Building a Culture of Constant Improvement

We all know we live in a very different business world than we did just a few short years ago.  Because of things like social media, improved communication, immediate feedback, and highly dynamic market forces, we need to be able to pivot and change at speeds that would dazzle our predecessors in IT.

People, however, get into habits and they don’t like to change.  We’re still regularly faced with, ‘the way we’ve always done it.’  As leaders, this can be very frustrating; it’s certainly added to my stress levels over the years!  How then, do we begin changing the culture?  How do we start inculcating into our team the need for constant improvement?

First, you have to create an environment of trust (see my last blog on Trust & Respect).  If you want people to ‘think outside the box’ they have to be comfortable in the knowledge that failure is always an option.  We can’t change if we don’t try, and if your team thinks they’ll be penalized for failure then it’s unlikely they’ll even try something new.  So, the first step in building a culture of improvement is to create a positive, creative, and respectful environment.

Next, market a culture of constant improvement every chance you get.  Keep the idea that everyone, at any level, is able to contribute ideas for improving efficiencies, reducing costs, or advancing quality.  For example, in a production environment where the job of the team is to deliver a laptop computer that’s been properly imaged, apps installed, and the device itself is clean and functional, then every person involved – from the person cleaning the device, the repair team, the image/build team, and even the shipping area – can halt that device anywhere along the process flow and mark it as unacceptable.  The simple idea is, ‘would I think this machine is acceptable if I were the customer?’

Another important piece of the puzzle is that, as the manager of a process, you should understand how that process works from end to end.  You don’t have to know every last detail, but you should be able to have an intelligent conversation with any member of your team about what they do and understand the process at a medium-high level.  This of course will vary depending on how many teams and processes you manage, but if you’re desire is to improve, you must understand what you’re improving and be able to discern what may or may not add value.

Lastly, recognition is vital.  If someone on your team has a great idea that results in measurable success, celebrate that achievement and recognize them.  Even if someone has an idea that didn’t work out, it could lead to other initiative or spur thinking on the subject, so recognize that person as well.  This encourages other people to try.

Building a positive culture of constant improvement is challenging and it isn’t something that happens overnight.  Be patient, keep the concepts in front of the team, support them, gain their trust, and there’s no end to what you might accomplish.