How do you think your management team would score on the “Rut Rater?” It’s not a real thing, but you get the point. You probably have some managers who are stuck in a rut that keeps them from exploring new ways to manage their teams and run the business better? Maybe more than you’d like to admit.

Let’s take Joe, for example. He’s not a real person, just a fictional character who is a lot like many managers I’ve worked with when it comes to engaging in continuous improvement. He was especially resistant when it came to conducting routine processes for getting improvement ideas from everyone on the team.

Joe had been a manager at Acme Manufacturing for over a decade. He took pride in his team's work and the company's steady success. But when upper management announced they were implementing a new systematic continuous improvement plan, he didn’t want any part of it.

"The way we’ve always done things works just fine," Joe thought to himself. "Why do we need to change it? Besides, I’ve got enough on my plate to manage already."

Despite being irritated, Joe attended the planning sessions and listened grudgingly to the head of Human Resources, who explained the benefits of engaging employees in the improvement process – increased efficiency, reduced waste, better quality, a more engaged workforce and more. Joe still wasn’t convinced.

As Joe's team started to identify areas for improvement, he dismissed a lot of their ideas. After all, he had a lot more experience, and he had a better understanding of improvements that could be made.

As the weeks passed, Joe started seeing improvement ideas that sounded pretty good to him. One person’s suggestion to reorganize the inventory system saved hours of searching for parts. Another team member's idea to streamline the production line reduced bottlenecks and increased output.

Slowly but surely, Joe began to see the value in his team's contributions and the impact of their collective efforts. Eventually, he found himself looking forward to the regular improvement huddles, encouraging his team to keep stepping up with their ideas.

One day, Joe’s manager asked him to present the results of his team's continuous improvement efforts. He was happy to report just how far his team had come, starting with a 20% increase in productivity, and employee engagement scores reaching an all-time high.

"When we first started this whole thing, I thought it was a waste of time," he admitted. "Now, I see the incredible power of engaging everyone in the improvement process. Their ideas and their enthusiasm have really boosted our team’s morale and performance."

Joe became a champion for the process. He shared his story with other managers, encouraging them to open up and trust in the potential of their teams to keep doing things better – systematically, one improvement at a time.

Now, that may sound like a sappy story, and you might be rolling your eyes over it. But even though Joe is a fictional character, his scenario plays out in real life with countless companies every day.

Employees everywhere are willing and able to offer huge amounts of improvement ideas, and companies are full of managers like Joe with a high “rut rating” who can’t or won’t see the potential – at least not at first.

If you want to make sure your managers don’t stay stuck in a rut of underestimating how much their teams can propel your business with proven processes for systematic continuous improvement, click on the link below.

Tell Us Your Stories!

If you have a story that illustrates the power and potential of employees engaged in continuous improvement, we’d love to hear it – and share it with our readers.

Begin your improvement journey today!

“Great is the enemy of better”