Forums

I'm suprized that nobody connected the Feedback model and the Kaizen framework. "Continuous incremental improvements" seems to me like a very strong common point.
I wonder if one was born from the other one, or is it just that a good idea just pops out in different places and different times.
Anybody has experience with Kaizen at the enterprise level? A team/project level?

US41's picture

[quote]改善 【かいぜん】 (n,vs) betterment; improvement; incremental and continuous improvement;
[/quote]

The concept of continuous, incremental improvement in companies is a good one, but there is a more powerful lesson in how it was adopted by the Japanese. They listened to American business consultants who were having trouble finding audiences at home. This, like many other Japanese business practices, originates in the US where the idea was summarily rejected.

Now that it is written in pretty Asian characters and has an exotic sounding name, everyone is all about "kaizen" and other concepts like it.

Feedback and Coaching look like the continuous improvement concept to me - yes. And there is a more powerful message in the word "kaizen."

Listen to your folks. The Japanese listened - that's how they developed this wisdom.

The one on one and constant over-communication are at the core of everything. And it is absolutely critical to listen during the employees 10-15 minutes.