Our Methodology

We are not under any illusions about how difficult it can be for leaders in Asia’s emerging markets to implement sustainable mindset changes in their teams. 

This is especially true when many of the behavioral changes that organizations seek from their employees (for example, greater transparency, ownership, and accountability) go directly against local cultural norms such as saving face, reverence for hierarchy, and avoidance of conflict.

Sadly, most attempts to get local teams to become more engaged and productive struggle to move the needle forward. It’s the same old story. Employees resist, managers are forced to micromanage, and any performance improvements are only short-lived.
Yet another consultant or training program that fails to deliver on its promises.

A Customized Approach for Asia's Emerging Markets

That is why, over the past 10 years, we have learned to significantly modify our mindset change programs so they are more ‘culture appropriate’ for how the vast majority of employees in the emerging markets of Asia respond to change.

Through trial and error, we are now able to bypass all the major change management mistakes that most companies make when attempting to create more accountable and proactive local teams without the need for senior leaders to constantly follow up.

As a result, the organizations we have worked with have been able to experience sustainable improvements in their team’s engagement and productivity levels in just a few weeks of starting our programs without overwhelming or burning out their teams.

Our 3-step Methodology for Creating Sustainable Results

Step 1: Start at the top
Step 2: Answer the right questions in the right sequence
  • How do we prepare our leaders so they are open to change?

Melt: Create a safe environment for leaders to unlearn the limiting beliefs that are holding them back (see their blind spots and get the real root causes of underperformance.)

  • How do we ensure we do not overwhelm our leaders?

Kaizen: Meet people where they are at, Start with why, Build on existing strengths, Keep it simple (small wins), Progress not Perfection (1% better every day).

  • How do we ensure that the changes stick? 

Freeze: Focusing on ‘updating’/’rebooting’ the existing channels for communicating performance and problems is the fastest and simplest way to introduce new habits into a team.

Step 3: Make the leaders the teachers for the next level down

Our Guarantee of Impact

We do not believe that simply "copying and pasting" what we did for another organization is what is in the best interest of our clients.

We use a scientific-based approach to diagnose each organization’s unique situation to ensure that any solutions we propose are tailored to their specific priorities and objectives.

That is one of the reasons why we can guarantee our clients that they will see a measurable and sustainable improvement in their most important KPIs, if not, we will work for free until this has been achieved.

Rica Jankulovski reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

“Our leadership team has seen significant benefits from going through KLA’s programs. The changes in mindset have had a measurable effect on the way our team communicates and works together.”

Rica Jankulovski, CEO of Remote Staff
Fernando Poe reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"Without hesitation, KLA was a big help to my team – they helped us create and sustain a new work culture of openness and accountability. I feel proud that other companies now visit us to see how we have applied these best practices we learned from KLA."

Fernando Poe, GM & President of Troycor Lighting Corporation
Robert Hansen reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"KLA helped us experience a rapid culture change that enabled our local employees to take more pride and accountability for their work. The result was a huge improvement in our on-time delivery rates (from 35% to greater than 92%) and our right-first-time rates (from 67% to greater than 95%)."

Kees Bruinsma, CEO of Choose Your Shoes
Florian Gottein reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"Mike and his team facilitated numerous workshops and trainings for the European Chamber, our members, and clients. I had the chance to participate in some of these sessions and was amazed about how KLA can bring even complex topics across in a simple easy and digestible way. The takeaway from his courses really helped me in improving myself."

Florian Gottein, Executive Director of EECP
Cristina Romagnoli reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"The tailor-fit program that KLA created for us has massively changed my staff. I was so impressed to see how these new leadership principles have been embedded into them and reflected in the way they work. It has unquestionably helped them become more confident and efficient."

Cristina Romagnoli, GM of Choose Your Shoes
Albert Don Gozar photo

"Mike is an excellent collaborator, he listens and builds on the direction and objectives of the project. As a client, am very satisfied with the output and impact of the innovation blitz we’ve worked on and am looking forward to working with him again in more future-proofing endeavors."

Albert Don Gozar, Head of OD

Robert Hansen reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"The KLA team’s knowledge of lean management and sensitivity to local culture merged beautifully together to help kickstart the transformation in our operations. We saw a massive improvement in our team’s engagement and productivity levels. More importantly, we were able to sustain it after our contract with KLA expired."

Robert Hansen, Plant Manager of Eaton Corp.
Vera Lorenzo reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"I am extremely pleased with the exceptional quality of the workshops and coaching delivered by KLA. They have empowered our leaders to create a tangible positive impact within our business."

Vera Lorenzo, HR Head of Lufthansa
Jason Little reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"Workplace culture in Asia can traditionally be very hierarchical and task-oriented. So working with KLA was really effective in helping us break down these barriers and create a psychologically safe environment, where ideas are shared and people can freely ask for help."

Jason Little, CIO of Manulife
Ryan Charland reviews Kaizen Leadership Asia

"I have worked with KLA in the Philippines and Indonesia, and in both cases, I saw a significant shift in the proactiveness and ownership levels within our teams resulting in a measurable improvement in how we serve our customers."

Ryan Charland, CEO of Manulife
April Flores photo

"It was unlike any other leadership program I've ever attended. It was customized for our team and challenged you to think and express yourself while inspiring you to learn from your colleagues. It has helped me to have greater self-awareness, particularly to be more attentive to the impact I have on others."

April Flores, Communication Manager

Hamza Hamioud photo

"Honestly, working with the KLA team has changed my mindset about leadership. Before, I thought that pushing people hard was the only way to get results. Now, I know that there are smarter ways to get the best out of my team that will create more effective and sustainable results."

Hamza Hamioud, Customer Service Manager

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