Look Within (Principle)

There is a general tendency of people to focus externally first when assessing problems. For example, they might start assessing a problem with sales by focusing on competitors or economic conditions.

The problem with that is that they are looking at the things outside of their control first. It is important to look at yourself first. This look should not just be a cursory glance. It should be a true, unbiased assessment of where you are and where you need to be. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that you have far more control over yourself than you do over external factors. That control means opportunity.

The second reason is that you will always be able to find an external reason for a problem. It is easy to get distracted focusing on others and never turn the spotlight on yourself. The truth is, looking within is extremely uncomfortable, but very productive.

ABOUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TRANSFORMATION PRINCIPLES

CI Transformation Principles are the guiding rules that apply to all companies that are trying to make changes. They are similar to natural laws. Learn more about how principles guide your Lean journey in our entry on ‘Principles and Values.’