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I came across this concept while I was reading some articles on medium. I did a little more digging and research around the concept and I grew to appreciate the strategy a little more. Even though it is mostly used in organisation context, I think this can be applied in our personal life, work or projects as well. In its simplicity, the idea of kaizen just means continuous improvement. Kaizen helps to deal with perfectionism and leans towards the goal of just getting started. Sometimes that is the reminder I need. To just start rather than planning for perfectionism. It also teaches humility. To ask others for feedback and have the mindset of ‘why?’ and ‘why not?’. It helps us expand our perspective on things and open up paths to different approaches and improvement. We just have to strive to be better than yesterday. Looking deeper into Kaizen’s method and philosophy, the following is some information I can across through my research.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) is a strategy where employees at all levels of a company work together proactively to achieve regular, incremental improvements to the manufacturing process. In a sense, it combines the collective talents within a company to create a powerful engine for improvement. [Google Search]

The kaizen method focuses on engaging employees and using teamwork to create a successful and enjoyable work environment.[Google Search]

10 Principles of Kaizen

(source)

  1. Start with the 3 “Actual” Rule
  2. Abolish the old and conventional concepts
  3. Question current practices and reject the status quo
  4. Rely on data, not opinions
  5. Correct mistakes immediately
  6. Don’t seek perfection, choose a simple solution
  7. Ask why 5 times to identify root causes
  8. Value creativity and wisdom before capital
  9. Seek out the knowledge of more than just one person
  10. Continuously and consistently improve

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