Changing processes is one thing, but they are unlikely to work without the right attitudes and behaviour.
Bananarama & Fun Boy Three – It Ain't What You Do, It's The Way That You Do It
Here's a story about the custom door and window maker, Loewen. The company went through a lean management transformation, which aimed to eliminate waste – a truly worthy goal. Most processes were impacted. However, the people aspect, such as attitudes and behaviours, was not a focus. Subsequently, a company survey revealed that the majority of the workforce (around 80%) had negative views about work.
Alex Boxhorn, logistics manager, took it upon himself to involve his team in finding ways to improve the situation and change the workplace culture. The output was a written list of expected behaviours that the whole team agreed with. Boxhorn also looked outside the business for ideas, including “Two Second Lean” by Paul Akers. He was able to transform team members from passive bystanders to engaged participants who felt more connected to the business and open to sharing ideas.
The culture shifted to one of rapid improvement, with the team encouraged to record and post videos documenting their improvements to the company’s private YouTube channel. This channel has developed into a valuable training resource.
Being curious, encouraging new ideas, and embracing change can be the catalyst for amazing results. Continuous improvement can create cheerleaders in your company who are invested beyond the immediate remit of their job roles. I've seen this joy emerge from teams I have worked with—it’s the Kaizenjoy!
We’ll be sharing more continuous improvement stories here and over on LinkedIn, so follow along if your company is looking to improve with joy!
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