Continuous Improvement – The Key to Future Success

I. Questions to ask

As business owners or managers we must be asking ourselves: "How well are we improving things within our own responsibilities?" "Are we communicating, co-ordinating, motivating, delegating better today than we were yesterday?" "How are we going to improve it tomorrow?" The whole concept of continuous improvement is not about us or them, we are in it together and we must lead the way or it will not happen.

II. Future Businesses

Successful future businesses will be dominated by people who will never be satisfied with the status quo. These people will be wanting to do the job better all of the time. They will be trying new systems, developing new products and services. Perhaps the improvements won’t be large, BUT they will be continuous, because those people know that there is ALWAYS a better way to do something, and that improvement never ceases – it’s a continuous process.

III. Create the Environment and Culture

Too often there is a real disincentive to change things. The "we know best" attitude does still exist. It will be a challenge for business owners and managers to create the environment where people feel free and encouraged to give new things an opportunity. In this process mistakes will be made, but continual encouragement is necessary to make improvement, and rewarding people in any of a number of ways for their efforts will enhance the process.

IV. Essential steps

The whole concept of continuous improvement must be sold to colleagues and others within the business as part of the Strategic Business Plan, and shown that failure to improve will mean that the business and they personally will fail. Individuals must be encouraged to look at everything they do, to see if there is anything, however small, which will make the product, process or service better, quicker or cheaper. Business owners must also be delegating to individuals the initiative to make improvements, and to groups to work together as teams to look for improvements.

V. Benefits for all

There will be much saving in time, money and disruption. This will be passed onto customers giving them a better deal, and the business will move forward it will outperform the competition by better utilization of scarce resources. Individuals or groups who take the initiative must have their contribution recognized and how this will be done will be in the most appropriate way for the business concerned.