Improvement & Innovation
Loading...A BETTER WAY
When a team awakens to the real meaning and practice of a continuous improvement approach to make lasting change, team members begin to think about improvement possibilities differently. Getting away from initiative-centered thinking can be a challenge for organizations that may be accustomed to jumping from one episodic and silver bullet promise to the next. However, the deliberate shift to ongoing cycles of improvement opens the door to creativity and innovative thinking about system needs.
Most of the time, these different ways of thinking aren’t necessarily new to the world. They might just be new and better for the organization. As the dust clears from initiative-jumping and team members grow skilled at thinking about the system as a whole, they are able to focus on bringing innovative ideas into each improvement cycle.
INNOVATIVE IMPROVEMENT IN 3 STEPS
Continuous improvement is not a quick-hit approach to achieving our most important goals. As organizations engage in cycles of improvement, the need to rethink and modify system structures to support lasting change surfaces and becomes priority for leaders and teams. Improvement cycles reflect these necessary changes for a while, which may feel like slowed progress in other areas. During this time, it is critical for teams to embrace improvement as a journey. Recognize the importance of having the right structures in place and celebrate movement to each new cycle of improvement. This will keep the momentum going, narrow the focus, and help all team members realize that improvement is not a final destination.
Build a habit of asking: Is there a better way to do this? Then, try it. Once appropriate structures are in place, a continuous improvement approach offers focus, alignment, and freedom for thinking about new and better. Brainstorming around a critical few priorities for improvement allows for the emergence of innovative ideas. Team members are a great resource for new ideas, when they know and can concentrate on what really matters and they trust that they will be listened to.
