Transformation vs. Continuous Improvement - Is it an either-or?

What does Transformation really mean?

Transformation is all the buzz these days. It got me thinking about one-time transformation vs. building a culture of continuous improvement. Is it easier to move into a new business direction if you have a culture of innovation and continuous improvement?

Transformation is defined as a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.

Digital?transformation?is the process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements. This reimagining of business in the digital age is?digital?transformation.

Continuous improvement is a?business strategy that involves the evaluation and revision of processes, methods, and practices within your organization. The goal of continuous improvement is to make periodic changes to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of business operations.

What happens after a digital transformation if the culture is not changed to one of continuous improvement and innovation? How do you SUSTAIN the improvements once the initial work is complete?

Sometimes a large transformation is needed to kickstart change. A wholesale reimagining is needed. The hard work starts at the end of the major project embedding a culture of continuous improvement. How do you do that?

1.?????Clear ownership across the business

2.?????Methods to continuously improve

3.?????Accountability

Clear Ownership – Do your leaders see improvement and strategy as a key part of their job? Are we building in time to observe, measure, and course correct as businesses and markets change? How often have I heard from a leader that we don’t have time for improvement? How do leaders make the time for themselves and more importantly their team to continuously improve and innovate?

Methods – Many methods or management systems can be built into how we work that allows for the time to observe, reflect and make changes. Whether this be a daily standup, retrospective, lessons learned, or a regular strategic planning cycle. One of the keys is having an action plan following these events. In the Toyota culture, these aren’t events, the improvement is built into their work. The method at Toyota is to call out the problems as they occur, stop, and address them. This results in addressing issues as they arise rather than having them pile up.

Accountability – Are leaders following up to see firsthand how the operations are running? Are you checking in to see how these changes are sustained and further improved? Does leadership understand where there are roadblocks to further improvement? Are you promoting a culture of learning and experimentation? These are some of the questions to ask to ensure we are reinforcing change and ensuring a culture of continuous improvement is sustained.

So is it an either-or? I think both are needed based on the focus and scope. They use many of the same principles to embed the change. I would love to hear about your experience with recent transformations. Are they seen as a flavor of the month, or have they resulted in lasting change for your organization?

If you are embarking on a business or digital transformation and want to learn how to manage your transformation for lasting impact, let’s chat.