Think for a moment
Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action. @demingSoS
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The costs are in the gaps
Arguing for an end to back offices and target driven approaches, John Seddon outlines theories that could permanently alter management approaches. When I was a young man the term ‘back office’ did not exist. Today it is in common parlance; it is considered axiomatic that back offices are a feature of efficiency; Whitehall extols their…
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What is Good?
Fans of Only Fools & Horses will remember Dell-Boy’s great line to the supermarket check-out girl, “Did you sue them?” When asked who, he replied “The Charm School!” And many of us will have found ourselves in circumstances when we would have loved to use the same sarcastic wit. Good customer service is one of…
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14 keys to successful change management
Change is an inevitable part of the modern business environment. But change rarely comes easily. Organizations, and the people within them, must constantly re-invent themselves to remain competitive. As a result, today’s leaders must do more than manage the status quo – leaders must be champions in change readiness – the ability to continuously initiate…
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Competitive Advantage
The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage. – Arie De Geus
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Inspirational Leadership
The ability to really change organisations lays with the senior team. We’ve all heard of the need for a “burning platform” as an ignition for change – put who at the top will “admit to failure” if a burning platform exists. We’re immediately into a conundrum, which locks most management teams into continuing with what…
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The difference between investing in people and training
Toyota may well train their employees, but the real investment is allowing these employees to engage their brains at work – giving them time and space to make continuous improvements. And yes, they may well need a little help in learning how to do this. The “investment” here is time away from immediate productive work…
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No one will ever understand Lean Systems Thinking
There is always more to learn – and when it comes to understanding the work place from a Lean Systems Thinking perspective, new learning seems to change the learning of yesterday. May be because there are always new ways to improve, and each situation has it’s own unique set of circumstances. This is a good…
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Kotter’s 8 Steps to Transformation
You’ve decided you need to change – there’s a problem, and it’s got to stop. You now understand the true purpose of the organisation – so you know where you’re aiming and why. You’ve understood the end-to-end process – and realise it’s broken. You now have two decisions: What method do you use to design…
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Pick a hat!
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, or “turn native” when faced with a problem, a way of working, or when a decision is needed. And when working in groups, you may also sometimes wonder where others’ viewpoints are and where their suggestions (which may not always appear helpful) are coming from. Edward do…