Continual Improvement Archives - Page 4 of 4

Autonomy: Condition for Continual Improvement

Continual improvement does not happen just like that. To create an organization that is truly able to continuously improve, a number of conditions have to be met. First, problems should be detectable. Second, you should feel intrinsically responsible for it as it compromises the purpose of the team. Third, you should be allowed to act. And last, but certainly not least: you and your team should dispose of the required competencies, skills, means and time to actually be able to eliminate the problem and build a better standard. Autonomy therefore is key in Lean. (more…)

True Lean or Over-Decorated Christmas Trees?

Lean is not new. Many have — in one way or another — been confronted with the Lean philosophy, its tools and its potentially significant results. Maybe you yourself as well have read a book, attended a conference, or maybe even enjoyed training. And more and more have actually started with Lean initiatives in a pilot area or even across their whole business.

In the social media and professional sites and journals as well, Lean gets more and more attention. When you read many of the cases, you get the impression that there’s quite some sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing and sustaining going on in our workplaces nowadays. Apparently we are creating more and more clean and organized work areas and offices. But what, in fact, is the essence of all this? Why all the labels and markings on the floor? (more…)