7 Paths to Managerial Leadership

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Path 7: Continual Improvement

As with the preceding paths, continual improvement (CI) is integrated into the manager’s role. Improving the unit’s processes, systems, and procedures is an ongoing managerial leadership practice and, like the others, becomes a habit that will lead to a higher level of performance for the entire unit.

There are four steps necessary to have a successful CI effort in an organization (Lee 2007):

1. Hold managers accountable for the process.

2. Maintain an ongoing analysis.

3. Review and prioritize improvement projects and assign as tasks.

4. Provide assistance from staff specialists.

Improvement in a process, system, or procedure is seldom an accident or a normal progression of events. It is almost always the result ...