Actually Unlocking New Avenues for Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement sounds kind of jargony, doesn’t it? An aspirational concept that is cited as a core value way more often than it is actually put into practice?

What is Continuous Improvement?

Continuous improvement (CI) might sound intimidating, like big changes being implemented all the time that add more work for everyone, but it’s actually the opposite.

The beauty of CI is that the changes are usually incremental, and they are rarely implemented from the top down. It's a mentality committed to make small changes along the way rather than wait for problems to amass into a true crisis.

This means that changes are not particularly disruptive, so regular work can continue, with ever-improving efficiency and effectiveness. As with the other core concepts of Lean thinking, CI is about empowering people at all levels of the organization to proactively find opportunities to make their work environment better by eliminating problems, or waste.

Doesn’t that sound amazing?

Lean Thinking and Relational Waste

This is one topic that has come up a lot in recent conversations with Lean practitioners.

Traditional Lean thinking focuses on making small adjustments to workflows, analog and digital processes, and the physical work environment to remove friction points (or waste) so that work can be performed smoothly.

CI is the antidote to the “we’ve always done things this way, even though everyone hates it” mentality that is so prevalent in companies. It empowers everyone, regardless of role, department, or position, to find ways to make the experience of work better for everyone. It encourages proactive thinking, creative problem solving, and taking action.

Barometer XP discovered a new avenue for CI that is catching on in Lean circles: address the root causes of interpersonal problems at work, or sources of “relational waste.”

What Does Relational Waste Look Like?

Think about something that really annoys you at work on a regular basis. There’s a very good chance that it has to do with people at work:

• A manager who doesn’t clearly communicate instructions and expectations, and always criticizes work without offering any helpful feedback.

• A colleague who has good insights and ideas, but only voices them to you in a private, gossipy way because she/he doesn't feel comfortable sharing in team meetings.

• Leaders who don’t practice the values that they hold others accountable for. You know, the whole “do as I say, not as I do” philosophy.

• The colleague from another department who never answers your questions with the information you really need (or in the timeframe when you need it).

Relational waste refers to all people-problems that have a negative impact on both the experience and outcomes from work. All of the examples above stem from mismatched communication styles, lack of psychological safety, or cultures without strong foundations of shared trust and accountability.

(Learn more about relational waste on this episode of the Gemba Podcast, with Barometer XP cofounder Alex Suchman).

Using Continuous improvement to Remove Relational Waste

Removing relational waste is simple (if not easy): invest in building stronger relationships and more cohesive teams at work.

CI for relational waste looks like creating opportunities to get to know your leaders, colleagues, and direct reports better, seeing them as real, nuanced people with their own valuable skills, strengths, and perspectives. It’s making time to have conversations about different communications styles, to eliminate costly misunderstandings. It’s practicing collaborative decision-making and problem solving skills that make space for healthy conflict.

Play is the perfect tool for reducing relational waste, because it simultaneously provides a shared experience to strengthen connections, build psychological safety, practice people skills, and co-create a culture of interdependence.

Imagine how much more meetings could accomplish if everyone felt fully engaged, included, and valued.

Imagine how much more motivated you would be if you received clear instructions, expectations, and feedback about your work.

Imagine how your stress level would be reduced if you could trust that your colleagues were all equally accountable for the quality and timeliness of their work, because they were vested in team success?

Imagine how you’d feel at the end of the day if your colleagues all felt like allies in, rather than obstacles to, successfully completing your work?

To hear an in-depth discussion of using Play as a Tool for Continuous Improvement, listen to Alex’s interview on the Lean Solutions Podcast, which was named on of the Nine Powerful Conversations Every Continuous Improvement Leader Needs to Hear by Kaizen Made Easy.