The continuous improvement cultures of some of the world’s great brands are well documented and frequently copied by other firms seeking to drive a competitive edge. Brands such as Toyota, GE and Amazon have become synonymous with our thinking on how continuous improvement should be executed at it’s best. Check out the Process Excellence Network for a solid summary here.
As with any process that works and helps you to become successful, there is a certain level of inertia that comes with that. From it’s very beginning, you harbour a sense of belief and self-worth, and emotional attachment that creates an energy of its own. As more people believe in it, or it becomes so entrenched no-one could be bothered looking at it anymore, so the inertia grows in line with the expected outcomes – good or bad.
Yet by definition, the process (if we can call it that) of continuous improvement is based on the premise of overcoming such inertia. How often does Toyota sit back and take a look at its famous Kaizen way of working and think “is this as good as it could be?”.
Is it possible for companies to become too complacent in their continuous improvement culture that they get left behind?
There are lots of factors at play, and each franchise will have its own story to tell. Toyota is undoubtedly a beacon of success, continually building its brand across many decades of industry development and change. Yet the tide of history tells us that at some stage the inertia of improvement will prove too strong, even for the greatest and bravest of brands.
My grandad Ricardo was a professional photographer without peer, constantly searching for the best shots and the endlessly experimenting to find the best possible processing techniques. Unfortunately, he didn’t believe that colour photography would ever take off. I can’t but help think of Pop when I add a filter on my latest smartphone pic, turning back to black and white.
The challenge lies ahead for all organisations, especially those that are so heavily reliant on their processes to create a great customer experience, that the “process” of continuous improvement must always and at once, be continuously improved.
About the Author
Stuart Nielsen
Stu has been transforming financial services business for over 2 decades with his unique style of people leadership and problem-solving acumen. Never afraid to tackle the complex problems in any facet of an organisation, Stu will bring a sense of reality to any problem and leverage the combined energy of your people to create a high performing business.
Capable of working at the strategic end right through to delivery and knowledge transfer, Stu's strength in communication is an asset to any organisation trying to make sense of its self and drive change towards a common purpose.
"Data is great, feedback is awesome, however nothing is real until it is observed"
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