A recent comment on LinkedIn asks what Dr. W. Edwards Deming meant when he said, “We are here to make another world.” As we start a new year, it’s highly appropriate time to look at that phrase. Dr. Deming was a physicist and statistician whose work founded the Quality movement. He is perhaps best known […]
Out of Control: Why We Must Transform Organizations Now
Our world has changed. Especially since the global financial crisis. Our reality is complex, that means it’s dense with interconnections and interdependencies that we cannot ignore. We can’t just think about what goes on inside our organizations (complicated enough) but how they interact with and impact stakeholders and entire supply chains. It’s hardly surprising so many managers feel […]
Creating, Operating and Getting Results with an Enterprise as a Sustainable System
In this post we look at how we can create a sustainable system, how we can operate as a sustainable system, and the results this will help us achieve. What would happen if everyone came to work and just did their own thing? Even with the best of intentions, this would not be a great […]
Transformation Towards Systemic Optimization
What is transformation of an enterprise, why do we need it and how can we achieve it? Dr. Domenico Lepore, Founder of Intelligent Management Inc. outlines how we can use our brains to make systemic change for a sustainable future. From exile to freedom: splitting the Red Sea Stupidity, as Dr. Deming has reminded us, is […]
Leveraging the Path of Least Resistance for Organizations
Which path is the easiest way to get from A to B? The path of least resistance, one that provides the least resistance to forward motion among a set of alternative paths. Look at the way raindrops make their way down a window, for instance. The path of least resistance is a familiar concept from […]
Truly Transformational – The Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Unity of Purpose
Once you have understood and experienced the transformational power of the Theory of Constraints there is no going back. It changes your life in ways that you might not have imagined. This is true for individuals as much as it is for companies and organizations. Where does that shift come from? This week marks the […]
How to Transform an Organization’s Potential into Reality
From exile to freedom: splitting the Red Sea Stupidity, as Dr. Deming has reminded us, is a choice. We are not talking about a low IQ but the refusal to use the mental capacity we have. We do not lack the knowledge needed to build and operate a truly systemic company guided by the idea […]
Does Every Organization Need a Vision?
Vision is a crucial element for any organization. The problem is, how do you pin it down and how to you embed it into operations? We had a lot of fun in Italy making a short video about this subject with our good friends Hyphen-Italia, a leader in supporting top brands with Digitalization. In this […]
We Don’t Need Management Techniques – We Need Knowledge
The internet abounds with techniques and tips, giving the illusion that in a short amount of time it’s possible to master the answers to our problems. That may be true for, say, getting the most from a laptop. However, if we rely on ‘management techniques’ and ‘management by tips’ for running a business or launching a startup, […]
Purpose and Brand: What’s the Difference?
We’re just back from 5 weeks in Europe and plenty of new input from clients and conversations with universities. We’ll be reporting back on all that. One of the themes that comes up regularly in our work is that of purpose. This is because we generally start a relationship with a new client by […]