From Kaizen Events to Kaizen Culture

I found a great article on the Gemba Tales blog on how to move from a Kaizen Event driven improvement approach to a Daily Kaizen approach. Here's an extract, I'm saving in my blog for future reference.

Most folks are practicing system-driven kaizen – organized kaizen, mostly directed by value stream improvement plans. While this isn’t terrible, it’s only a stepping stone to real lean. You should be crossing the bridge to the other side, the side of principal driven kaizen – system-driven kaizen, plus daily (mostly voluntary) kaizen. Only then will the enterprise and the culture be truly transformed!

Here are 15 challenges to address when moving from a Kaizen Event Improvement approach towards a Kaizen culture:

1. Have all of your employees been trained in basic problem-solving methods and are they coached how and encouraged to use them?
2. Is the environment one of problem-solving or problem-hiding?
3. Has the organization developed good PDCA rigor through the proper application of kaizen events and has virtually everyone participated in multiple events?
4. Do you have an effective lean management system that employs: a) leader standard work, b) visual controls, and c) cascading tiered performance metrics?
5. Have you implemented a pragmatic suggestion system that emphasizes quick implementation of true incremental improvement (kaizen teian), typically by the person who suggests the improvement?
6. Do you broadly and virally share improvement ideas?
7. Do you apply the 5 why’s or the 5 who’s?
8. Do the lean leaders promote A3 thinking?
9. Has the organization sufficiently resourced the kaizen promotion office (a.k.a. lean function) to help teach, coach and facilitate improvement activities?
10. Is the focus of improvement such that the order of importance is a) easier, b) better, c) faster, and d) cheaper?
11. Are folks fearful of failure or do they, and leadership, see it as a necessary means of learning and improving?
12. Are you internally capable (or at least getting there) or are you suffering from consultant dependency?
13. Do folks know what “True North” is and how they can do their part to get there?
14. Is the culture one of humility and respect for the individual?
15. Is lean applied within the context of a holistic lean business system?

Extract from Gemba Tales. Source: http://kaizenfieldbook.com/marksblog/archives/1948