One question that we get asked often by leadership teams trying to adopt the Kaizen business approach that made Toyota so successful is who in the organization should take part? It's a good question, but the answer is easy to find by examining the principles behind the Kaizen philosophy.

Kaizen means "good change" or "continuous improvement" in Japanese. Organizations that practice Kaizen believe that small, incremental changes can produce remarkable results and that ideas for improvement should come from the people who operate the process to be improved. When Toyota started focusing on Kaizen, they made it clear that continuous improvement was part of everyone's job description. Ideally, modern organizations will develop a culture of improvement that involves every single member of the team.

Once you realize that everyone should take part in Kaizen, it makes sense to think about how. Each role in the organization has a different set of responsibilities related to continuous improvement.

Executive Leadership

The senior leadership team has the responsibility to set the tone for Kaizen and supply the necessary resources and support to create an environment that welcomes positive change. They supervise the process of strategy deployment, or Hoshin Kanri, that aligns improvement work across the organization. Employees will watch the leadership team to determine whether Kaizen is just another slogan, or if it really is the lens through which the organization will be managed.

Investments in employee development, improvement management technology, consultants, and other needed resources reveal the executive team's commitment level.

Department Leaders and Managers

The example set by managers and department leaders is also critical to the development of a culture of Kaizen. They will coach team members to learn how and when to use Kaizen techniques, including PDSA, Catchball, the 5 Whys, and others. They are best positioned to teach members of their department and ensure that performance evaluations are rooted in improvement. Department supervisors are also responsible for making sure that Standard work is implemented and unfailingly applied.

Team Members

Front line workers are in the best position to spot opportunities for improvement, develop potential solutions, implement changes, and sustain the improvement over time. Kaizen can't really take root in an organization without the involvement and commitment of every person on the team. Each individual should understand how their work relates to the overall goals and strategic objectives of the organization. They should feel empowered to report and react to quality or performance problems. It must be common knowledge that positive change is not a top-down pursuit. Incredible ideas for improvement can come from anyone.

Human Resources

The role of HR is vital to call out. Potential employees should be evaluated for their "Kaizen aptitude." That doesn't need to be a requirement that someone has worked in a Kaizen workplace before, they don't even need to know what Kaizen means, but they should be willing to embrace the approach and look forward to contributing to positive change. Human resources also often has the responsibility for both training and employee performance assessment, both of which should be integrated with Kaizen.

Kaizen Events

So far, we've been talking about Kaizen as a daily practice as it represents a way of thinking and a constant reality. However, some organizations also practice Kaizen events (AKA rapid improvement events), short (3-5 day) intensive improvement projects devoted to solving a particular problem, or improving a specific process. When you think about who should be involved in Kaizen events, the same principle that guides daily Kaizen applies. Kaizen event teams typically are made up of:

• An executive sponsor who authorizes the event procures the resources needed and removes any obstacles that get in the way of progress.
• A facilitator who keeps the event organized and ensures that activities are well documented and that the required reports are prepared and presented. The facilitator resolves conflicts and makes sure that resources are effectively deployed.
• The operators of the process to be improved. These individuals clearly have a significant stake in the outcome of the event and valuable insight into the challenges to be addressed. They are in the best position to document the current process state, make suggestions for improvement, and implement the recommended solutions.

The Kaizen philosophy can become part of the organization's DNA from the top to the front-line. It doesn't happen overnight. Leaders must create the conditions for success and recognize and reward people who engage in Kaizen enthusiastically.