Purpose is your decision filter.
When teams are unsure, work drifts to keeping busy instead of value.
Review what went well in 2025 and what went not so well – what aligned with your purpose, what didn’t, and why?
Do more of the things that went well! . Pick a short list of goals for 2026 and share them with the team.
It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best
W. Edwards Deming
Improvement sticks when the current way is clear.
Look at what works and build on that.
For any gap against our desired performance, identify one small concern, brainstorm its cause and pick a countermeasure. Lock in wins with Standard Work and embed routine 3s to arrest any drift. Start 2026 with fewer priorities, getting finished weekly.


Standardized work is the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment
Jeffrey Liker (Toyota Way)
Teams repeat what gets recognised.
Thank the team for specific behaviours that improved customer outcomes.
Refresh the skills matrix – where did capability grow, are there any single-points-of-failure?
Agree one learning goal per person.
Make improvement part of the job, not after the job — even 10/15 minutes daily to surface issues and try countermeasures.
The only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture
Edgar Schein
Complete a reflection on 2025 What were the key customer outcomes? How did we perform? What did we do well and where were the gaps?
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Knowledge Sharing.Diana Byrne - Lean Thinking for MarketingClarity is the only consultancy in Ireland that specialises exclusively in Lean Thinkiing for Marketing. Cut waste, simplify processes, focus on value, and give marketing teams the tools to shine.
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