Kaizen concepts are quite different from traditional management concepts. For example, one of the fundamental management concepts in traditional management is is known as Management by Exception. This is also known as the “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach. Given the way some Kaizen advocates paraphrase this, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the backwoods and uneducated mentality of the MBE concept in conveyed through stereotype.  No matter how you phrase it, it means that if everything is running effectively, then why change the operations of the current system? However, kaizen management and lean manufacturing challenge these existing systems and continually strive to find ways by which the system can be improved.

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When it comes to streamlining and maximizing value of production in a company, no other system would beat kaizen. Kaizen is a quality strategy or scheme adopted and implemented by companies that are adopting measures for lean manufacturing, which is known as a process of minimizing production costs to boost overall valuation of a company. Kaizen was devised and introduced by Japanese car making giant Toyota Production System and was shared to all major firms in operations worldwide. Through the years both minor and major businesses have been adopting and implementing Kaizen in efforts to improve profitability and generate costs.

Kaizen is a Japanese word that literally means ‘continuous improvement’. Principally, the idea behind the concept is that small and relatively negligible improvements and changes in business operations would lead to major improvements to bolster productivity, efficiency and profitability in the long run. Because Kaizen is a systematic process, it is logical that its implementation is ruled and governed by several practical and logical metrics. Hence, every company aiming to adopt Kaizen needs to familiarize first with several important and basic Kaizen metrics.

Basic Kaizen metrics is often led by overall duration of production or operational cycles. By this,  By looking at the duration employees complete a product or process, the management can easily tell whether there is efficiency in production. Manufacturers and firms know that productivity is boosted when disturbance and wasteful practices and objects are eliminated from the workplace. Time factors also deal with the duration of defect correction and processing.

Also included in the Kaizen metrics is the flow of tasks. In manufacturing operations and business organizations, it is important that all employees are working as a team. Competition with each other is important in boosting productivity, but overall synergies and cooperation to come up to good results and increased and efficient production is also as important. All employees from the least in the ranks, to the middlemen, to managers and executives must work hand in hand to bolster production and smoothen flow of job tasks.

In terms of troubleshooting and resolving problems and disruptions during operations, it is important that companies implement the system of ‘Five Whys’, which is again identified with Kaizen. Companies adopting Kaizen must answer the following questions when dealing with operational problems:

• Why did the equipment cease working?
• Why was an overload a problem?
• Why was the machine not lubricated sufficiently?
• Why was the equipment not working efficiently? And
• Why did the machine part worn out?

Part of implementing and observing the metrics of Kaizen is the follow up sessions. Follow ups serve as assessment and evaluation of whether improvements in operations are sustained. Part of the follow up activities is the routine performance measures to determine if employees and executives have all contributed productively to operations.

Kaizen metrics are as simple as that. On top of it all, it is important that companies note that lean manufacturing productivity measures come in cycles. Production would be continuously efficient if all personnel involved are disciplined to follow recommended efficient and productive processes.

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What does Kaizen, a Japanese method of production excellence and industrial efficiency have to do with self improvement? Can it be adapted to self-work? What is it, anyhow?

It began with the “continuous improvement” theories of efficiency expert W. Edwards Deming in the 30s and 40s. After the war the ideas were picked up by the Japanese and developed into “Kaizen,” a method for creating quality products efficiently through many small and continuous changes. This is perfect for self-improvement, as Robert Maurer explains in his book “One Small Step Change Your Life:”

“Your brain is programmed to resist change, but by taking small steps, you effectively rewire your nervous system so that is does the following:

• Unsticks you from a creative block.
• Bypasses the fight or flight response.
• Creates new connections between neurons so thet the brain entusiastically takes over the process of change and you progress rapidly towards your goal.”

Kaizen is an alternative for those who have a hard time facing major changes, like quitting smoking all at once. For something like that, the kaizen way might be to stop smoking in your car, as the first small step. Then you could switch to a brand with less nicotine, stop smoking in the house, and so on.

An important technique used in kaizen is asking “small questions.” In factories this meant no more questions like “What are you going to do to improve the company profits this year?” That just elicits more fear than creative ideas. A better question might be, “What small change could we make in your department to reduce expenses (or improve quality)?” This approach was found to be far more productive.

For purposes of self improvement, this means asking small suggestive questions of yourself, like, “What could I do to free up five minutes for my meditation practice?” or “What small change could I make if I wanted to improve my relationships today?” Small questions tend to dispell the fear and intimidation that come with frontally facing the whole issue.

Small questions, along with small, comfortable changes is the first important principle of kaizen. The second is to make the process a continual one. Just imagine where you’d be if you had consciously made one small change in your life each week for the last few years. Even better, imagine where you’ll be a few years from now, if you start the process today.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” - Lao Tzu

Steve Gillman writes on many topics including brainpower, weight loss, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. Learn more and get FREE e-courses at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com