We are all creatures of habit. That’s not a flaw, it’s simply human nature. But it does pose a big problem for us when we want to change our habits. As Samuel Johnson brilliantly observed back in the 18th century, “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Left to their own, habits subtly lock us into doing the same things the same way, day after day, without much thought. The only reliable way to counter that pull isn’t willpower or motivation – it takes intentional routines. That’s why systematic continuous improvement (SCI) must be built into everyday operations, not treated as an occasional activity.

Here’s something leaders often underestimate. Virtually every employee is both willing and able to offer ideas for improvement – lots of them. But without a routine process for capturing those ideas, people naturally default to just getting their jobs done. That’s not because they don’t care or they’re not smart enough. It’s simply because the day-to-day operating system doesn’t make it easy, open and inviting.

When organizations create consistent improvement routines, something powerful happens. Countless small ideas add up over time –saving minutes, reducing errors, improving safety or service– compounding into big-time, bottom-line results.

It’s not uncommon to see hundreds of hours reclaimed annually plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in measurable impact come from the accumulation of small, employee-driven improvements. It’s what the famed British cycling team coach, David Brailsford, calls the “aggregation of marginal gains”– principles and practices that have propelled the team to dozens of Olympic medals and world championships.

Just as important, SCI builds a problem-solving culture. People feel valued, engaged, and energized when see their ideas matter – and when improvement becomes a habit everyone shares.

If you’re ready to replace auto-pilot habits with intentional ones that drive results, let’s talk.

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BONUS: When you sign-up for a call, you’ll get a step-by-step description of the Continuous Improvement Team Huddle.

Getting better at getting better.