Did you know Kaizen (改善) means “improvement” — “kai” (改) means change/make better, and “zen” (善) means good? In business terms, it translates into “continuous improvement”. The beauty of the concept is the fact that it can be easily adapted to any line of work. No wonder it is the key to the steady improvement and innovation found at successful companies.
To boost your productivity and optimize your work-space, a simple 5 S framework will do the trick:
- Sort (Seiri)—Separate out all the things that are unnecessary and eliminate them.
- Straighten (Seiton)—Arrange the essential things in order so they can be easily accessed while maintaining a clear 180º at your desk to increase your concentration and to decrease unnecessary distractions.
- Scrub (Seiso)—Keep machines and working environments clean.
- Systematize (Seiketsu)—Make cleaning and checking a routine practice. Employ self-discipline to be organized daily.
- Standardize (Shitsuke)—Standardize the previous four steps to make the process one that never ends and that can be improved upon. Take time to reflect on how you use your work-space and make changes as needed.
This is the first step towards Kaizen implementation, remember, it’s a journey not a destination.
I think it’s a different game for the yoeugnr generation (like me). Certs pull a lot of weight when you’re either fresh out of college, or when you’ve worked in different fields and recently went back to school in IT. You easily get passed over for not having been in the field as long. Companies want innovation, yet they don’t seem to connect the dots that you have to bring in fresh talent, even though they aren’t the most experienced. I’ve noticed a lot of places either don’t know or don’t care about CompTIA only A+ for helpdesk. Networking jobs want CCNA and MCSE certs. Combing through job postings I notice a trend towards vender-specific technologies. (In a recent interview I was scrutinized over using the most recent version of the software in question.) So, A+, Network+, Security+ won’t make much of a difference if they expire in 3 years because you would have likely already used it to get a new job or bump up your salary.