One of the easiest ways to kill continuous improvement is by asking our team – Don’t give me problems; give me solutions.
Some are wired to find problems, while others are skilled in developing innovative solutions. So, often it is counterproductive to expect our team to provide solutions for the problems they have identified. It is a lazy approach that discourages staff from identifying problems in the first place.
Consider an open log to record all the problems and suggestions for continuous improvement. Keep this log up to date with a clear priority. Engage the right resources to propose solutions to the prioritised set of problems.
As leaders, we must take charge and make the processes as simple as possible to promote continuous improvement within our organisation.
