LESSON 4: MOVING TO ACTION WITH KAIZEN

The Big Dot Little Dot Goal Mapping works very well with another approach we love called “Kaizen”, from the Japanese manufacturing quality control concepts based on continuous improvement through small changes. We discovered the book, One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer, Ph.D. The book outlines some key concepts that are helpful in setting and achieving both personal and professional goals. Most importantly, the ideas Dr. Maurer shares help us think differently about change, as he addresses our primary resistance to making change: fear.

Some of the key concepts from this book include:

1. Set small goals
2. Ask small questions
3. Think small thoughts
4. Take small actions
5. Solve small problems
6. Bestow small rewards
7. Identify small moments

Watch: An overview of the Kaizen approach, The Kaizen Way: ONE SMALL STEP CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Robert Maurer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHkOFs67d9A

Exercise: For this exercise, find a partner to work with to practice asking and answering small questions and taking small actions.

1. Share with each other a specific goal you have been working on—preferably one which has been a challenge, or one with which you haven’t been as successful as you would like.
2. Take turns coaching each other by asking small questions and responding with small actions.
3. Challenge each other to be more specific (if needed) or go “smaller”.

Here are some examples of SMALL QUESTIONS:

1. What’s the smallest step I could take today to be more efficient?
2. What is one thing I could do in the next hour to move my body?
3. What is one choice I could make in this meal that would be more healthful?
4. What is the easiest thing I could do to inspire my team today?
5. What is one barrier I could clear to make my partner’s day better?
6. What is one thing I could do in this meeting to reduce the conflicts in our group?
7. What tiny thing can I do tonight before I go to bed that will make the morning routine smoother?
8. What small thing could I do this morning that will ensure I get to the gym today?
9. What is one thing I could live without today so I could save one dollar?
10. What is one five-minute favor I could do for a colleague to help me build my “social currency”?

Here are some examples of SMALL ACTIONS:

1. To be more efficient, I could close the Facebook tab on my computer and put my phone in the drawer.
2. One thing I could do to move my body in the next hour is to use the restroom two floors down and take the stairs.
3. One healthful choice I could make in this meal is to order a salad instead of fries as a side dish.
4. The easiest thing I could do to inspire my team today is to send them an encouraging quote via email.
5. To make my partner’s day better, I could walk the dog in the morning while he’s preparing for an important meeting.
6. One thing I could do to reduce conflicts in this meeting is to not interrupt others while they are speaking to ensure they feel I am truly listening.
7. The tiny thing I can do tonight before bed to make the morning smoother is to set up the coffee pot to start automatically.
8. One small thing I can do this morning to ensure that I get to the gym tonight is to call my workout partner to confirm we will meet there at 7:00 pm.
9. I could save one dollar today by bringing my own refillable water bottle instead of buying water from the vending machine.
10. I could build “social currency” today by sending an email note and a link to a relevant article to the colleague who took the time to mentor me last week.

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