Three pitfalls to avoid while implementing Kaizen

The economy is improving, but not at the pace many business owners would like. As such, many companies are implementing new strategies – such as Kaizen – as a means to improve operations and potentially boost revenue while simultaneously spending less.

Transforming an organization into a Lean one can be very profitable and all around beneficial. However, Kaizen is literally a foreign concept, which may be a barrier to seamless integration – it could clash with entrepreneurs' traditional business sense. 

When integrating Kaizen into an organization's regular workflow, it's crucial that companies be willing to part with their old standards and embrace new practices. There are three pitfalls that companies need to avoid when integrating Kaizen.

1. Adherence to KPIs

Many companies evaluate their success based on key performance indicators (KPI). Metrics are important, as they help businesses stay on track. However, they can also lead to bad judgment calls. For example, a new product may not sell well at first, but that doesn't mean it won't eventually be a success.

Similarly, when integrating Kaizen, the radical changes associated with going Lean may not initially light your KPIs on fire. But continuous improvement is just that – incremental advancement. Stay the course, and your Lean transformation will have a greater chance for continued success.

2. Shortsighted integration

The first point leads into this one. Kaizen transformation is something that may not provide immediate benefits. In some areas it may (for example, if a manufacturer makes production lines more linear) but others may take a bit longer to see any benefits (such as attempts to make a more engaging workplace).

Companies shouldn't look to revert Kaizen changes if they don't see immediate results. Understand that this will be a long-term transformation and that if the people behind the movement really believe in it, the transition will eventually bear fruit.

3. Lack of management support

For Kaizen to truly be effective, everyone within a company needs to support initiatives, but that's especially so for management. These are the people in charge of setting and following through on the new policies, and if they don't believe in the meaningful changes that Kaizen can bring, then the transformation will not be a success.