In any given year, New Year’s resolutions have long gone out the window by April. But this year, we at least have an excuse.
You might have heard about this pandemic we are experiencing.
Our gyms are closed, our refrigerators are full, and we have more streaming options than ever to keep us happily disengaged. So, unless you resolved to wash your hands until they were raw or become a recluse, there is a good chance you are failing.
But COVID-19 hasn’t only impacted our homes and our waistlines; it has made an even more significant impact on our workplaces and how we complete our tasks. Some are now working from home, while manufacturing lines that have been deemed essential have been updated to incorporate additional safety precautions, including increased separation between workers.
Just staying operational can be a struggle with a reduced workforce and increased regulations. So, it is easy to use excuses to explain why we’ve strayed from our commitment to continuous improvement. But even in a crisis, those are just excuses. Continuous improvement must be continuous – even in times of trial. Now is a great time to examine your processes, review your needs, and implement more lean strategies.
Take a Gemba walk to determine what challenges you are facing and determine what you can fix. Eliminate unnecessary processes or process waste that doesn’t add value to the customer. And it is as important as ever, as teams adjust to their new normal, to communicate plainly and make each department’s plan clear and visible.
Every crisis can be an opportunity in disguise. (If that isn’t already on a poster with a kitten stuck in a tree, it should be.) Crises can provide a perspective that you didn’t previously have and the motivation you need to make changes to improve your processes. Good management includes optimizing the current situation: What can you do now that you couldn’t before? What doors does this open? How could you be better prepared if this happened again?
So, stop with the excuses and get lean.
