the matter is confidential, bring it up in casual conversation. You may get a gut reaction response that sets your mind off on a new path. Or you may find someone has a solution, who knows someone, who…

Above all, speak up – if you have a better way of doing something, your idea may be worth a fortune!


Copyright @2005-2010 Jane-Michèle Clark. All rights reserved.


Jane-Michèle Clark is president of The Q Group ( www.theQgroup.com ), a strategic positioning and marketing communications firm that has worked with many blue chip companies over the past 30 years. In addition to being seasoned business strategist and marketing expert, Jane-Michèle also teaches MBA level marketing at the top-ranked Schulich School of Business York University). Jane-Michèle is also a corporate trainer and speaker and 9-time nominee for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Jane-Michèle can be reached at jmc@theQgroup. or by calling 416-424-6644.


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