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How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement: A Primer for Becoming the Best in the World
Comprehensive, detailed, and easy to read and understand, How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement takes you through a real-life case study of one organization’s journey to a world-class continuous improvement process. Joakim Ahlstrom―one of the world’s most respected continuous improvement experts―serves as your coach. He first helps you decide whether you want to embark on the continuous improvement journey and takes you through the entire process step by step, all the way through generating remarkable business results with his unique methods. In each chapter, Ahlstrom describes a specific stage of the transformation story and provides a clear analysis of each one to help you apply his methods in your own company. In no time you’ll grasp all the concepts you need to know. How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement covers it all, including:
128 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2014
21 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 22, 2021
I started re-reading this the minute I finished.
This really is the best and most concise instruction for developing Continuous Improvement culture and methods in the workplace.
No nonsense, ‘fictionalised’ prose makes easy for nay-sayers to understand how to bridge the gap between “where we are” and “where we want to be”.
This really is the best and most concise instruction for developing Continuous Improvement culture and methods in the workplace.
No nonsense, ‘fictionalised’ prose makes easy for nay-sayers to understand how to bridge the gap between “where we are” and “where we want to be”.
March 25, 2020
The book about success with continuous improvement is all about organizational form and less related to individual form. The writing is really banal and takes long time to navigate opposed to a bestseller.
January 25, 2021
I'll be going back and reading several parts of this book again. While improvement science can be incredibly dynamic and technical, Ahlstrom did an amazing job providing very specific strategies mixed with narrative to articulate a clear path towards continuous improvement.
September 25, 2017
A great "Getting Started" book. Short, simple, concise, with some well-explained examples for leaders.
March 21, 2018
Good starter book for dipping your toe into continuous improvement.
July 20, 2018
Easy to read, good book. Helps you think practically about instilling continuous improvement in your organization. I'd recommend it.
December 21, 2014
Don’t judge a book by its cover or its size: small can be beautiful. Here is a small book that will give you a kick in the pants and help inspire you to want to transform your company. There can also be some crossover to your personal life at the same time.
Get prepared for a high-intensity coaching session, looking at everything from problems and how they start to form right through to the implemented change programme and its monitoring. In many ways reading this book might require a leap of faith – perhaps you have to admit there is a possible problem that requires improvement or change. Not so many people normally voluntarily read a book of this kind “just for kicks”. Well some do, but they are naturally curious. Once you start reading, it can feel as if someone has slammed a door in your face, it wakes you up out of sleepwalking with a massive jolt. Suddenly, as the pages turn, you start to notice possible issues and things that might not be quite right, even in an organisation you believed worked reasonably well.
You’ve been caught. Welcome to the process of continuous improvement! The author deceptively lures you in with an easy-going, friendly writing style. You can empathise and sympathise and yet the knowledge being imparted is leaking into your mind. Maybe you will be spurred to try and implement it in your own company, pushing to bring colleagues on side.
The author gives clear examples of the continuous improvement process throughout the book and explains the rationale, the methodology and the typical results that can be achieved. There is still plenty of work remaining for you to implement but using the book you won’t feel alone, a lone voice trying to advocate change in the face of resistance. Things will go wrong, mindsets will be solid and internal barriers will be fixed as roadblocks, but the author has already thought this through and effortlessly dispenses advice and guidance. It is more than just follow X, Y and Z blindly – you will understand the why’s and wherefore’s by the time you have reached the end.
Publicity material for this book states confidently “If you’re seeking to design and launch a continuous improvement programme (this) is the first book you should turn to—and it’s the last one you’ll ever need!” Often one can take such claims with a large pinch of salt, yet on this occasion certainly they have a fair bit of merit to their claim! Maybe it won’t be the last book you will need as there is always refinement but it might be the most closely-read, digested and acted upon book on your bookshelf.
Initial scepticism to this book soon melted away. It became a gripping, engaging read and certainly set this reviewer’s brain whirring. Even if you don’t think you have a problem, what do you have to lose then by reading a book like this? After all, it will surely confirm everything is right, or, err….
How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement, written by Joakim Ahlstrom and published by McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 9780071835237, 128 pages. YYYYY
Get prepared for a high-intensity coaching session, looking at everything from problems and how they start to form right through to the implemented change programme and its monitoring. In many ways reading this book might require a leap of faith – perhaps you have to admit there is a possible problem that requires improvement or change. Not so many people normally voluntarily read a book of this kind “just for kicks”. Well some do, but they are naturally curious. Once you start reading, it can feel as if someone has slammed a door in your face, it wakes you up out of sleepwalking with a massive jolt. Suddenly, as the pages turn, you start to notice possible issues and things that might not be quite right, even in an organisation you believed worked reasonably well.
You’ve been caught. Welcome to the process of continuous improvement! The author deceptively lures you in with an easy-going, friendly writing style. You can empathise and sympathise and yet the knowledge being imparted is leaking into your mind. Maybe you will be spurred to try and implement it in your own company, pushing to bring colleagues on side.
The author gives clear examples of the continuous improvement process throughout the book and explains the rationale, the methodology and the typical results that can be achieved. There is still plenty of work remaining for you to implement but using the book you won’t feel alone, a lone voice trying to advocate change in the face of resistance. Things will go wrong, mindsets will be solid and internal barriers will be fixed as roadblocks, but the author has already thought this through and effortlessly dispenses advice and guidance. It is more than just follow X, Y and Z blindly – you will understand the why’s and wherefore’s by the time you have reached the end.
Publicity material for this book states confidently “If you’re seeking to design and launch a continuous improvement programme (this) is the first book you should turn to—and it’s the last one you’ll ever need!” Often one can take such claims with a large pinch of salt, yet on this occasion certainly they have a fair bit of merit to their claim! Maybe it won’t be the last book you will need as there is always refinement but it might be the most closely-read, digested and acted upon book on your bookshelf.
Initial scepticism to this book soon melted away. It became a gripping, engaging read and certainly set this reviewer’s brain whirring. Even if you don’t think you have a problem, what do you have to lose then by reading a book like this? After all, it will surely confirm everything is right, or, err….
How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement, written by Joakim Ahlstrom and published by McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 9780071835237, 128 pages. YYYYY
March 10, 2015
How to Succeed with Continuous Improvement is an easy-to-follow book that gives solid examples of how one company (and mentor) recommend thinking about the continuous improvement process.
While there are many tomes available, this book has several benefits over those longer, dryer versions First it is written more conversationally rather than as a process and procedure manual. Also, the author recognizes that not everyone is an expert. Companies could easily try the suggested exercises over a shorter or longer time period and modify the wording to suit their needs.
That continuous improvement requires a cultural bias, not just following rules and steps is well known, but this book does a good job recommending steps and questions to bring out ideas in your own teams. It also covers some of the common pitfalls to continuous improvement. While more depth might be needed for longer term managers, this book is a great way to get discussion started, get teams thinking about improvement (not just the process) all without overwhelming those that are newer to the CI process.
Review base on Netgalley provided copy
While there are many tomes available, this book has several benefits over those longer, dryer versions First it is written more conversationally rather than as a process and procedure manual. Also, the author recognizes that not everyone is an expert. Companies could easily try the suggested exercises over a shorter or longer time period and modify the wording to suit their needs.
That continuous improvement requires a cultural bias, not just following rules and steps is well known, but this book does a good job recommending steps and questions to bring out ideas in your own teams. It also covers some of the common pitfalls to continuous improvement. While more depth might be needed for longer term managers, this book is a great way to get discussion started, get teams thinking about improvement (not just the process) all without overwhelming those that are newer to the CI process.
Review base on Netgalley provided copy
February 16, 2015
If you run a business, specifically one that involves more than just your family, this book has value. What it is not, is a self-improvement book for those of us, who are looking for a book based on personal improvement that is for the everyday person.
But even then, with the exception of one concept, this book only repeats the techniques of what others have been already covering over the last few years, truly great coaches like Tony Robbins, or lifestyle experts like Tim Ferris. What both are capable off, unlike the Author of this book, is to speak to everyone, no matter if they own their own companies, are thinking about creating their own business or are working for a cooperation. That relatability is lacking in this book.
That said, this book is written concise and to the point. It has its value in the space of self-improvement and coaching, it just isn’t for a more general audience.
(Disclaimer: This book has been given to me by the Publisher, via NetGalley, in return for an honest review)
But even then, with the exception of one concept, this book only repeats the techniques of what others have been already covering over the last few years, truly great coaches like Tony Robbins, or lifestyle experts like Tim Ferris. What both are capable off, unlike the Author of this book, is to speak to everyone, no matter if they own their own companies, are thinking about creating their own business or are working for a cooperation. That relatability is lacking in this book.
That said, this book is written concise and to the point. It has its value in the space of self-improvement and coaching, it just isn’t for a more general audience.
(Disclaimer: This book has been given to me by the Publisher, via NetGalley, in return for an honest review)
February 8, 2017
Excellent, short read, containing simple, common sense, ideas for introducing continuous improvement into your organization by changing your culture. I recommend it for those trying to create a culture of on-going continuous improvement.
January 7, 2015
Very short, but this is a good thing - it efficiently articulates the essence of how to conceive of continuous improvement in order to implement it.
I particularly liked how to view improvement as solving problems. And even more useful, to conceptualise problems as why questions (why are our customers not renewing? Why does it take so long to do X?).
I particularly liked how to view improvement as solving problems. And even more useful, to conceptualise problems as why questions (why are our customers not renewing? Why does it take so long to do X?).
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December 4, 2016i need this book
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews