Optimal Work Daily - Career, Productivity and Entrepreneurship 1818: Overdoing It: When Continuous Improvement Stifles Innovation by Laura Stack of The Productivity Pro
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Sep 22, 2025 Explore the pitfalls of relentless efficiency in the quest for continuous improvement. Discover how focusing too much on optimizing processes can stifle creativity and innovation. Learn from examples like 3M's Six Sigma experience, highlighting the importance of nurturing fresh ideas. This discussion emphasizes the need for balance—giving innovation room to thrive while also pursuing valuable improvements.
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CI And Innovation Are Different
- Continuous improvement (CI) and innovation follow different rules and goals.
- CI refines existing things while innovation seeks something different.
3M's Six Sigma Misstep
- 3M's adoption of Six Sigma nearly killed its culture of invention for a time.
- Returning to policies like 15% research time revived breakthroughs such as the Post-it note.
Avoid One-Size CI
- Don't apply one-size-fits-all continuous improvement across all departments.
- Tailor CI to stable processes and avoid forcing it where change is frequent.
