How do we get more buy-in to continuous improvement at the line level?

Many technically sound methods used in continuous improvement fail to get enough traction to pay off. Why?

We find three common causes:

1) It is not clear to some employees how engaging in improvement matters to them, so they treat it as a check-the-box;
2) Improvement tools are applied outside of the flow of work, either by specialists or in classroom settings;
3) Line employees don’t see follow-through when they suggest improvements, so they check out.

Make the line of sight clear.

Signet provides a workshop for managers and supervisors that produces: A straightforward map showing how efforts underway fit together to enact the organization’s mission and strategic goals; Agreement on an efficient process to continually build line employees’ understanding of how their efforts matter in a way that increases both their buyin and effectiveness; A decision on the high-leverage areas worth the effort to continually improve, with a cost-benefit expectation for each.

Build an action review cycle into existing work.

The Action Review Cycle, consisting primarily of short reviews before and after key team tasks, acts as an engine that produces regular improvements in local results. Signet demonstrates this cycle in the actual work setting, then coaches leaders until they are skilled and confident. We also demonstrate formats for “quick and dirty” simple situations and for very complex situations or involving interdependent teams. Signet helps you re-examine how improvements are captured and validated, and how your SOP’s/standard work forms can become living documents.

Speed up the feedback cycle.

It is essential to focus teams on reviewing what is in their control to adjust. Having said that, many excellent adjustments do not fall 100% inside that boundary. So Signet works with management to implement an efficient process for rapid cost-benefit decisions on these requests, and quickly communicate those decisions and rationale. We show managers and line employees how to work this interface as a two-way street.

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