Kaizen - do not stop improving

Today we will go to Japan to get acquainted with their continuous improvement methodology called kaizen .

The Japanese are generally a very interesting nation with a unique attitude to life, work, family, children.

I'm sure that they can learn a lot.

For example, do not flit like a butterfly from the firm to the firm in search of an ideal job( less work, more money), but truly love what you are doing and bring your skills to perfection.

Actually, this is the essence of the described technique.

What is kaizen and why did they come up with it?

The Second World War thoroughly went through Japan: the ruined economy and infrastructure, large human casualties, the stigma of Nazi accomplices.

The Japanese had to work hard to restore all this.

Minerals on the territory of the Land of the Rising Sun, the sale of which could be patched holes in the budget, was not.

There is only one way out: to set up production in order to produce high-quality goods that can be sold.

To restore the economy as quickly as possible, the philosophy kaizen ( continuous improvement of production processes at all levels) was introduced at the plants.

Toyota management was one of the first to understand how important it is to continuously improve production at all stages, involving all without exception, from the CEO to the cleaner.

Kaizen consists of 5 basic elements:

1. Accuracy.

   Everything should be done as delicately and carefully as possible, without creating a marriage.

2. The order of , which should be adhered to not only in the workplace, but in life.

3. Cleanliness.

   Again, your body, clothes, thoughts, intentions must be clean.

4. Standardization.

   You should develop your own scheme that will lead you to success.

5. Discipline : clearly follow the schedule and stick to the plans.

The whole world about philosophy kaizen learned after the appearance in 1986 of a book with this name, authored by Masaaki Imai.

The book has gained popularity in business and all well-known companies, since the 1990s, have started using the method of industrial improvement invented by the Japanese.

Basic principles of kaizen

In general, the principles on which Kaizen philosophy is based are quite numerous. After the book of Masaaki Imai, many works appeared, where this technique is described.

Each author sees in his own way the pillars on which kaizen is based.

Having systematized the available material on this topic, I singled out 10 basic principles of this philosophy:

1. The main person in the company is a client.

   It's for the satisfaction of his needs that everything works.

   The world does not revolve around the CEO, the owner, the chief accountant or somebody else, but around the client.

2. Unable to work without changes.

   Many companies, achieving success, as if they are bored, they cease to make any changes in the production process. This is a serious mistake.

   It is necessary to smoothly and gradually transform all production spheres so that it is not too obvious, but that the client understands: everything is being improved.

3. Open struggle with problems.

   If something goes wrong in the company, you need to find the source of difficulties, openly admit the problem and tackle its elimination.

4. Teamwork.

   The experience of Japanese businessmen proved that the work moves more effectively if each employee is a member of the team.

   Teams should be formed according to their professional qualities, the period of work in the firm, etc.

5. Forming a friendly atmosphere.

   We can not allow the collective to absorb squabbles, aggressive competition, division into leaders and outcasts.

   Each of the employees should feel comfortable in the workplace and know that he can get support if it is needed.

6. Exchange of personal experience.

   The achievements of one employee should become the property of all.

   And you need to share not only the results, but also the ways you achieved them.

7. Continuous self-improvement.

   Every worker must improve their professional skills, knowledge and skills.

8. Delegation of authority.

   The head does not have to pull everything on himself, every employee must get his workload and report on its implementation.

9. Work for a quality result.

   You should strive to make the highest quality product( regardless of the position occupied), no work "at random".

10. Strict self-discipline.

    I work on a specific schedule, which I never violate, and I respect the schedules of others, so do not interfere with their activities.

Where can kaizen be used in addition to professional activities?

First, kaizen was used only in the production sector, but then the psychologists decided that it was a sin not to use such a useful philosophy to help people who want to improve not only in the professional sphere.

It turned out that even to invent some new principles is not necessary, the basis is already ready, you just need to apply it for personal development.

If you decide to live according to kaizen philosophy, then it is necessary: ​​

1. Create daily to-do lists and do not depart from the planned plan until the last item is crossed out.
2. Constantly develop, cultivate and train your brains.
3. Create a graph for each day with temporary rankings and do not violate it.
4. Keep an eye on your appearance, keep order in the house and in the workplace.

5. Keep pure thoughts, get rid of envy, anger, jealousy, do not participate in the discussion of other people.

   Avoid everything that destroys.

6. Work on the maximum result, even if it's about cooking soup.

   No half measures!

7. Love your life and learn to rejoice in what you bring every day.

And a few words about the method of improving the kaizen

from the representative of the country of the rising sun.

Watch video:

Philosophy kaizen - it's simple, and most importantly - incredibly effective, smart Japanese have proved it in the middle of the twentieth century.