Continuous improvement isn’t a slogan — it’s the strategy that determines who survives the next decade. Fire Starter reveals the framework top leaders use to drive execution, accelerate results, and build teams that improve every day—without burnout, confusion, or chaos.
About The Title:
Fire Starter
Inside every person is a spark - a natural drive to grow, improve, and evolve. This fire fuels human progress and powers organizational greatness. Fire Starter is your guide to finding that spark in yourself and others - and building a culture where continuous improvement
becomes your strategic advantage.
Preview the insights, strategies, and resources inside the book
Change is the ONLY Constant.
What YOU can do now as a change leader to protect your value as Ai evolves.
Assessments and checklists you can use to evaluate your current improvement system.
How to inspire improvement at your company and in your leaders.
How to structure your improvement program, including specific job descriptions.
The ONE question you should ask before starting any new project.
The seven (and only seven) specific strategic goals that you should see in your improvement plan.
The Five Frequencies: The business review frequencies that leaders in organization must master
The #1 Most Important Job of Any Leader.
The specific language to use to get improvements adopted more consistently.
Tips for how to avoid choosing the wrong metrics that can sink you program and employee engagement.
Facts & Statistics: Includes exclusive research statistics about Idea to Project, Project to ROI.
A communication model that explains why you might be struggle to communicate with certain groups.
The #1 Most effective antidote to the "too many goals" problem.
and much, much more…
"Learning the skills, tools, and mindset of improvement is one of the best things that any employee can do for their own personal career to ensure employability and long term success."
M. Barker
Operations Leader
“Developing a system for continuous improvement is the highest and best work any leader can do”
K. Norris
CEO OF Complete XRM, inc
What Leaders of Improvement are Saying About "Fire Starter"
"This book is THE roadmap for anyone leading an improvement program."
Kyla Berry
Innovation Leader
"Creating an system for continuous improvement is one of the most important strategic priorities any leader can commit to."
Melissa B.
Director of Operations
"A master class in the essential elements of building an improvement culture."
Heather Everton
VP of Product
Teaching a Person to Fish
​​
(Content Sample...)
You have likely heard the parable “You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day, or you can teach man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” Of course, teaching someone to fish sounds like the more logical choice. But, it does take time to learn to fish. How much time should you invest in learning to fish when you are hungry now?
In most organizations, the majority of people are looking for quick fixes – they are looking to be given a fish now. You solve the problem of the day, but you haven’t taught them how to solve their next problem. And… there will be a next problem.
Creating an organization that knows how to continuously improve is similar to the longer path of teaching a man to fish. It takes more time, but it is worth it in the long run. Teaching your organization the framework and process for improvement is the ONE thing that will benefit your organization always.
​​
(Content Sample...)
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has emphasized the importance of focusing on constants in business strategy. In a 2007 interview with the Harvard Business Review, he stated: "I very frequently get the question: 'What's going to change in the next 10 years?'... I almost never get the question: 'What's not going to change in the next 10 years?' And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two, because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time."
​
One thing that is NEVER going to change about business is the need for continuous improvement. This book provides the framework, language, and templates you need to implement your own continuous improvement system and culture.
Change is the Only Constant
The language of business improvement is filled with generic terms, jargon, and acronyms that can cause confusion when used interchangeably. For any culture to communicate effectively, a common language is critical. ​
​
This book proposes a language that can be used in your company using the same same words to describe the same mental concepts related to execution and improvement.
Develop a Common Language
The Problem with most Job Descriptions
(Content Sample...)
Most job descriptions overlook one critical responsibility: the duty to continuously improve the work itself. Every role, regardless of its specifics, should explicitly include a commitment to regularly evaluating, refining, and enhancing processes. By embedding Continuous Improvement into job descriptions, organizations clearly communicate that improvement is not an occasional task it's an integral part of everyone's daily work.
Free Resources Included:
This book includes dozens of free resources, templates, worksheets that you can use to build your own improvement systems. Including:​
Project Charter Templates
Strategic Planning Templates (Balanced Scorecard, Hoshin X-matrix
Idea Funnel Template
Project Benefit Calculator
Program ROI (Return On Investment) Calculator​
Leader Standard Work Templates
Project Prioritization Matrix
Issue Log Template
Improvement Idea Collection Poster Templates
and more...
Who is this book for?
Senior Leaders responsible for strategic improvement (CEOs, heads of strategy, etc)
Continuous Improvement Career Track (VP/Directors/Managers of Continuous Improvement)
Leaders/Managers/Supervisors: Anyone responsible for executing against a plan with specific goals, and metrics.
Project Leaders: Anyone responsible for delivering a project with a specific deliverable.
Anyone interested in advancing their careers. This book provides the language and the roadmap to get your next promotion, from the shop floor to the C-suite.
About The Author
Keith Norris is has been an entrepreneur and leader for over 30 years. He has worked in the software industry for 20+ years building productivity solutions for virtually every industry, business function, and in many geographies and languages. Keith is an advocate of continuous improvement, strategic planning, and the importance of culture. He is a proud husband, father and dog lover. Most afternoons you can catch him on his bike going for a ride in the mountains near his home in Farmington, Utah.​
​
Linkedin : Keith Norris https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithnorris/
CEO @ Complete XRM, inc
www.PlanPlusOnline.com
www.StandupAlice.com
Podcast Host: KPI Fireside https://www.kpifire.com/podcast/
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/274406
Medium: https://keithcnorris.medium.com/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/keithcnorris
​
Press & Media
Keith Norris may be available for speaking engagements, podcasts, and other PR engagements where Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Strategy Execution, or Culture expertise are relevant. Contact melissa.barker@planpluosnline.com for media inquiries.