“A true manager must pretend that he does not know how to achieve the goal,” - Sony director Akio Morita

In a changing world, where resources are running out and people's imaginations are growing, you need to create amazing things with a minimum of energy costs, while accurately guessing what the world will want tomorrow. The essence of the concept of kaizen is improvement or perfection. The word “kaizen” consists of two hieroglyphs – “change” and “good”. Change for the better, change for the better. Moreover, it is necessary to change immediately, and a small small change is better than delayed improvement. Kaizen is a style or, if you like, a management philosophy. Two conclusions follow from this:

1. You cannot get a Kaizen certificate like you can, for example, get an ISO9000 certificate. However, you can count on receiving certain awards, such as the Deming Prize, which in Japan is awarded for achievements in quality control organizations.
2. Kaizen first of all sets the rules of behavior and human relations in an enterprise. Of course, Kaizen has accumulated amazing experience in collecting statistics, analyzing work results, and organizing deliveries. The accumulated experience is necessarily standardized and thereby becomes available for reproduction at other enterprises. But copying Japanese standards in the rest of the world will not mean working in the spirit of kaizen.

In the Kaizen concept, priority is given to production processes. The result is important, but the process of achieving it matters no less. Imperfect processes cannot lead to the set goal. Kaizen sets the goal for an enterprise to “fit into the market” (market-in) by improving processes in the enterprise, and not “to sell a product” (product-out). The central task of “kaizen” is to improve the quality of the enterprise through the so-called TQC (total quality control).

TQC is...

“Total quality” for a Japanese company means total quality in everything. Cleanliness of workplaces, labor safety, communication ethics, quality of work tools. Without all these components, product quality is impossible. With inimitable zeal, Japanese workers and employees perfect the surrounding space, of which the product manufactured by their company is a part.

We find another reflection of the concept of “total quality” in the fact that every single employee of the company is involved in the process of quality improvement. Quality circles in the workplace, universal training in production, which even involves suppliers of related products. The organization of quality control includes: policy; organization and its management; education and dissemination of knowledge; collection, dissemination and use of quality information; analysis; standardization; control; quality assurance; results; planning for the future.

So that the reader can get a feel for what TQC is in Japan, I will give a list of TQC slogans for the Pentel company (office supply company), which I borrowed from the program book “Kaizen - the key to the success of Japanese companies” by Masaaki Imai:

1. Adhere to the concept of “market orientation”(The client comes first. The one who performs the next technological operation is your consumer. If you are a supporter of the concept of “sell as soon as possible,” then the name of our company will soon disappear even from the phone book)
2. Always be attentive to emerging problems(Where there are no problems, improvement is impossible)
3. Managing means starting with planning and comparing the plan with the result.(Let's spin the PDCA wheel and change the way we work)
4. Mountains of treasures rise at every step(Chronic problems can teach you more than those that arise suddenly)
5. Manage the process based on results(Correction and adjustment are problems that arise due to management omissions. The solution to these problems is no longer management, but manipulation)
6. Analyze what is happening at the enterprise and act based on facts(Draw conclusions based on reliable facts. Do not rely on intuition or inner voice)
7. Be attentive to deviations from the standard(It is more important to establish deviations than to increase averages)
8. Divide observation objects into groups before observation(Classification helps better understanding)
9. Improvement starts with yourself(Train yourself to identify issues for which you are personally responsible, as opposed to those for which others are responsible, and start with your own tasks)
10. Eliminate the root cause and prevent relapses(Do not confuse the cause of the problem with its manifestations)
11. Build quality into the process as early as possible(Quality must be built into the process, inspection does not create quality)
12. Never forget about standardization(We need methods to consolidate the achieved results)
13. Always remember to expand horizontally(Personal experience should become the property of the entire company)
14. Implementation of TQC concerns everyone(Enjoyable and meaningful work on the shop floor begins with an active “quality circle” that promotes mutual learning and self-development)

Quality control deals with the quality of people

The main feature of decision-making in Japan is the principle of “consensus”. The standard procedure for preparing, discussing and sanctioning management decisions is called “rings”. The “ringi” procedure consists in the fact that top management only outlines the problem, and its specific development and proposals for its solution are delegated to the “lower classes.” In this procedure, the principles of “control from below” and “consensus” are clearly visible. If you want, you can call it “liberalism in Japanese style.” In a harsh environment of widespread discipline, in the “father-son” behavior model between superiors and subordinates in a company, methods such as “rings” or “suggestion system” work as a psychological trick. At the moment of decision-making, a corporate employee understands why he has been “plowing” for years, being transferred from place to place, and feels his involvement in the great affairs of the company. At such moments he is happy. How happy the inventor of the new production system, “kanban,” must have been!

Traditional Kanban

1. Overproduction
2. Losses of machine time
3. Loss during transportation
4. Processing losses
5. Losses associated with cash inventories
6. Losses associated with unnecessary movements
7. Losses due to defective parts

What is the author silent about?

Kaizen, like everything else in the world, has its downside, a consequence of Japanese cultural traditions. In the kaizen system it is very difficult to maintain your individuality. This is vividly described in Amelie Nothomb’s autobiographical story “Fear and Trembling” about her experience working in a Japanese company. Both the strengths and weaknesses of kaizen come from deep cultural traditions, which we will explore in the next series. I would like to end this chapter with the words of the director of the University of Sterlin for Japanese Studies, Professor Jean-Pierre Leman: “Japan cannot be seen as a model that can be copied. It should be used as a mirror in which to look at your own strengths and weaknesses.”

5 Principles That Made the Japanese Management Model Successful and Continue to Improve the World

The Japanese have always been, are and will be very consistent. When I watched the documentary “Jiro dreams of sushi”, I was very impressed by it. Especially the story of Jiro Ono that they consider it honorable to bring any task to perfection. Even if you work as a janitor, you should not complain about fate, but should bring your work skills to perfection. The Japanese do not jump from job to job in search of the perfect one; they can eventually turn any job into the job of their dreams. Because it's all about the approach.

Why not learn from the Japanese again and try their management method, which they use in their management, applying it not only to their work, but also to themselves? I looked for information about this system on the Internet and tried to build a more individual approach from the corporate approach.

Kaizen, kaizen (Japanese 改善 kaizen?, romaji Kaizen; sometimes incorrectly "kaizen") is a Japanese philosophy or practice that focuses on continuous improvement of production processes, development, supporting business processes and management, as well as all aspects of life.

The basis of the Kaizen method consists of 5 key elements, “5 S”:

• Seiri- neatness
• Seiton- order
• Seiso- purity
• Seiketsu- standardization
• Shitsuke- discipline

These principles can be adjusted both to your work and to your life. After the end of World War II, it was thanks to the use of this technique that many Japanese companies, including Toyota, managed to quickly recover and catch up with lost capacity.

Job

If you decide to try to apply the 5 principles of Kaizen to your work, then these 5 points should take their place of honor right in front of your nose and hang there until their implementation becomes the basis of your work.

1. Sorting. You have to sit down, think carefully and make a list of what you want to improve and what you think is preventing you from working more efficiently. This principle states that an employee should not do anything unnecessary, do not do his job. Which tasks are least related to your main job?

Some parts can be reduced to a minimum (checking email, working with documents), some can be delegated to someone whose specialization they are more relevant to.

For example, in some companies it is customary for sales managers to calculate the cost of services sold, issue invoices and draw up contracts. Although in fact, invoices and cost calculations are a matter for the accounting department, and contracts are the responsibility of the legal department or, again, the accounting department. Sometimes it seems that if you do it all yourself, it will be faster and you won’t have to go to the accountants. This part, for some reason, upsets everyone, and sometimes scares us the most. But in fact, if you organize the process correctly and convey to these departments that, in fact, this is their job, things will go much faster.

Think about what is unnecessary and get rid of it. And think about what simple changes you can make to your workflow. Just as the ocean is made up of drops, global changes begin with small changes.

2. Building and establishing order After you have discarded everything unnecessary, you can streamline the work process by arranging things in the necessary order. It will be good if, at least for the first few weeks, you keep something like your work diary, in which you will write down the tasks completed, the time at which they were completed, the amount of time it took to complete them, and note their priority. As a result, it may turn out that you spend the least time on the most important things, and routine eats up the most, although sometimes it seems that it’s easier to first sit down, for example, to make plans for the day (week, month), in order to get started, and then Having already warmed up, do the most important things. As a result, it may turn out that you again do not have time to complete the most important things.

If you know that you usually have 2-3 complex, important tasks, it is better to schedule them at a time when your productivity is at its peak. We have already published an article about “prefrontal Mondays” and perhaps this option is just for you.

3. Cleaning or “polishing”. After finishing your work day, don't forget to clean your office desk and put everything back in its place. Finding the things and documents you need is much easier when everything is where it should be.

You need to put things in order not only on your desktop, but also in your head. To do this, it would be better to take a few minutes, look at your work diary and summarize, make the necessary notes and... forget about work when you find yourself outside the threshold of your office. Because the next morning you should come to work with a clear head and fresh thoughts. We have also written more than once about the benefits of distracting from a task and returning to it after some time. This way you have a much better chance of finding an interesting and fresh solution.

4. Standardization (systematization). After you have gotten rid of tasks that are not part of your responsibilities, built your workflow and put everything on the shelves not only in the workplace, but also in your head, it’s time to make a system out of it. That is, every morning you must do everything according to this structured scheme. Follow it and you will see results.

5. Maintaining practice. Once the first 4 processes are completed, they become a new way of working for you. You must stay on track and not fall back into old habits and methods.

When thinking about a new method, you'll likely be thinking about what other changes you can make to improve efficiency. And thus you will again review the first 4 aspects, making changes to the process. This way you are constantly improving your working methods. And this is the right path, because the main goal of Kaizen is constant, never-ending excellence.

It is enough to be just one step ahead. Constantly

By the way, kaizen guru Masaaki Imai, whose book “Kaizen: The Key to the Success of Japanese Companies” still remains a bestseller in business literature, spoke about the application of this method in business in his interview with Russian readers. A fragment from this interview published by the magazine “Own Business” clarifies a lot.

According to the Kaizen system, improvement of all processes in the company should occur continuously. Why does improvement need to be done every day?

Indeed, there are managers who prefer episodic improvements. We believe: if we did something yesterday, then without delay we must ask ourselves the question: “What are we going to improve today? Or tomorrow?".

Toyota began using the kaizen system 60 years ago. Since then, all of her employees have been making improvements every day. Imagine what heights you can achieve if you do something every day for decades to improve your work efficiency! Toyota's experience confirms this: the company has achieved incredible business success.

The company has reached a leading position in its sector, and today it is very difficult to compete with it. Recently, consumers have become more and more demanding. Therefore, the conditions in which companies operate are becoming more stringent. And in the future we will face even more severe competition. Therefore, those who want to succeed have only one thing left to do: always be one step ahead of the competition.

In this regard, I remember an anecdote about an American and Japanese businessman who went on a safari to Africa. They arrived in the savannah and began photographing the local beauty. Fascinated by this, they went far from their car. When the businessmen were about to go back, a huge lion jumped out from behind the bushes in the distance. The Japanese, not paying any attention to the lion, took out his sneakers and began to change his shoes.

"What are you doing?!" — the American asked in surprise. “Don’t you see, I’m changing my shoes!” — the Japanese answered calmly. The American is perplexed: “Look how far our car is! In order for the lion to catch us, we must not change our shoes, but run!” To which the Japanese replies: “To be saved, I need to overtake you by just one step!” The Kaizen system helps achieve this.

- Is it really possible to come up with and implement some serious improvements every day?!

The improvements may be small, and each one individually may not be that noticeable. But taken together they will have a significant effect. Let me give you an example.

At one of the Matsushita enterprises, large teapots were placed on all tables during the lunch break, and each employee could drink as much of the drink as he wanted. The waitresses of the company noticed that the amount of tea drunk at different tables varied greatly. They then discovered that the same customers usually sat in certain seats. Having collected and analyzed data over several days, the waitresses determined exactly how much tea should be served on each table. As a result, they reduced the brewing consumption by half. In terms of money saved, the savings were negligible. Nevertheless, at the end of the year, these waitresses received gold medals from the president of the corporation.

After all, it is precisely such step-by-step improvements that together lead to significant strategic victories. In the worst companies, employees are focused solely on maintaining existing processes—doing the same things day after day without thinking about improving them. In those companies where kaizen is used, everything is different.

Whenever a person sees some opportunity to do his job better, he must implement these changes and change the standards of performing individual operations accordingly. If a company uses kaizen, the number of staff may be reduced by 10-20%, and sometimes by 50%.

Most companies prefer to make improvements not gradually, but immediately - carrying out global transformations through innovation. What are the disadvantages of this approach?

Daily improvements do not require significant financial costs. To implement kaizen, all that is needed is for people to use their minds and concentrate on the work at hand. However, kaizen processes are often invisible or subtle, and their results are rarely immediately apparent. Global innovation always requires large investments to purchase new technologies, equipment...

Therefore, before thinking about innovation, it is better to first take advantage of the existing potential by implementing kaizen. In many Japanese companies, top managers tell workers: “We cannot allocate a large budget to implement your proposals. But you still have to make those improvements.”

In the 1970s, Toyota was led by a very talented top manager - Mr. Taiichi Ohno. He always believed in the strength and talent of his subordinates and was confident that if they were given the necessary powers, they would be able to solve any problems. He often used this approach. For example, Toyota set a goal of producing 100 units per hour. Then Ono gave his engineers the resources to produce only 90 units, but required them to produce all 100. Since they could not do this right away, they either had to work overtime or urgently come up with some kind of improvement to cope with given task. When the engineers finally figured out a way to solve the problem, he would remove ten percent of the workers from that production line and move them to another area. And from the rest he again demanded to produce 100 units of product.

Does this mean that in the kaizen system innovations are rejected as such? Looking at leading Japanese companies, one cannot say this...

To develop a company, you need both a kaizen system and innovation. It is the combination of these two approaches that allows you to achieve the best results. Imagine: with the help of kaizen you gradually rise up. Then you take a big “leap” - you introduce innovation. Then from this new height you again continue the gradual upward movement - and again make a jerk.

As a result, you find yourself superior to those who apply only an innovative approach and move in leaps and bounds. In addition, the system created as a result of the introduction of innovation will inevitably degrade if efforts are not made first to maintain it and then to improve it. The effect of innovation is gradually decreasing due to intense competition and obsolescence of standards. Kaizen helps ensure a steady rise.

These same “5S” can be adjusted to any aspect of life. For example, you want to start leading a healthy lifestyle.

The first “S”. You sit down, divide the piece of paper into two parts and write down everything that bothers you in one column, and everything that helps you in the second.

Second "S". After identifying all the positive and negative aspects, you make yourself a schedule in which you include everything useful (a walk in the park, going for a walk at lunch, etc., etc.). In addition to creating a “health schedule,” you can simply make a list of what you need to start doing. For example, make a schedule for yourself to reduce your intake of junk food to a minimum and gradually introduce healthy foods into your daily diet. This must be done gradually, otherwise the body, and behind it the willpower, will simply rebel, demanding a dose of sugar and simple carbohydrates to which it is accustomed.

Third "S". To be honest, it’s difficult for me to draw an analogue to this S, but if I were doing this for myself, I would simply include this item as “Cleaning”. Keeping it clean and tidy is very important no matter what you try to do. This applies to work and just life. Because in a cluttered room a person loses strength and the necessary mood. In addition, cleaning can be turned into an initial stage of physical exercise or made into a meditative process, when you need to focus exclusively on physical actions and completely clear your head of thoughts.

Fourth “S”. Now it's time to turn all the changes into a system. Just stick to the schedule you created and it will become your normal way of life.

Fifth "S". Look after yourself and get rid of temptations to return to your old, easier life. At first, a healthy lifestyle is not easy, because there are so many temptations around that it is difficult to resist. And improve by finding more and more new ways to make your life better.

After reading a huge amount of material, I realized that the Kaizen system can be adjusted to anything. The main thing is to follow the basic rules - get rid of unnecessary things, build a system and constantly improve it!

Reference

Companies that use this system increase the profitability and competitiveness of their business without making large capital investments. It allows you to increase labor productivity by 50-100% or more. This system is called “kaizen” (from the Japanese words KAI - “change” and ZEN - “good”, “for the better”). Kaizen is a constant desire to improve everything we do, embodied in specific forms, methods and technologies. This method is used by outstanding companies: Toyota, Nissan, Canon, Honda, Komatsu, Matsushita.

Kaizen technology (Kaizen, Japanese continuous improvement)- a comprehensive concept that covers philosophy, theory and management tools, allowing you to achieve competitive advantage at the present stage. In management system practice, this concept has a synonym - a continuous process of improvement ( German - KVP, Kontinuierlicher Verbesserungs Prozess, English. - CIP, Continuous Improvement Process).

In an economic sense, the concept refers to actions to continuously improve all functions of an enterprise, from production to management. Kaizen is a concept derived from the Japanese words kai = change, and zen = good or for the better. Kaizen was introduced initially in a few Japanese factories during the economic recovery after World War II and has since spread to factories around the world. The most famous practical application of this concept was developed for the Japanese corporation Toyota Motor Corporation. It is the basis of the method Total Quality Management (English - TQM, Total Quality Management) and includes activities to prevent waste, loss, as well as innovation and work with new standards.

The ideas of the kaizen system are presented by Masaaki Imaia in the book of the same name, which was published in England in 1986. The main ones:

• “Kaizen is based on the fact that no enterprise is without problems. Kaizen helps solve these problems by developing a work culture where each employee is not fined for a problem, but guarantees that it will not happen.”
• “Kaizen strategy is based on the recognition that management, whose goal is to make a profit, must set as its goal the satisfaction of the customer and his requirements.”
• “Kaizen is a customer-focused improvement strategy.”
• “Kaizen is based on the premise that all enterprise activities should ultimately lead to increased customer satisfaction. At the same time, the philosophy of the internal and external clients differs.”

In a continuous improvement process (CIP), at the center is a person with abilities and knowledge, which are the most important capital of the company. To this can be added the organization's positive perception of problems, since they are an incentive for improvement. In the foreground, the question is not about the culprits of the problems, but about the common efforts to fundamentally solve them. It is not punishment for the mistakes of the past, but the possibility of improvement for the benefit of a common future that should guide the company's thinking. The desire to recognize real problems and eliminate them for a long time is decisive!

Thus, the team of employees is seen as a source of motivation, identification, mental energy, synergy and increasing creativity. NPU means continuous, systematic and consistent work on:

• setting and pursuing goals,
• eliminating interference,
• looking for opportunities for improvement,
• preventing waste with the help of all employees at all levels, in all departments, workshops and offices.

Continuous improvement process

Continuous improvement process- this is not only the study of new methods and tools, but also a different form of cooperation. More local self-organization with the help of capable employees, more personal responsibility of all participants, more development of innovative potential in the enterprise. Moreover, management requirements acquire additional importance. Along with professional and methodological competence, success depends on managers having social competence. The process of changing attitudes occurs from the top down, and the best guarantee of success through NPM is exemplary leadership management. Necessary changes in the approach to work are carried out by management, setting an example for employees who learn about these changes and adopt them. The economic and social goals of the kaizen process are the goals shown in Diagram 1.

Diagram 1. Continuous Improvement Goals.

The pursuit of excellence is achieved through a variety of methods, the most important of which are presented in Diagram 2.

Scheme 2. Application of methods in the kaizen concept.

In enterprises using kaizen technology, the continuous process of improvement is a vital part of the functioning of production management. It covers:

• organization (organizational structure, distribution of responsibilities, coordination, control mechanism);
• management (delimiting goals, choosing topics, forming a team);
• qualifying activities (behavioral training, methodological training);
• systematics (regularity, documentation, coverage of work teams, tools);
• incentive system (encouragement of innovation, special systems of moral and material incentives).

Kaizen at the German company Siemens

At the German company Siemens, the concept of continuous improvement is being implemented under the slogan “Whoever stops getting better, stops being good!” And for all employees, the following rules for successful improvement are recommended:

• Be willing to give up your traditional thinking.
• Think about how something can be done and don't ask why it can't be done.
• No excuses! Question everything that happened.
• A 50% solution right away is better than a 100% solution never!
• Correct errors immediately.
• Look for solutions that cost as little as possible!
• The ability to solve problems initially develops from a problem.
• Ask questions many times and find out what is the real cause of the problem.
• Ten people solve a problem better than one specialist.
• NPU has no end!

The Japanese are always consistent. They consider it an honor to complete a task to perfection. Even if you are a janitor, do not complain about fate, but polish your skills. The Japanese do not change jobs in search of the ideal; they can make their dreams come true anywhere. It's all about the approach. And it's called kaizen.

Why not learn from the Japanese and try their management method? We have adapted the information so that you can apply the knowledge outside the office.

Analyze your activities by making changes to the process. This way you will constantly improve your working methods. This is the right path because the goal of kaizen is continuous improvement.

Life

The Kaizen principle is suitable for any area. For example, you want to start leading a healthy lifestyle.

1. Accuracy

Set aside half an hour when you will not be distracted. Sit down, divide the piece of paper into two parts and write down everything that bothers you in one column, and everything that helps you in the second.

2. Order

Make a list that includes everything useful: a walk at lunch, Nordic walking in the park, cycling. You can also simply make a list of the things you need to pay attention to. For example, create a schedule for avoiding junk food and including healthy foods in your diet. This must be done gradually, otherwise the body will rebel, demanding a dose of simple carbohydrates to which it is accustomed.

3. Cleanliness

Maintaining cleanliness is very important, no matter what goals you set for yourself. In a cluttered room, a person loses the desired mood. In addition, cleaning can be turned into a preparatory stage of physical activity. Or make it a meditative process, when you need to focus exclusively on physical actions and completely clear your head of thoughts.

4. Standardization

Now it's time to turn all the changes into a system. Just stick to your schedule and it will become the foundation of your lifestyle.

5. Discipline

Look after yourself and get rid of cravings for old habits. It’s not easy at first: there are so many temptations around that it’s hard to resist. Improve yourself by finding new ways to make your reality better.

Is it possible to achieve perfection in work or personal self-development? This is a difficult question and the answers to it are sometimes very categorical. Skeptics say that an ideal is an unrealizable dream that is pleasant to think about, but which cannot be realized. But those who know what the Kaizen philosophy is can confidently answer that achieving the ideal is possible, you just need to learn to achieve the goal by paying attention to even the most insignificant details.

Who created this philosophy and why?

The kaizen method was first applied in the post-war period (World War II) in several Japanese companies, among which Toyota was the most striking example of the success of this philosophy. By applying all its rules without exception, enterprises were not only able to go through the recovery period very quickly, but also reach a higher level in terms of organization of work, provision of services and the level of total company income.

The term kaizen itself (you can also use the variant kaizen) received and secured its name after the founder of Cambridge Corporation and KAIZEN Institute Consulting Group lean guru Masaaki Imai published the book “Kaizen: the key to the success of Japanese companies” in 1986.

The origin of the term kaizen comes from the combination of two words. Kai means change, change, zen means for the better, and together in Japanese it means continuous development (constant improvement). The main goal of this philosophy is the transition to lean production and constant improvement of all enterprise processes, from eliminating minor problems to completely changing the approach to management and increasing efficiency.

5S, meaning and working principle

Kaizen not only has a clear definition and message, but also an impeccably streamlined guide to action. It includes several stages aimed at constantly improving the entire operation of the company and is called 5S or 5 whys. Their meaning (applicable in general and individual work, personal life):

1. Seiri (sorting, neatness)

• Job:

To succeed and achieve results in your work, the first thing you need to do is change your approach to your work. Make a list indicating what the person is currently doing that he would like to change to improve the performance of his work. Cross off unnecessary actions from the list. Learn to perform exclusively his own work, delegating responsibilities not included in the scope of his work activities to specialists in these matters.

• Personal life:

In this case, you also need to use a piece of paper and pen to make a list listing all the things that help and hinder the person in achieving their goals. Then carefully study and see the problem, cross out unnecessary and slowing down the process actions from life.

1. Seiton (rational ordering)

• Job:

At the second stage, you need to separate important matters from unimportant ones. Prioritize the list and do urgent things at the most productive time for the employee.

• Personal life:

Here we also need a list that should take into account everything useful that has already been and continues to be used to achieve desires. Then you should add a list of new actions that will facilitate faster and better implementation of your plans.

1. Seiso (cleaning, keeping clean)

• Job:

You should never leave your desk in a mess after finishing your work day. All things should be put back in their place and the excess ones should be thrown away. It is also important to keep a diary, where every day you can summarize today's work, taking into account everything that has been done and what needs to be done next time. Making adjustments and notes there. After that, don’t think about work until another working day.

• Personal life:

To achieve what you want, you need to remove everything that can distract and negatively affect the achievement of your goal. Putting your home and personal affairs in order is a prerequisite for success in any endeavor. At this stage, everything needs to find its place and get rid of the junk that slows down progress.

1. Seiketsu (systematization and standardization of work)

• Job:

4S is a system designed to support all previous stages. A person must learn to perform all of the above points always, without missing anything or forgetting about them, only then a positive result is possible.

• Personal life:

To better consolidate the first 3S, you need to create a list of necessary things to do and strictly follow it every day.

1. Shitsuke(discipline, continuous improvement)

This action appeared in the system later than the others and became the final element.

• Job:

After completing 4S, an employee develops a stable habit that he can improve in the process of work. The main thing is discipline and strict adherence to all the rules of kaizen. Failure to fulfill even one point means a return to inefficient production, which hinders progress in work.

• Personal life:

At the 5S stage, a person already has a clearly developed strategy for achieving success in his endeavors. Now he must consolidate this knowledge, be able to cut off unnecessary actions and introduce new steps that will allow him to improve and achieve what he wants faster.

This list is a summary of Eastern philosophy and highlights key rules. Kaizen in work will not bring positive results if all employees, from the manager to the ordinary worker, do not adhere to it. Only full interaction and a clear understanding of the 5S system can bring the necessary results.

By introducing kaizen into work as a permanent system, an enterprise can increase its income and increase the level of labor without wasting extraneous resources (both physical and material).

For Japanese philosophy, every mistake is just an opportunity for growth. They have no division into superiors and inferiors; each employee is equal and does their job. Their goal is lean production and to achieve it they use internal potential, solving errors from small to large, and not immediately making global expensive changes (often unprofitable).

The 1 minute principle (as a way to implement kaizen in life)

People do not always have enough strength and will to achieve any global changes. Often, even if a person begins to achieve with the maximum expenditure of his own resources, then after some time the desire and motivation completely disappear and the goal again remains unfinished.

Example. Wanting to learn a foreign language, a girl initially begins to force herself to study for 2 hours every day; after some time, due to this pace (difficult for a beginner), the desire to learn disappears completely and because of this, a persistent aversion to further learning may even develop.