Kaizen

As many of you know, David Sugarman was one of my mentors.

It was David that taught me how to listen and learn while sailing in and around Santa Monica Bay.

David was a fantastic businessman with a keen sense of why companies would be succeed. Obviously this ability was useful for an investment banker with the Hollywood elite and their wealth at his beckoning.

David also taught me the value and many proper applications of Kaizen.

Kaizen draws it’s meaning from many different cultural evolutions throughout the Far East and Asia Pacific. Most people associate it with the Japanese and Toyota Corporation (Toyota Production System and probably the methods of W. Edwards Deming) – [改善] “change for the better”, or, “improvement”. A literal English translation is “continual improvement”.

Kaizen aims to eliminate waste (as defined by Joshua Isaac Walters “activities that add cost but do not add value”). It is often the case that this means “to take it apart and put back together in a better way.” This is then followed by standardization of this ‘better way’ with others, through standardized work.

However, based on what David taught me, and observing first hand what successful organizations do to change and grow around necessity and opportunities, I think it’s best definition for me, and the way I advocate it to my clients is – “small incremental change that enables and supports sustained improvement”.

The value of Kaizen today is in leadership’s ability to reduce cost and increase efficiencies by implementing small changes based on tight and nimble business planning that facilitates accountability.

Brian Patrick Cork

Filed under: Articles By Brian Cork, Business, Coaching, Economy , Brian Cork, Kaizen, W. Edwards Deming

Sustainable Growth and Career Paths

Sustainable Growth

Recently I was interviewed by Fortune Magazine around “Common Characteristics of Growth Companies”.

One of the questions Jill, my interviewer, asked was – “How does a company’s growth impact good career choices?”

My perspective is that of someone that has built several companies that made the Inc. 500 (including my current focus – brian cork Human Capital); a recruiter that faces this very question daily; and, executive coach.

My experience in working with candidates up-and-down the food chain, from CEO’s to Customer Service personnel, is that growth is only viable if it appears stable and sustainable. I think the word “sustainable” needs to be the operative word here.

First, a company must get past its sophomore year (most are walking dead at this point but might not know it). Eighteen months is a significant milestone. Then you need to look for the “magic formula” of Product, Timing, Management, Cash, and a Plan. Then, the appearance of growth is often defined by the obvious – revenues and head count.

This is where it gets interesting…

My point is that candidates (“job seekers”) have become more sophisticated and discerning in the way they evaluate a potential employer. A very real and reasonable concern of candidates is the familiar scenario whereby a company led by an overzealous CEO that appears to be growing (hiring lots of people and issuing press releases) misses its numbers. The Board of Directors and/ or the management team loses its nerve, and people are laid off.

I like smaller companies with “good steward” leadership inspired by cutting edge products and services.

For example, take a “big” (Fortune 200) company like Coca-Cola that hires a bunch of people, and then lays a bunch of people off depending on an analysts view of it’s stock (less revenue; lower price).

A large company might be less attractive to a potential employee than an Inc. 500 company that has recently proven that it has realized at least three successive years of revenue growth. This indicates it has a product or service that enables sustainable growth.

So… In summary, what I have learned as an entrepreneur, investor, recruiter, and an executive coach is that savvy job seekers today are focusing on companies that appear to be positioned for sustainable growth.

NOTE: The next thing they want is employee investment in the form of “best-of-class” benefits, and a well-defined career-path (this includes consistent 360 evaluations).

Brian Patrick Cork
Cultural Architect | brian cork Human Capital
www.bchcroi.com

Filed under: Articles By Brian Cork, Business, Coaching, Economy , Brian Cork, Business, Economy, Fortune, Inc. 500