Do you have those times in your business when you just don't seem to be making progress with your improvement projects?
I know that I have clients that feel this way from time to time, they just feel a little lost as to what to do next.
When I see them in the doldrums I suggest they have a sprint. Pick any tangible piece of improvement work they can see and go for it. Whether this sprint lasts an hour or an afternoon it needs to be an activity that could leave the business in a different place.
It doesn't matter how minor the change is either. The sprint could leave you with a new form, a tweak to your scheduling system or an altered meeting agenda. The objective of the sprint is to close out an improvement goal you have set. Small goals work really well for obvious reasons.
At the end of the sprint the close out task is to then go back to your improvement plan and revise it. What have your learned from your sprint? How do you see your business now? How do you feel now that you have 'cleared the pipes'?
Action usually follows action. If you are feeling stuck with your changes then why not pick something you like the look of and have a proactive sprint?
Giles Johnston
Author of 'Business Process Re-Engineering', a practical plan to improve business performance.