Four Steps to Creating Successful “Lean” New Year’s Resolutions

In Leadership
January 15, 2014
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With
the hustle of the holidays over we turn to the New Year. This is the time of year when people are trying to turn
over a new leaf. The beginning of the year marks a point where people make New
Year’s Resolutions. But in all honesty, do they ever really pan
out? Not really.

So
why are resolutions important? Resolutions are great opportunities to
strengthen the will power and boost self-confidence. They make us feel like we
are in control of our lives and our destiny.

Setting
the right type of New Year’s resolutions is a great way to plan the New Year.
But setting resolutions is only the first part. Keeping a resolution requires a
detailed plan —even a strategy when there’s a setback.

If
you are serious about keeping your resolutions there is something you can do
about it. The solution is to have a process that you follow when you need to
make a change or solve a problem; A process that will ensure you plan, test and
incorporate feedback before you commit to implementation.

A
popular tool for doing just this is the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle. This is often
referred to as the Deming Cycle or the Deming Wheel after its proponent, W
Edwards Deming. A closed loop system, it emphasizes four repetitive steps:

First,
start with an idea and create a PLAN to make it happen.

Then,
DO adhere to the plan, and take corrective action when necessary.

Next,
analyze and CHECK progress toward your goal and identify the root causes of
obstacles.

Finally,
take appropriate ACTion. If the outcome matches expectations, then standardize
the process to maintain the gains. If the results were disappointing, then modify
the process to eliminate the root cause of remaining problems. In either case,
REPEAT the process starting again with PLAN.

While
these steps appear in a linear sequence, when implemented the phases are best
thought of as concurrent processes that can continually be improved. This is
the key to seeing your resolution through to the end.

Keeping
your resolution isn’t easy but, following the PDCA cycle will yield better
results and sustained improvements. Taking the time to plan, check, and act
will pay dividends.

While
it’s true the New Year is an opportunity for change, what is more important is
to recognize you don’t need a special occasion to change things. In every
single second the ability for positive growth is open and available.