Sustaining Improvement Efforts: Minimizing Waste and Maximizing Impact

Years ago, I led a team at a manufacturing plant facing rising costs and the persistent challenge of sustaining improvements over time. We were using outdated processes that led to recurring inefficiencies, and previous improvement efforts had faded into "flavor of the month" activities. By embracing lean leadership principles and focusing on creating a robust plan for long-term sustainment, we not only transformed our operations but ensured those improvements became embedded in our culture. Through value stream mapping and sustained kaizen efforts, we cut waste by 30% and maintained those gains by building systems that supported continuous improvement. This experience reinforced my belief that true sustainability isn’t just about starting strong—it’s about creating a foundation for enduring success.

Connecting Lean with Sustained Improvement

In the Wheel of Sustainability by Adam Lawrence , readers are given a powerful visual framework designed to help organizations create and maintain continuous improvement in lean processes. Lawrence emphasizes that sustainability requires embedding improvements into the fabric of an organization, ensuring alignment across leadership, teams, and systems. He emphasizes the interconnectedness of various organizational elements, much like the spokes of a wheel. Each spoke represents a critical factor—such as leadership, accountability, and communication—that ensures the smooth functioning of the system. If one of these elements is weak or missing, the entire process can be disrupted, much like how a missing spoke affects the stability of a wheel. In implementing changes, the wheel model encourages organizations to address all elements simultaneously, ensuring that no area is neglected. Importantly, leadership sits at the center, underscoring its role in driving the sustainability of improvements. As changes are made, these core elements must work together to ensure the new practices become ingrained and consistently followed, ensuring lasting results

Lawrence's approach aligns perfectly with the principles I discuss in my book, Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap, where I caution against superficial implementations that fail to deliver lasting change.

For example, adopting a 5S program may create short-term orderliness, but without mechanisms to audit and reinforce those changes, the system will quickly degrade. Sustained improvement involves not only addressing root causes of inefficiencies but also creating accountability structures that make backsliding nearly impossible.

Sustaining improvement initiatives requires ongoing commitment, clear communication, and accountability across all levels of an organization. To avoid the "Appearance Trap," leaders must ensure that improvements are not only implemented but also embedded into the culture. This involves setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and making adjustments based on real-time data. The goal should be long-term value, not just the appearance of progress. Effective sustainment is rooted in leadership engagement, consistent training, and a continuous feedback loop to keep the improvements aligned with organizational goals.

For more insight into sustaining lean improvements, you can explore a full discussion on Mark Graban 's Lean Blog: Patrick Adams on Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap and/or my webinar presentation from the Shingo Institute. Both give some great nuggets when it comes to sustaining improvements by embedding them into the culture.

To Sustain Improvement Efforts, Leaders Can:

1. Set Clear Expectations: Ensure everyone understands the goals, the process, and their role in the success of improvements.
2. Create Accountability: Establish systems where progress is tracked and individuals are responsible for maintaining improvements.
3. Engage the Team: Foster regular communication and feedback to involve employees in problem-solving and continuous improvement.
4. Provide Ongoing Training: Keep skill levels high through continuous learning and development.
5. Celebrate Successes: Recognize achievements and encourage a culture that values improvement to sustain momentum.

These actions, when taken consistently, help embed improvements into the organization.

Practical Lean Tools for Sustained Success

Lean provides powerful tools to ensure improvement efforts last. Here are a few examples:

1. Standard Work: Document and standardize best practices to ensure consistency and prevent regression. This also allows teams to identify when deviations occur and address them quickly.
2. Leader Standard Work: Establish daily routines for leaders to monitor and support ongoing improvements, ensuring they remain a priority.
3. Audit Systems: Create regular audits for tools like 5S or value stream maps to ensure processes remain aligned with goals over time.
4. Visual Management: Use dashboards and other visual tools to track key metrics, keeping teams aligned and focused on sustaining progress.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

As highlighted in Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap, one of the biggest challenges in sustaining improvements is failing to engage leadership consistently. Without visible and ongoing commitment from leaders, even the best systems can falter. Sustainability requires a culture where every team member understands their role in maintaining and building upon improvements.

Our Crazy Good Offer for Sustainable Results

At Lean Solutions, we are deeply committed to helping our clients achieve improvements that last. That’s why we will be offering a crazy good guarantee for on-site work in 2025: If the deliverables of your contract are not met within the agreed timeframe, and with real, measurable results, we will keep an expert on-site at no additional cost until they are met.

This offer is a partnership with a commitment to long term sustainability. For success, organizations must demonstrate commitment to the project by:

• Ensuring active leadership involvement throughout the improvement process.
• Providing the necessary resources and time for team members to focus on the initiative.
• Establishing routines and structures to sustain improvements, such as regular audits and standard work.
• Committing to the sustainment of improvements by following through on agreed actions.

Why do you think we chose these four areas of commitment from our clients? Sustainment of your improvement initiatives can be met when leaders are actively involved, provide the necessary resources, and removing roadblocks. Sustainment also requires a commitment to new routines and systems that help change behaviors.

By working together, we can ensure that improvement efforts are not just impactful but enduring. The journey to long-term success isn’t just about making changes—it’s about embedding those changes into the core of your organization. Let us help you create a legacy of sustained excellence. Reach out today to learn more about how we can partner for lasting success.

Interested to hear more about "Our Crazy Good Offer"? Schedule a call with me today!