EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVEMENT

Adding Value Through Continuous Improvement

The behaviours in the table below show how you can demonstrate the skill of Adding Value Through Continuous Improvement at each of the competency levels in which it appears. Click on the plus sign to show the behaviours at that level.

Click here to read more about how the competency levels work.

Resources

Below you will find learning resources to help you develop the skill of Adding Value Through Continuous Improvement. Click on the links to access the resources.

PDFs
Initiativeitis
This PDF covers a technique to help you and your organisation take control of your priorities and clarify the situation, so you can have a good discussion about initiatives, priorities, and responsibilities. You can also use this technique to help your team members. It can be scaled for a team, for parts of an organisation, or for a whole organisation. The larger the scope, the more people need to be decision makers in the process.

Constructive Disagreement
Disagreement is an unavoidable part of working with others. Unless it is handled carefully, or the relationship is quite robust, disagreement can erode trust and compromise effectiveness, and can, in extreme cases, lead to broken relationships that have a knock-on negative impact on the business. This PDF outlines a technique whereby you can disagree with someone in a way that keeps them engaged, supports the relationship, and leads to a more productive outcome.

VIDEOS
Initiativeitis
This video shows you a technique to help you and your organisation take control of your priorities and clarify the situation, so you can have a good discussion about initiatives, priorities, and responsibilities. You can also use this technique to help your team members. It can be scaled for a team, for parts of an organisation, or for a whole organisation. The larger the scope, the more people need to be decision makers in the process.

ON THE JOB ACTIONS
Knowledge
Make sure that you have enquired about and are aware of appropriate Continuous Improvement processes, forums, work groups, and practices that are relevant for your work.

Encourage Creativity
Develop your skills so that you encourage ‘thinking out of the box’. To encourage creativity it’s important not to criticise new ideas. Allow others to express ideas by listening positively, with no interruption or difficulty stating. If you wish to raise objections use ‘Constructive Disagreement’. Seek proposals as to how to make improvements, build on the ideas and the implementation proposals. Put across your ideas assertively showing respect for others.

Simplify the Picture
Many organisations suffer from ‘initiativeitis’ where the balance of new initiatives versus business-as-usual activity is wrong and causes overwhelm. Read and/or watch ‘Initiativeitis’ for a technique to work out if this is the case and ideas about what to do to change for the better.