Élan

Kaizen

Élan Enterprises LLC

- Constant Never Ending Improvement -

Plan

DoStudy

Act

Élan

What is Kaizen? Kaizen (Ky’zen)

“Kai” means “change”

“zen” means “good (for the better)”

Pronounced 'Gai San' in Chinese - Gai - The action to correct San - An action that truly benefits society or all people

rather than one individual

Kaizen means: Gradual, orderly, and continuous improvement -

Ongoing improvement involving everyone

Élan

Conventional Thinking VS Kaizen

Quality improvement takes extra time

Work is a series of separate events

Quality means hitting goals

95% is terrific

Customers are who we sell to

Quality improvement saves time and money

Work is an integrated process

Quality means constant improvement

Only 100% is terrific

Customers are an integral part of our company

Conventional Thinking Kaizen

Élan

If better is possible,

good is not enough. Anonymous

Élan

Roadblocks

This won’t work

We've always done it this way!

Scotomas

Stuck Paradigms

The Way Out

Possibility thinking

Ask questions

Use lateral thinking

Look at old processes with new eyes

Élan

Scotoma

Its not what we know that’s

killing us; its what we know that

isn’t so that’s killing us.

It is our fundamental

assumptions that get in the way

of kaizen.

Élan

Paradigms(Assumptions, staunch opinions & belief systems)

Filter incoming data and experience

Establish mental boundaries

Influence our perception

Act as filters that screen information as it comes in and cause selective seeing/hearing

Élan

The Paradigm Effect Thomas Kuhn

Everyone has a paradigm, either consciously or unconsciously.

If incoming data doesn’t match data that fits in their paradigm, people

don’t see it.

Élan

The Paradigm Effect...

We see best what we are predisposed to see and we don’t see what we’re not predisposed to see.

Swiss watchmakerstory16th Century

Copernicus

& the sun

WWII - WomenIn the WorkplaceRosie the Riveter

Wright Brothers

The world is flat!

Élan

The Way Out!

Every person …has to see himself or herself

as a mini-CEO. They have to conceptualize

what has to be done in the same way the

CEO has. Then it cascades (down

throughout the organization).

Michael Walsh former CEO, Tenneco

Élan

The Kaizen Secret

Working ON the system and not IN it

INReactiveCrises ManagementOverwhelmedSucked Into It

ONProactivePreventativeAnticipatoryPredictiveFuture Focused

Élan

Question Your Process

Ask the question that every child asks and every adult forgets to ask……..

WHY?WHY?

Élan

Questions Worth Asking

Why are we doing what we're doing?

What IS working?

What COULD BE WORKING Better?

How can I (we) improve our products or

services?

Élan

Give people a big enough

WHY?WHY?And they can handle almost any

HOW?HOW?

Élan

Quality is never an accident; it is

always the result of high intention,

sincere effort, intelligent direction and

skillful execution; it represents the wise

choice of many alternatives.

Willa A. Foster

The Way Out!The Way Out!

Élan

KISS - Keep It Simple, Sam!1. Individual reflection on those systems and services that work

well and those that need to be improved. (Use Kaizen #1 handout)

2. Team develops a collaborative list of items they feel need to be improved. (on butcher paper or integrated typed list)

3. Team picks one item to work on… a ‘win-able’.

4. Brainstorm ideas for improving the system or service.

5. Organize and prioritize the items.

6. Do it! Team works on action steps.

7. Study the results and continue Kaizen improvement process from there.

Élan

Kaizen – Incremental Never Ending Improvement

Teach people to walk in the customer’s shoes and view what they do from the customer's perspective!

The level of detail necessary is to make a promise to both our internal and external customers and then keep it! Consistently improve systems and services.