Make Time for Continuous Improvement

A KaiNexus Webinar with Mark Graban and Dr. Greg Jacobson

Organizations often say the same thing:

"We want to improve... but we do not have time."

In this engaging and practical webinar, Mark Graban and Dr. Greg Jacobson challenge that assumption and explore a different perspective:

What if improvement is not something you fit in -- but something you build into how work gets done?

Drawing on Lean principles, behavioral science, and real-world examples from healthcare and other industries, this session explores how leaders and teams can break the cycle of busyness and create space for continuous improvement.

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Why This Topic Matters

Many teams feel stuck in a frustrating loop:

• We are too busy to improve
• Because we do not improve, waste and frustration increase
• That makes us even busier

This webinar examines how to break that cycle -- and how leaders can help turn improvement into a habit instead of a special project.

You will hear practical examples from organizations that have successfully built improvement into daily work, along with insights from research on habit formation and motivation.

What You Will Learn

By watching this session, you will:

• Understand why "we do not have time" is often a priority decision rather than a capacity problem
• Learn how leaders can create time for improvement without large time investments
• See how daily huddles and structured routines reinforce improvement habits
• Discover how small, rapid improvements create momentum
• Explore how visibility and accountability help sustain progress
• Recognize how KaiNexus supports leaders in scaling continuous improvement efforts

Key Themes Covered

1. Improvement Is an Investment, Not an Expense

Improvement work is often viewed as extra work. In reality, it is an investment that reduces waste, frustration, and inefficiencies over time.

Small improvements free up time. That time can then be reinvested into more improvement -- creating a virtuous cycle.

2. Breaking the Busyness Trap

Teams often feel trapped by daily demands. The session explores:

• How to identify and reduce non-value-added work
• Why waiting for "extra time" does not work
• How leaders can model making time for improvement

3. Creating Improvement Habits

Using the "habit loop" framework (cue, routine, reward), Mark and Greg explain how:

• Regular huddles can serve as cues
• Simple improvement routines reduce friction
• Visible results provide intrinsic rewards

When improvement becomes habitual, it no longer feels like an extra burden.

4. Leadership Behaviors That Matter

Continuous improvement requires more than tools.

Leaders must:

• Paint a clear vision of why improvement matters
• Ask for ideas instead of waiting for them
• Protect time for improvement
• Provide coaching rather than just directives
• Make results visible across the organization

How KaiNexus Helps

KaiNexus supports organizations in:

• Capturing improvement opportunities
• Tracking progress and outcomes
• Providing visibility across departments
• Reinforcing accountability at every leadership level
• Demonstrating measurable ROI

When improvement work is visible and structured, it becomes easier to protect time for it.

Who Should Watch

This webinar is ideal for:

• Healthcare leaders
• Continuous improvement professionals
• Operational excellence teams
• Frontline managers
• Executives seeking scalable engagement strategies

Whether you are just beginning your Lean journey or looking to strengthen an existing culture, this session offers practical guidance you can apply immediately.

Watch the Webinar

If your organization struggles with finding time for improvement, this webinar offers a clear and actionable path forward.

The organizations that thrive in the long term are not the ones who say they are too busy.

They are the ones who choose to make time.

Watch now to learn how.

About the Presenters

Mark Graban is Senior Advisor at KaiNexus and a recognized thought leader in Lean management and continuous improvement. He is the author of Lean Hospitals, Healthcare Kaizen, and The Mistakes That Make Us. Mark has worked with healthcare systems, manufacturers, and service organizations to build cultures of improvement grounded in respect for people, scientific problem solving, and learning from mistakes. He is also host of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast.

Dr. Greg Jacobson is Co-Founder and CEO of KaiNexus and a practicing emergency physician. After being introduced to Kaizen principles early in his medical career, Greg became passionate about engaging frontline staff in meaningful improvement work. He founded KaiNexus to help organizations scale continuous improvement, increase visibility, and make improvement part of daily work rather than an occasional initiative.