The action: When agreeing on the most important goals, make sure you are also sharing the benefits with the team.

The long form: Rolling out an improvement program often centers around efficiency and profitability. However, it’s vital to remember that the benefits should extend beyond just the company’s bottom line. By including goals that also benefit employees, customers, and society, you are increasing the likelihood that the improvement rhythm takes hold. And as Magnus Lord notes in his book Befria Sjukvården (Freeing Healthcare), true improvement doesn’t come at the expense of one group over another.

Steven Spear writes on his experience training as a leader at a Toyota Plant in Japan that the team leader would usually start the improvement work by looking for making the team members’ work easier.

Consider including objectives such as “Plan the work, so that no-one is overburdened” or “Ensure everyone can go home on time”. By addressing these aspects, you foster a supportive work environment where people look out for one another.

Remember how Ted Lasso’s first move was to improve the shower pressure?