If you are seeking positive improvements in your organization, or motivation of your team for resolving problems that come up during the course of work, then you should consider Toyota Kata. Toyota Kata is a structured learning toolset to create a culture of progressive learning and improvements in any given level of the organization and is based on the Kaizen Culture. This is how Toyota Kata works;
1. Understand your current situation
You will live your life only as great as the direction you take. You must understand what you want to achieve and work towards it. This is the only way you will keep motivated and stay away from distractions. Having a sense of direction will also give you the ability to evaluate your life and see how you need to improve it to achieve your goals.
When setting your goal, you should remember to make it process-oriented and not outcome oriented. When it comes to life goals, the end does not justify the means; rather it is a process. This is what sets apart your life vision from your business vision.
This is where Toyota Kata comes in. It will help you set visions that have no defects, that provide 100% value addition, that have a given flow, and are secure.
In setting a vision, you will have to understand your current situation, and what you want to achieve. Only then will you be able to set custom-made goals that fit your needs.
2. Set the next challenge based on the desired goal
After understanding your current situation, go ahead and establish what you want to achieve. After that, set out on the path towards achieving the desired goal. You will do this with an emphasis on the process. You should make every step clear as it is what will lead you to your desired outcome.
When coming up with your processes, make them as clear as possible. You should avoid relative statements. Instead, opt for absolute numbers. This will enable you to discern whether you have reached the desired goal or not. Every set process must have an expiration period to keep you motivated by the deadlines that come with it.
3. Run the experiments
After understanding your current situation and setting a target goal and defining the process you want to go through to achieve it, it is time to run the processes. This is the most crucial step towards achieving your goals.
Toyota Kata is set to help you deal with the obstacles you will meet in the process. By the end of the processes, you will be able to compare the outcome to the situation from the time you started.
4. Repeat
It is not a given that you will meet the set target on the first try. Therefore you will have to repeat the process from understanding the situation to setting goals and running the experiments till you achieve the desired results.
5. Evaluate
You will need to evaluate how effectively the process worked for you by checking the results. If you achieved your goal on the first try, then it is time to try new challenges.
Follow the Toyota Kata steps above to achieve a better you. You will thank yourself in the end.
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