The shelter versus the home

Kaizen is as much a mindset as it is a process that may improve a business. Often, it works in a lateral sense – business owners first adopt the mindset, which then enables them to apply it in ways that benefit their companies. Dr. Carlo Scodanibbio recently noted how this train of thought can alter an entrepreneur's perspective.

Writing for Di-Ve, Scodanibbio compares the Kaizen mindset to that of a house. Some people may think of a house as merely being a shelter for their family, and a place where they can eat or sleep. These individuals believe they own a home because they need to and treat it as such. On the other end of the spectrum are those who consider their house as more than just something practical – rather, a cozy, warm place where they enjoy being.

This can be a metaphor for business. The shelter group may consider their companies a means to an end, a tool that simply helps them drive profit. The home group, however, invests in their company to develop a culture that is generally nice to be involved in. By furnishing their “house” and investing in small touches that increase the happiness levels of the “residents,” these companies naturally become productive.

Making a Kaizen house

As noted, Kaizen starts first as a mindset. Business owners need to genuinely want to improve the state of their companies, and by thinking in a continuous improvement kind of way, they will be able to develop strategies to achieve this. With Kaizen, the best tool is frequently the brain.

“Each step of improvement, once completed, brings satisfaction, but probably the real satisfaction is in the improvement process itself, because improving mainly or primarily through creative efforts is a tough challenge, and challenge, when overcome, is a wonderful source of satisfaction,” Scodanibbio adds.

It's important that the business owner isn't the only person thinking in a Kaizen way – everyone in the company needs to adopt this mindset to ensure the best results. Employees must be able to trust their managers indeed want the best “home” they can get and will take feedback with all the necessary seriousness. Likewise, managers must create an environment of empowerment for employees, enabling them to “own” their work.