How to start making change in your relationship today

These Show Notes are a ChatGPT summary of the episode transcript (with brief additional editing)

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In this episode of the Living the Team Life with Kim & Rog, the hosts delve into the concept of Kaizen – a Japanese philosophy that emphasizes small, continuous changes as a path to improvement.

Rog draws on his career experiences, highlighting how the implementation of Kaizen in business improvement projects led to quick, bite-sized wins that gradually accumulated into significant victories. The hosts discuss the challenges businesses face in implementing changes while operating at full capacity, a struggle that resonates with individuals in their personal lives as well.

Rog provides real-world examples of Kaizen in action, citing Toyota’s continuous improvement culture. Toyota is known for empowering its employees to signal errors, no matter how small, to prevent them from escalating into more significant issues. By emphasizing collaboration and open communication, Toyota has been able to consistently improve its processes and products.

Kim then draws parallels between Toyota’s application of Kaizen and relationships. She illustrates that in relationships, individuals should be encouraged to voice minor issues or concerns before they snowball into larger conflicts. She argues that this continuous feedback loop within a relationship, akin to how Toyota operates, can foster better communication and, consequently, strengthen the bond between partners.

Kim endorses Kaizen’s philosophy of small, ongoing changes for improving relationships, can be a gamechanger in situations where couples feel overwhelmed by the size of the changes they need to make. The conversation hits on the common challenges couples face when wanting to make a change but feeling stuck due to a lack of resources or the perceived enormity of the task.

Rog further emphasizes the benefits of Kaizen in relationships by discussing the concept of “small wins”. He explains that these minor victories, accumulated over time, form the foundation for significant, lasting change. They boost confidence and motivation, thereby making the process of change less intimidating. In relationships, these small wins might be as simple as resolving to listen more attentively, expressing appreciation more frequently, or making time for shared hobbies.

When facing problems in relationships, individuals often perceive them as too vast to fix. Kim emphasizes the potential of the Kaizen approach to overcome this, offering a sense of direction and a mechanism to create change. The idea is to not scramble for quick fixes but to commit to ongoing, minor improvements that collectively lead to significant change.

They emphasize the importance of creating a culture of continuous improvement, empowering individuals to voice concerns, and addressing minor issues before they escalate.

Some examples of how to apply Kaizen in relationships include setting small goals, such as spending five extra minutes a day talking with your partner or doing one kind gesture each day, and tracking progress along the way. This not only promotes consistent communication and positivity within the relationship, but also allows for reflection on growth and improvement.