Personal Kaizen —
From small steps to big results
Personal Kaizen to the Rescue
What do you generally do when you’re facing a tough goal or an improbable dream? Or when you're stalled on a project and can't pull yourself back on track? Do you give up? Procrastinate? Beat your head against the nearest wall? And how are those working for you? (I think we both know.) If you’d like to ditch such tactics for a silver bullet, have I got a deal for you! Step right up and meet “personal kaizen,” as nifty a tool as the corkscrew. But it never wears out.
A Definition
Roughly defined, the word kaizen means continuous improvement, bridging the words “kai,” which means change, or to correct, and “zen,” which means good. Think of kaizen as a form of slow but steady progress that takes place by means of small steps consistently taken. Or perhaps think of it in terms of a tortoise crossing the finish line. In other words, just do one thing…and then another and another. Step by step you can build a career, develop a computer program, construct a terrace, and/or clean the attic. These and other such tasks or projects often yield gracefully to the magic of small steps, which lie at the core of kaizen. The Process
For the impatient, kaizen’s process may feel rather slow at first: you know, all those small steps. But its incremental and constant steps can quickly turn a modest “snowball” into an avalanche of progress. One that sweeps you to your chosen goal. "Personal kaizen" (which we could also call "life-kaizen") differs very little in principle from the kaizen sometimes practiced in industrial/commercial settings. Different venues but a similar core: small steps. Click to see how the small steps of personal kaizen might work for you.Although it actually has deep roots in Depression-era America, kaizen was also strongly promoted within Japanese industry after World War Two. There, it focused particularly on the question of what small thing workers could do (or change) to improve workplace conditions, productivity, or output. In fact, “one small thing” is the crux of kaizen—personal, industrial, or commercial. Here are some principles that typify kaizen (including personal kaizen): - Find the opportunity within the problem.
- Listen to everybody's ideas.
- Focus on how to make it work, instead of on why it doesn't or can't.
- Reevaluate your ideas of what’s “true” from time to time.
- Ditch excuses: they're no good to anyone.
- Look for a simple solution rather than one that's “perfect.
- Correct mistakes right away.
- Substitute your creativity and resourcefulness for your money whenever you can.
Although modest appearing, this tool has grand potential. Why not give it a shot yourself? Take a tip from the turtle, and see what you too can accomplish with small steps. Just do one small thing, and then another and another. (It can even work for getting in shape!) If you’d like more on the personal application of kaizen, may I draw your attention to Robert Maurer’s wonderful book, One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way. Click on the title to go to its page at Amazon. Or find it at your local library or brick-and-mortar bookstore. (Click here if you'd prefer the audio version.) In the interest of full disclosure, please note that I'm an Amazon affiliate, which means I'd get a small commission if you bought either of these products using the links on this page.
Want to keep up with new posts? Just fill in the form below.
[Back from Personal Kaizen to Just Do One Thing]
|
