Practice Kaizen- The Japanese Version of Self-Improvement!
Daniel Blanchard @dan007blanchard

Helen Keller once said that there was no such thing as security in this world. “Security doesn’t exist,” she said. Well, I know Helen Keller was an amazing woman who did some remarkable things, and if she said that security doesn’t exist, and basically that everything you have can be taken from you tomorrow, then she’s probably right. However, no one is perfect; after all, we’re all just mortals, right? And my Granddaddy once told me that everything should be questioned or at least thought about. So here I am thinking about it. Hmm… What if some kind of security does exist… What form would it be in? And where would it be? I got it! If security ever existed, then I think it might have been ironically in the post WWII Japan in their newly acquired culture of Kaizen.
After WWII, Kaizen became a way of life for the badly damaged Japan. At this point in history the Japanese were living in a war-torn country where even General MacArthur couldn’t count on being able to make a phone call when necessary. And if the General of the U.S. Army who was in charge of rebuilding Japan after WWII couldn’t count on being able to make a phone call, then obviously there was some real problems, right?
The solution to their problems came in the form of Kaizen. After WWII the Japanese knew things couldn’t go back to the way life was before the war. They were going to have to rebuild a bigger, better, and more productive, peace-loving nation. Their goal was to do this, not through a militant culture as they had done in the past, but rather through a culture of humane, constant little improvements.
This new way of life for the Japanese was going to be more than just a typical system of quality management, checks and balances, and improvement, but more of a way of actually thinking, acting, living, and even the breathing in and out of a higher quality of life for everyone. Every thing about the Japanese culture in the post WWII era would be about living a life of improving a little bit everyday in everything that they did. And you know what? It worked!
It worked so well that this tiny war-torn island of post WWII eventually took on the super power of the United States again, but this time not on the battlefield but in the automobile factories. Amazingly, within a short time after WWII, Japan has successfully secured its place as a world power to be reckoned with in the automobile industry. By the 1980’s the giant international powerhouse, the Ford Motor Company, knew they were beat, not just by Japan but also by other U.S. automakers. Thus, Ford hired Japan to come
over to the U.S. and help set up our own Kaizen system in the Ford factories. And you know what? It worked! Within a very short time Ford had regained its top position among U.S. automakers.
Imagine that… If a tiny war-torn island-country where you couldn’t even make a phone call after WWII can go from the student to the teacher of a powerhouse like the United States, and Ford can regain it’s market position in the 1980’s, then what is possible for you if you practice Kaizen everyday? Hmm… Makes you wonder about your true potential, doesn’t it?
Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Every day live a life of Kaizen! Maybe some day you too will replace the teacher! And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…
Dan is a school teacher who is a bestselling and award-winning author, speaker and educator who has appeared in over 100 television and radio shows, as well as some of the world’s top podcasts. Learn more about Dan at www.DanBlanchard.net
After WWII, Kaizen became a way of life for the badly damaged Japan. At this point in history the Japanese were living in a war-torn country where even General MacArthur couldn’t count on being able to make a phone call when necessary. And if the General of the U.S. Army who was in charge of rebuilding Japan after WWII couldn’t count on being able to make a phone call, then obviously there was some real problems, right?
The solution to their problems came in the form of Kaizen. After WWII the Japanese knew things couldn’t go back to the way life was before the war. They were going to have to rebuild a bigger, better, and more productive, peace-loving nation. Their goal was to do this, not through a militant culture as they had done in the past, but rather through a culture of humane, constant little improvements.
This new way of life for the Japanese was going to be more than just a typical system of quality management, checks and balances, and improvement, but more of a way of actually thinking, acting, living, and even the breathing in and out of a higher quality of life for everyone. Every thing about the Japanese culture in the post WWII era would be about living a life of improving a little bit everyday in everything that they did. And you know what? It worked!
It worked so well that this tiny war-torn island of post WWII eventually took on the super power of the United States again, but this time not on the battlefield but in the automobile factories. Amazingly, within a short time after WWII, Japan has successfully secured its place as a world power to be reckoned with in the automobile industry. By the 1980’s the giant international powerhouse, the Ford Motor Company, knew they were beat, not just by Japan but also by other U.S. automakers. Thus, Ford hired Japan to come
over to the U.S. and help set up our own Kaizen system in the Ford factories. And you know what? It worked! Within a very short time Ford had regained its top position among U.S. automakers.
Imagine that… If a tiny war-torn island-country where you couldn’t even make a phone call after WWII can go from the student to the teacher of a powerhouse like the United States, and Ford can regain it’s market position in the 1980’s, then what is possible for you if you practice Kaizen everyday? Hmm… Makes you wonder about your true potential, doesn’t it?
Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Every day live a life of Kaizen! Maybe some day you too will replace the teacher! And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…
Dan is a school teacher who is a bestselling and award-winning author, speaker and educator who has appeared in over 100 television and radio shows, as well as some of the world’s top podcasts. Learn more about Dan at www.DanBlanchard.net