Resources

A resource guide for Improvement Practitioners, Facilitators and Leaders, to help people think clearly, overcome obstacles, and embrace change.

Web link
April 30, 2023

This curve describes the emotions that we all go through when we experience change.
This is all entirely normal and is to be expected. Some people’s curve will be deeper, some shallower.
The crucial thing is to look around you, at your employees, your co-workers and your friends, and help them when you see them slipping down the slope of resistance or when they are sat down in the valley of despair.

570.42 KB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

This set of simple icons can be used to encourage people to share their feelings. Most of us are used to using emojis in our personal communications, I believe we can also use them strategically in our work environments too. For example, if I am process mapping with a team, I will ask the team to indicate how they feel at each step of the process. I show them how to draw these very simple emojis and have them add them to each step. This helps to make it safe to talk about feelings, and helps to normalise talking about emotions. This could be incredibly important if any of the people involved are one of those 1 in 5 people who suffers from a mental health issue. If someone is in a crisis, the most important thing for their survival is to talk about it. To be ABLE to talk about it.

129.96 KB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

This image is my interpretation of what Mike Rother discovered at Toyota during his 5 years of research (Toyota Kata, Mike Rother 2010).
For more info, see this article: http://sparkimprovement.co.uk/2021/03/04/so-what-is-kata/

676.23 KB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

The Improvement Kata is a four-step model which helps us to think and act scientifically. It encourages us to take small, intentional steps towards our goal or challenge.
This image shows my interpretation of this model and is based on the work of Mike Rother in the Toyota Kata Practice Guide, 2018.
For more info, see this article: http://sparkimprovement.co.uk/2021/03/04/what-is-the-improvement-kata/

3.31 MB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

Here is a useful two-sided coaching card showing the set of structured questions used by the coach to help the learner stay in the Improvement Kata model.
These specific questions are a routine for the coach, to teach the learner to think and act scientifically, with an extra bonus of helping them achieve their challenge.
The red side of the card is used when the learner is in the ‘planning phase’ – when they are in steps 1, 2, and 3 of the Improvement Kata. The green side is used when the learner is in the ‘executing phase’ – when they are in step 4 and actively experimenting toward a target condition.

1.79 MB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

Here is a useful two-sided coaching record to help you document your Kata coaching cycles.
It includes space at the top to identify your intention for the coaching cycle, and also space at the bottom to record your ‘microlearnings’.
The reverse of the template also includes further intention and reflection questions, designed to help deepen your coaching practice.
Developed by Gemma Jones, based on the work of Mike Rother.

401.83 KB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French

The role of a Kata coach is to teach their learner to think and act scientifically. But how do you know if they are?
As the coach, what are you looking and listening for?
If you dropped in to observe a coaching cycle, what would you be looking and listening for?
This Starter Kata helps a Kata coach, 2nd coach or observer to identify 6 key elements which indicate that the learner is thinking and acting scientifically.

5.41 MB
April 30, 2023
Available in English and French