Continuous Process Improvement
Afterburner Expertise
Everyday Excellence
Your top teams and top performers want to be part of an organization that seeks continuous process improvement.
Not one that makes the same mistakes over and over again or fails to see changes in the environment and marketplace.
Whether you are considering the possibility of a new process of record or just starting your journey to continuous improvement, our Execution Consultants will train you to leverage the Flawless Execution methodology to meet your needs.
Discover How Our Team Building Workshops enable Continuous Process Improvement
Sustaining Continuous Improvement
What is Continuous Process Improvement?
As organizations grow, one of their primary challenges is to sustain and nurture the original culture and behavior patterns that got them there. Continuous process improvement is an ongoing effort to actively improve these conditions. Your top teams and top performers want to be part of an organization that seeks continuous improvement, not one that continues to repeat the same mistakes time and again.
Continuous improvement guarantees the survivability of any individual and any organization.
The Continuous Process Improvement Model
Successful organizations pause often to conduct a debrief meeting to make course corrections and pivot, as a result of new information. Then, they leverage these meetings by defining the Lessons Learned. Lessons Learned is an actionable next step that organizations can apply to the next mission.
Afterburner incorporates the Flawless Execution methodology as a tool for continuous process improvement. In order for your organization to survive, thrive, and ultimately dominate in complex environments, Flawless Execution offers the way to your success. Using this as a continuous process improvement model, Afterburner has significantly contributed to the success of more than 3,000 companies and countless more teams.
Common Road Blocks to Continuous Business Improvement
As organizations grow, it’s a challenge to keep communication flowing and to remain aligned and focused on making the right changes at the right time.
Resistance to Change
Change doesn't have to be sweeping to be met with friction and resistance. It's not always intentional, habits are ingrained and teams, just like individuals can have comfort zones they are stuck in.
Silos of Knowledge
Even with constant availability of multiple bands of communication, teams still have difficulty taking the time to interact and share their knowledge. Fast paced cycles and deadlines limit the focus on accessing organizational knowledge. Both of these tendencies creating knowledge silos that impede growth.
Top Down Culture
Even when it's not the leader's intent, people in your organization can be hesitant to contribute ideas, make decisions without reassuring approvals, or suggest a change.
Building a Culture of Continuous Progress
Teams and organizations that focus on continuous improvement are able to gather new information, see opportunities, and pivot.
Support Continuous Learning
Developing a culture that actively seeks to accelerate individual and organizational learning is the key to continuous process improvement, but can be difficult to implement. This is because it requires leader-led accountability and a nameless, rankless environment where all participants contribute to a no-fault debrief after every mission.
Consider a Process of Record
When your teams buy into a single iterative framework for their day-to-day activities, continuous improvement can occur naturally and with significant impact on performance. Flawless Execution establishes structured cadences that are easy to adopt and result in streamlined communication and sharing of ideas necessary for organizational agility.
Make the Time to Debrief
Cultures of continuous improvement leverage regular debriefs and create an environment where teams are comfortable sharing lessons learned -- both positive and negative. Use the lessons learned to eliminate errors and repeat successes in future missions. Remember to always end your debrief sessions on a high note.
Establish an Execution Rhythm
Establishing an Execution Rhythm with regularly held X-Gaps -- or accountability check-ins -- drives peer and team accountability and higher, more predictable levels of execution. For the team, your execution rhythm can call attention to needs for mutual support to close execution gaps and adapt to ever-changing requirements.