Continual improvement is something many businesses strive for, but it can be difficult to achieve. This is primarily down to it being a cultural challenge rather than a process, platform or event.
At CBO we have found having the following values at the core of an organisation’s culture helps with the continual improvement challenge.
Listen to people
If you think you’ve ‘got it nailed’, the truth is you probably haven’t. People’s input is valuable, they often see things from a different perspective, they have had different experiences and they will invariably have different skills to bring to the table. Recognise it, learn from it and listen.
Ask for feedback
Once you understand the value of listening to those around you, receiving feedback from people will become of increasing importance. Sometimes it is not always easy to hear as it might not always be ‘great job!’. If you want to improve then you will need to understand what you do well and what you do not so well.
Create a safe environment
What does that mean? Create an environment that enables and encourages your staff or team to think, to challenge and to innovate. Do not create an environment where your staff or team are held back by fear or paralysed by the anxiety of getting it wrong, or where they simply keep quiet and follow a process. Empowering people to ask the ‘why?’ question is key to a culture of continual improvement.
