By Ntombi Mazibuko, Head of SHERQ: SPM
Too often, progress is seen through the lens of dramatic overhauls — a sweeping new policy, a high-profile technology rollout, or a bold strategic pivot. But as someone who’s been a part of SPM’s journey from within the leadership team, I’ve seen a different reality. One where meaningful transformation starts with something much smaller: the steady accumulation of everyday improvements.
At SPM, we’ve come to understand that lasting change is rarely born from a single, grand moment. More often, it’s forged through deliberate, consistent efforts made by individuals and teams asking simple questions: How can we make this better? What’s one thing we can do differently today that might make tomorrow smoother?
This philosophy — that small changes can have a significant impact — has become a core principle in how we operate. My role within the leadership team puts me in a unique position to work closely with teams across the business — witnessing first-hand how this mindset translates into real results.
Why Small Changes Matter
Continuous improvement isn’t a project that kicks off and ends with a fanfare. It’s a culture. A mindset. It’s about weaving improvement into the fabric of how we work, rather than treating it as an occasional intervention. At SPM, we’ve learned that real improvement is embedded in daily habits and processes — from how we manage time on site, to how we communicate between shifts, to how quickly we act on customer feedback.
What’s powerful about this approach is that it’s accessible. It doesn’t require a major investment or multiple layers of approval. It simply requires awareness, ownership, and follow-through.
A Global Movement Toward Continuous Improvement
This mindset isn’t unique to SPM. Around the world, industry leaders are placing greater emphasis on continuous improvement not just as a performance driver, but as a cultural foundation. According to McKinsey & Company, companies that adopt daily improvement practices consistently outperform their peers financially and report stronger employee engagement.
One of the most widely known examples is Toyota’s Kaizen philosophy. Toyota’s success was not the result of a singular technological innovation but rather decades of small refinements. Each improvement, no matter how minor, was part of a compounding effect. That’s the essence of continuous improvement — small wins that, over time, build a competitive advantage.
Bain & Company has also highlighted how learning-oriented cultures — ones that embrace reflection, feedback, and iteration — show greater resilience during uncertainty and disruption. These are organisations that don’t just respond to change — they’re designed to thrive in it.
The SPM Way: Applying the Philosophy in Practice
At SPM, continuous improvement is not a theoretical ideal — it’s something we bring to life every day. And one of the most important enablers of that is our inclusive approach to problem-solving. Improvement isn’t reserved for senior management or office-based employees. It starts with the people who do the work.
We’ve made it a point to empower all employees, regardless of title or function, to identify opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s a safety officer noticing redundant steps in a checklist or a site supervisor tweaking a works instruction for better workflow, everyone is encouraged to raise ideas.
A clear example of this in action was the introduction of project handover meetings. These sessions bring together our teams, the project manager, and the SHEQ officer to align on project requirements — from materials and equipment to safety protocols. By reviewing the safety file together and ensuring teams sign off in acknowledgement before work begins, we create clarity and accountability from the outset. These small adjustments in planning and team engagement led to real improvements: smoother project execution, higher customer satisfaction, and a noticeable boost in team morale.
Another instance involved how we handle service feedback. We streamlined the feedback-to-action loop, enabling faster resolution times and more responsive customer interactions. Again, no large-scale overhaul — just practical changes that made a big difference.
People First: Empowering Everyday Innovators
From my perspective, one of the most important roles a leader can play in this environment is that of enabler. Our people are our greatest source of insight and innovation. But to tap into that, they must feel heard, valued, and safe to experiment.
Psychological safety — the confidence that one can speak up without fear of embarrassment or punishment — is key. When teams know their input matters, they’re more likely to contribute ideas, flag issues early, and take ownership of solutions. We’ve made psychological safety a pillar of how we lead.
This approach has shifted the dynamic on our sites and in our departments. Employees are no longer waiting to be told what to improve — they’re proactively identifying ways to be better, faster, and more effective.
Try, Learn, Improve: The Feedback Loop in Action
One of the most effective frameworks we’ve adopted is the experiment-learn-adapt cycle. This approach, popularised by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup, encourages organisations to try small pilots, gather feedback, and refine before scaling. While it originated in tech, we’ve found it just as powerful in industrial environments.
We recently tested a new asset tracking system at a single site before deploying it more broadly. That pilot allowed us to iron out usability issues, anticipate user training needs, and improve reporting accuracy. Because we started small, we gained confidence and avoided costly mistakes.
This type of agile thinking allows us to be both bold and measured. We take calculated risks, learn quickly, and improve steadily.
Keeping Improvement Front and Centre
One of the biggest challenges with continuous improvement is sustaining momentum. It’s easy for initiatives to lose visibility and priority as other demands take over. That’s why we’ve made visibility and storytelling central to how we sustain change.
We set clear, measurable goals for our teams and link improvement efforts to team KPIs. That shared accountability keeps everyone aligned and ensures progress stays top of mind.
We also celebrate our wins, especially the small ones. When a revised maintenance routine cuts downtime or a new form improves compliance accuracy, we share those stories. They serve as reminders that our efforts matter, and they inspire others to follow suit. These narratives help translate abstract goals into relatable, practical actions.
Progress Over Perfection: Staying Grounded and Future-Ready
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in this journey is that you don’t have to chase perfection to be world-class. In fact, the relentless pursuit of perfection can be counterproductive. What matters is progress — steady, purposeful progress.
We focus on mastering our fundamentals: effective communication, disciplined operations, and consistent follow-through. Then we improve on them, bit by bit. This approach allows us to remain agile and grounded at the same time.
As market dynamics shift, customer expectations rise, and technology evolves, our strength lies not in our ability to predict every change, but in our capacity to respond and adapt. That’s the true power of a culture built on continuous improvement.
Leadership Beyond Command and Control
Finally, creating a culture of continuous improvement requires a shift in how we lead. Traditional top-down leadership — where the leader has all the answers — simply doesn’t work in this context.
Instead, we need leaders who are curious, humble, and collaborative. Leaders who create space for experimentation, who embrace learning (even from failure), and who ask, rather than dictate. As someone who works closely with our teams, I’ve seen firsthand how this kind of leadership unlocks potential and accelerates change.
Leadership is less about directing action and more about removing friction. It’s about enabling others to do their best work. That’s the kind of leadership we’re striving for at SPM.
In Closing: A Culture Built for the Long Haul
Continuous improvement may not always be exciting. It may not generate headlines or deliver instant gratification. But its power lies in its consistency. Its ability to transform not just what we do, but how we think.
At SPM, we’re building a culture where improvement isn’t something we do occasionally — it’s how we do business. Where every employee, at every level, has a role to play in making things better. Where leadership means enabling others and celebrating progress.
Small changes. Big impact. It’s more than a slogan. It’s a commitment we’ve made — to each other, to our customers, and to our future.
And as we continue on this path, we know the journey isn’t linear. But it is ours — deliberate, purposeful, and full of potential.
