Embracing Change through Campaigns and Peer Reviews

Good evening! Tomorrow is a pivotal day for many of us, with election day upon us. For those of us engaged in local elections, it’s a powerful reminder of the commitment it takes to foster change—whether within a community, a team, or even ourselves.

In this campaign journey, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside two remarkable individuals whom I admire deeply. They’ve been instrumental in keeping the process balanced and insightful, reminding me of the power of collaboration. Regardless of tomorrow’s results, the experience has been invaluable, offering lessons in leadership, community, and growth that extend far beyond the ballot box.

This campaign experience reminds me of Confucius’ teaching: “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Whatever the outcome, I’ll continue driving forward with the same purpose. In our lives and in our roles, it’s often the daily effort, not the titles, that makes the most meaningful impact.

A New Take on Peer Review: Applying Kaizen to Team Performance

On a similar note of improvement and evolution, I recently developed a peer review system for a rescue squad—a project that embodies my dedication to continuous improvement or Kaizen. This initiative had one main goal: to create an effective, realistic performance review setup tailored to the unique demands of our rescue team.

Traditional 360 reviews often feel laborious and are challenging to implement within high-stakes environments like EMS, where a quiet moment is rare. To address this, I designed a modified system featuring seven targeted questions on a simple 1-to-5 scale. This approach shifts the focus from exhaustive narrative feedback to concise, measurable data that can guide actionable improvements. Each squad member will evaluate their peers and supervisors, allowing us to track both individual and team progress over time.

Building Efficiency with Airtable

To streamline the process, we’re using Airtable to maintain an intuitive, accessible dashboard. Airtable’s linked records enable real-time data tracking, giving us a practical view of team dynamics and personal growth areas. Now, each member can get feedback in minutes, rather than sifting through qualitative feedback that might take weeks to compile and analyze.

This streamlined approach mirrors the core Less Doing principles of Optimize, Automate, and Outsource—a methodology that I’ve leaned into over the years. By cutting out unnecessary steps and automating data handling, we’re able to keep our focus on what truly matters: delivering better service and fostering a team environment where each individual can thrive.

Moving Forward with Kaizen

The idea of continuous improvement is as applicable in personal projects as it is in professional ones. This new peer review system serves as a reminder that, with the right tools and processes, we can bring measurable improvement to even the most demanding environments.

For those heading to the polls tomorrow, make your voice heard. And for all of us, remember: true progress often lies in the small, consistent steps. Have an effective evening, and let’s keep moving forward—one optimized process at a time.

Make it an effective day,

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