Kaizen stands for little improvements in an existing situation which are the result of an everlasting effort. Innovation is an radical shift in an existing situation which is the result of large investments in technology and/or equipment. – Masaaki Imai
Kaizen is a Japanese method which makes it possible to change your life by taking little steps. Small changes help the human mind to avoid fear that blocks success and creativity. But why do we have this fear? Robert Mauer explains this in his book “De kunst van het Kaizen” (The art of Kaizen):
Humans have three different parts of the brain. At the bottom you find the brain stem, which is also called the reptilian brain. This brain wakes you up in the morning and reminds your heart to beat. Then we have the paleomammalian brain, which coordinates your body temperature, contains your emotions and determines your fight-or-flight response. The third part is the neomammalian complex, also known as the cortex. This part is responsible for the miracle of us being humans. Culture, art, science and music are organized from here.
Kaizen is a Japanese method which makes it possible to change your life by taking little steps. Small changes help the human mind to avoid fear that blocks success and creativity. But why do we have this fear? Robert Mauer explains this in his book “De kunst van het Kaizen” (The art of Kaizen):
Humans have three different parts of the brain. At the bottom you find the brain stem, which is also called the reptilian brain. This brain wakes you up in the morning and reminds your heart to beat. Then we have the paleomammalian brain, which coordinates your body temperature, contains your emotions and determines your fight-or-flight response. The third part is the neomammalian complex, also known as the cortex. This part is responsible for the miracle of us being humans. Culture, art, science and music are organized from here.
The cooperation between the three brain parts isn’t always that smooth. When there is a change in your life and you feel fear you can blame the Amygdala. This is the alarm system in your paleomammalian brain which controls the fight-or-flight response and which shuts down certain parts of your cortex (like rational and creative thinking) when you experience “danger”. The brain is designed in such a way that it activates a certain fear with every new challenge, opportunity or desire.
Small steps, like the Kaizen method are a solution for this response in the brain. Small, easy to accomplish goals – like putting away one paperclip from your crowded desk – give you the possibility to sneak past the Amygdala, so it won’t wake up and will not set of an alarm. As you keep taking small steps the cortex starts to work and your brain starts to develop new ‘software’ for the change you want to accomplish. This happens by creating new nerve paths and applying new habits. Soon you will feel you have less resistance against change.
Small steps, like the Kaizen method are a solution for this response in the brain. Small, easy to accomplish goals – like putting away one paperclip from your crowded desk – give you the possibility to sneak past the Amygdala, so it won’t wake up and will not set of an alarm. As you keep taking small steps the cortex starts to work and your brain starts to develop new ‘software’ for the change you want to accomplish. This happens by creating new nerve paths and applying new habits. Soon you will feel you have less resistance against change.
Masaaki Imai gives practical tools to apply Kaizen in companies. With Kaizen people are the core of the business. In Japan employees are employed for life, they do not have to fight for their job, but improve their work step-by-step for their own well-being; which I call process based working. In the West we work achievement based. A new manager in the West will try to achieve as much profit as possible during his first quarter, otherwise he might not get through his probation. Managers in the West search for mistakes made by their employees. Employees on their turn try to cover up these mistakes, otherwise they might be fired. We need to create a relation based on trust, working towards the same goal. In Japan the managers’ function is to find out what it is the employees need to perform good work. This system is based on support and recognition of the process related willingness of the employees.
The differences between the West and Japan are also found in social and cultural heritage. Western education emphasizes on personal initiative and creativity while the Japanese education lays its accent on harmony and collectivism. In short; Kaizen is all about harmony between people, with the most important questions; What does the customer want? And how do we work towards this goal step-by-step? Not competitive, but cooperative.
This includes the next step in a production process, which must be seen as your customer. You have to deliver a qualitative semi-manufactured product to your colleague. A company which has implemented Kaizen will stop the production process when a component is wrong. It will be improved and standardized, then the production continues. This guarantees qualitative products. If you do not work this way the next person in the production chain will get your problem.
One of the most important tools for improvement is the PDCA circle, which you can see in the picture.
Improvement starts with the acknowledgment of its necessity, with recognizing and admitting there is a problem. It is an opportunity!
The differences between the West and Japan are also found in social and cultural heritage. Western education emphasizes on personal initiative and creativity while the Japanese education lays its accent on harmony and collectivism. In short; Kaizen is all about harmony between people, with the most important questions; What does the customer want? And how do we work towards this goal step-by-step? Not competitive, but cooperative.
This includes the next step in a production process, which must be seen as your customer. You have to deliver a qualitative semi-manufactured product to your colleague. A company which has implemented Kaizen will stop the production process when a component is wrong. It will be improved and standardized, then the production continues. This guarantees qualitative products. If you do not work this way the next person in the production chain will get your problem.
One of the most important tools for improvement is the PDCA circle, which you can see in the picture.
Improvement starts with the acknowledgment of its necessity, with recognizing and admitting there is a problem. It is an opportunity!
Summarized from the books:
De kunst van het Kaizen, Robert Mauer, 2007, page 31-34
Kaizen, Masaaki Imai, 1990
De kunst van het Kaizen, Robert Mauer, 2007, page 31-34
Kaizen, Masaaki Imai, 1990