When we facilitate Kaizen Coaching Program, we meet with the team that usually is comprised of a wide range of participants; operators, supervisors, and leaders, and top management.

The first meeting is about making everyone aware of the benefits and value that continuous improvement brings to all of them. The program starts with the discussion of the improvement opportunities identified in a clearly delineated area of a plant.

Participative Training

To transform the working area into a friendlier, safer, and more productive place and to start taking advantage of identified opportunities, we use motivational learning techniques to help participants contribute their creativity and ingenuity.

We will usually discuss a few of the lean management strategies and tools, especially those that are immediately applicable to the area in focus. Then we take a tour of the area and identify not only the opportunities they had already identified, but many more, some times as many as three or four times the original list of opportunities.

Applying the Knowledge

We then, in alternative sessions between the classroom and the work area start a selective process defining which of the improvements would give us the fastest and most rewarding results. When I say “rewarding” here, not necessarily do I mean economic results. Here we talk about “Cultural Rewards.” This means we look for those improvements that will certainly give the operation more safety, efficiency, and the participants more pride! This pride is what can make the difference between a flash and a perpetual light in your kaizen process.

Once we have performed several of these in different areas in the plant, we will reach a point where most people not only are familiar with the kaizen process, but many become authentic enthused proponents and champions of kaizen.