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Sometimes, full of enthusiasm, we make plans, but abandon their implementation halfway. The Japanese kaizen methodology will help to bring the plan to the end, the principles of which can be successfully applied both in business and in everyday life.
Kaizen is a management technique that began to be used in Japanese enterprises after World War II. The concept consists of the words “kai” (change) and “zen” (good) and means continuous improvement. Kaizen is usually applied as a business strategy. But if you consider any business as a project, you can use this technique in everyday life.
5S – five principles of success
An important part of the kaizen philosophy is the “five S” system, which includes five basic principles of work.
- Seiri («seiri») – sorting.
- Seiton (“seiton”) – order, accuracy, systematization.
- Seiso (“seiso”) – purity.
- Seiketsu (“seiketsu”) – standardization.
- Shitsuke (“sitsuke”) – discipline.
Clear, simple and effective rules of kaizen can be applied to any business: the organization of the working day, the implementation of a personal project or lifestyle in general.
Step 1: sorting
Separate the important from the unimportant. Focus on the first, and give up the second completely or for a while. This applies to any ideas, tasks or plans.
Movie characters often say: “I don’t care about my personal life now, I want to focus on work” or “I have devoted enough time to my career, now I want to take care of my family.” This is reasonable: we can not always do everything, no matter how much we would like to. Healthy assessment of your strengths, prioritization is a useful skill that helps you focus on what is really important.
The concept of lean manufacturing, which is typical for Japanese companies, and related agile management methodologies, such as Kanban, will also help develop it. Developed by Toyota, Kanban is widely used both in Japan and in the West. In Russia, it is used, in particular, by the Tanuki brand of Japanese restaurants.
“One of the main principles of Kanban is readiness for change, adjusting processes depending on the situation. This allows you to get a high-quality result just in time, – says Tatyana Rakhmanova, General Director of the master franchisee company in Russia. – Being overwhelmed with tasks leads to a decrease in productivity. The Kanban methodology uses the concept of “deferred commitments”. In a situation of high uncertainty, some decisions can be postponed until later, so as not to waste time on rescheduling and unnecessary work. As a result, we are focusing on more important and urgent tasks.”
Step 2: Order
Masaaki Imai, founder of the Kaizen Institute and author of books on the kaizen method, writes that the second S means “arranging important things so that they are easy to use.”
In a narrow sense, this rule means maintaining order in the workplace, but in work and personal life it can be used more widely. After everything unnecessary has been discarded, the more important should be put in order. Just as we arrange things on the desktop, we can arrange tasks for the day or week according to their priority.
As an effective way to organize, you can use one of the Kanban techniques – boards and cards. Divide the whiteboard or piece of paper into three columns: To Do, In Progress, and Completed. In the first column, sort the tasks by priority (from most important to least important) and move cards (for example, ordinary colored sticky notes) from one column to another as work progresses.
“This is a powerful tool that makes the workflow visual,” says Tatyana Rakhmanova. “It’s also emotionally satisfying: when you not only know it’s done, but notice the cards moving from the first column to the last, you feel the joy of the job done.”
Step 3: clean
Cleanliness is one of the key points of kaizen: a neat, clean workplace indicates that everything is checked and there will be no unexpected problems.
The same applies to deeds and plans. The expression “bring your thoughts in order” exists for a reason. Yoga, meditation, jogging, nature walks, relaxing music, a few moments of solitude and silence, reading books, watching TV shows – use any methods that help you think calmly and clearly.
Step 4: Organize
Let’s say you’re about to learn a new profession, start playing sports, or make a profitable personal blog. Break a big task down into small, manageable tasks and make them part of your daily routine. Every small step will bring you closer to your big goal.
By following the Kaizen methodology, you will quickly notice sustainable progress that will bring tangible results in the long run.
Step 5: discipline
In the 5S system, standardization means self-discipline and relentless pursuit of the chosen path. The difference between the Eastern philosophy of kaizen and the Western innovative approach is in the soft and gradual introduction of new habits. Sudden changes cause stress, which is why the decision to “start a new life on Monday” usually leads to failure. But by observing regularity, devoting at least a few minutes a day to habits, we take small steps along the path that leads to great success.
“The western innovative development path and the eastern one (kaizen) are often opposed, but I see the secret of success in their combination,” says Tatyana Rakhmanova. – Original ideas, advanced technologies, readiness for decisive steps help to make a breakthrough, declare oneself, get ahead of competitors. However, conscientious daily work – strict adherence to standards, accuracy, cleanliness, attention to detail – is no less important. There is nothing heroic about it, but it is this routine that creates the basis for lasting and long-term success in both business and personal life.