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The Problem with Cause and Effect

20 December, 2015 by James Lawther 8 Comments

Northern Rock

We think in straight lines Cause and effect. If I do this, then that will happen.  If I make this change then I will get that outcome. Unfortunately the world isn’t like that.  An initiative might work for a while, but then it will stop or backfire. Unintended consequences and side effects bedevil us.  Performance will plateau or […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: problem solving, systems thinking, test and learn

Busy Doing Nothing

13 December, 2015 by James Lawther 4 Comments

I am a busy man An executive with a burgeoning inbox — or so I tell my wife. This week I… Wrote presentations Prepared for audits Attend stakeholder briefings Drafted investment proposals Wrote appraisals Reviewed budgets Socialised information Reorganised departments Hired new staff Brainstormed solutions Talked about customers Discussed automation strategies Visited suppliers Defined new […]

Filed Under: Blog, Process Improvement Tagged With: bureaucracy, human nature, management style, purpose, video, wasted intellect

Selling an Idea

3 December, 2015 by James Lawther 3 Comments

Entrancing Presentation

Presentation skills I guess that you — like me — spend lots of time selling ideas.  Trying to get funding and resources for the projects and improvements that you want to do. My standard approach is to bang a load of information into PowerPoint and hope for the best.  I want to show the man […]

Filed Under: Blog, Tools & Techniques, Wild Cards Tagged With: communication, presentations

What Gets Rewarded Gets Done

26 November, 2015 by Bernie Smith 1 Comment

The walk I have always thought sheep dogs were intelligent. I didn’t realise, until recently, that they are smarter than me. I was walking with Kate — a friend of mine. Her sheep dog, a Border Collie called Harvey, was with us. After 10 miles or so Harvey seemed to be flagging. He stopped at […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: employee performance measures, measurement, targets

Marshmallows and the Cure for Everything

22 November, 2015 by James Lawther 6 Comments

Test and learn Now I’m married with daughters I don’t go out that often. Nightclubs and cinemas are a thing of the past (unless it is to watch Frozen… 4 times and counting). An evening in front of the TV is a treat. I sat down last night to watch a re-run of House.  It […]

Filed Under: Blog, Process Improvement Tagged With: marshmallow challenge, plan do check act, problem solving, TED talks, test and learn, video

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