I am working on a systematic treatise...discussing the real needs of a successful 21st century organization. It has become evident to me...while composing the book (The Perfect Machine), that when this concept (organizational survival) is put in the context of Maslov's hierarchy of needs, that American organizations have been pushed back to the very bottom of the hierarchy!
In order for American organizations to be successful (whether they operate in an international or limited market) they must throw off their apathy and strive again for organizational self-actualization. It is an interesting concept and I believe that it is applicable.
The "Perfect Machine" is one of 3 books intended to guide and lead organizations up the hierarchy! Organizations must understand and realize that they are at the bottom and much of their plight has been caused by their current leaders! This is not a criticism of American management (although it is likely that it will be taken that way). It is a challenge to assess the organization and themselves and move forward!
Fear, risk aversion and a focus on short-term results will drive complacency and ultimately lead to demise of those organizations. That is a fact of nature...evolution will take its toll and those leaders will not get another chance to make the difference that they had an opportunity to make! The good thing is that most of them know how to wait tables and flip burgers. In a tongue in cheek way...the leaders of today that refuse to recognize the real state of things will be serving those who do recognize and adapt to it!
Which one are you?
"If it works...don't mess with it"...won't make it in the 21st century...are you that type of leader?
"I heard you and we need to do something about it..." is the other type...
Two will walk into the marketplace...but only one will return...
Which one are you?
REALLY!
How Thriving Organizations are Addressing 21st Century Challenges
Monday, September 7, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
2 versus 3 Dimensions
Traditional Process Improvement is linear in nature and practice Advanced PI "steps out" a bit and becomes "planer!"
I have always questioned why...Extreme advocates and practitioners demand adherance to a linear methodology. I believe that it has much to do with talents and abilities.
Assessing the levels or number of dimensions that your PI people are utilizing is a great way to judge the complexity of their thinking and competence with the tools at hand.
As is true in the "real world"...Linear thinkers are "child-like" in the PI world, YES...they are child-like! I actually see it as a temporal permanence issue...If I close my eyes...it disappears! If it isn't done my way...it isn't PI! SO SAD!
As one moves in 2 directions, simultaneously, they are maturing...3 dimensional thinking (global methodologies) tend to indicate young adults...beyond that is where wisdom truly lies!
The 21st century methodology is 3 dimensional; with the ability to expand beyond. Very few activities are linear in nature and are linked (directly or indirectly) to eachother. Nothing is independent or stand alone!
Each activity feeds all those around itself...and the interesting thing is...all of the other activities are around it!
Although the activities are grouped into phases...this is only to make it a bit easier for individuals to understand...
Classic methodologies provide classic answers at classic speeds of deliveries...
The 21st century methodology is designed to meet the needs of a quantum society...
I have always questioned why...Extreme advocates and practitioners demand adherance to a linear methodology. I believe that it has much to do with talents and abilities.
Assessing the levels or number of dimensions that your PI people are utilizing is a great way to judge the complexity of their thinking and competence with the tools at hand.
As is true in the "real world"...Linear thinkers are "child-like" in the PI world, YES...they are child-like! I actually see it as a temporal permanence issue...If I close my eyes...it disappears! If it isn't done my way...it isn't PI! SO SAD!
As one moves in 2 directions, simultaneously, they are maturing...3 dimensional thinking (global methodologies) tend to indicate young adults...beyond that is where wisdom truly lies!
The 21st century methodology is 3 dimensional; with the ability to expand beyond. Very few activities are linear in nature and are linked (directly or indirectly) to eachother. Nothing is independent or stand alone!
Each activity feeds all those around itself...and the interesting thing is...all of the other activities are around it!
Although the activities are grouped into phases...this is only to make it a bit easier for individuals to understand...
Classic methodologies provide classic answers at classic speeds of deliveries...
The 21st century methodology is designed to meet the needs of a quantum society...
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The Book...and...Epiphanies...
As I am putting the finishing touches on the 21st Century PI book...I realized just how much of the new methodology had not been unveiled...over the course of its development. In every organization and project...I made the "jumps" for my practitioners, in order to save time in explaining what was transpiring! I did a lot of work in the background that they did not even realize had gone on!
Over its development, spanning 3 companies, there was "a ton" of trial and error. Most of the error was over-kill. Some of it was running from the "seat of my pants!" I never allowed experimentation compromise the time frames that each project was under. Prior to the last company, the others that tasted the methodology, received a more complete glimpse of the methodology...and they were never dissatisfied with the results!
...yet even though it was less than 50% unveiled at the last place...it was already providing significantly larger returns than the other more traditional techniques!
It is exciting to finally be putting this all down in a comprehensive document. It will definitely not be everything! Its purpose is to give the world a glimpse of what they could be doing and opening doors for those who have grasped the methodology in it totality to expand its use.
As a "tickler"
It is not linear!
Over its development, spanning 3 companies, there was "a ton" of trial and error. Most of the error was over-kill. Some of it was running from the "seat of my pants!" I never allowed experimentation compromise the time frames that each project was under. Prior to the last company, the others that tasted the methodology, received a more complete glimpse of the methodology...and they were never dissatisfied with the results!
...yet even though it was less than 50% unveiled at the last place...it was already providing significantly larger returns than the other more traditional techniques!
It is exciting to finally be putting this all down in a comprehensive document. It will definitely not be everything! Its purpose is to give the world a glimpse of what they could be doing and opening doors for those who have grasped the methodology in it totality to expand its use.
As a "tickler"
It is not linear!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
How is it different from the others?
If one thinks that the 21st Century Process Improvement methodology is a series of linked tools that provides upgraded processes at a rate of change that is acceptable to an organization, they only know a small piece of the entire strategy. The 21st Century Process Improvement methodology is comprehensive and "organization changing!" It is a culture unto itself. It is powerful and should not be left to children to "toy" with!
It is an organizational mind-set, tool-set and behavior-set. In order for it to be effective, it must permeate the very foundation of an organization and reside in the thoughts and behaviors of it management and its workers. It is the way an effective organization should think and act!
Late in the 20th century, the heros were the "nay-sayers!" The individuals that were lauded were those who could quash a "brilliant thought in the making" and apparently save the organization from disaster. Little did the organizations that elevated these individuals realize that they had put themselves on a course of mediocrity...(at best) or on the path to destruction...(at worse).
The organization's "possibility thinkers" became outcasts. These representatives of "what made America great," went into quiet seclusion. How sad!
I have worked with 4 companys that were built upon that "pioneering spirit" and each, one way or another, fell complacent, and rested on their laurels...only to wake one morning to the realization that they were in trouble!
These same 4 companys believed (sans 1) that innovation progress must be controlled and focused!
Over the course of my career I intentionally observed and listened. I dug deeply into into the history of each and made observations and drew parallels. I found a common thread! I expanded my query beyond "the 4" to others and found the same!
Companies that were successful had a specific mind-set, tool-set and behavior-set in their DNA!
The methodology of the 21st century is both a return to possibility thinking (the pioneer spirit) of the past and a leveraging of the benefits of the new millenium! It is "culture changing" and intended to permeate the very foundation of an organization. It teaches the organization the mind-sets, skill-sets and behavior-sets that make it great! It IS DNA changing!
Most of the 4 saw the 21st century methodology as just another tool-set that could be used by an isolated and specialized group of practitioners to fix problems. Those that did...have completely missed the boat!
The 21st century methodology was built to change entire organizations...it is not something to be superficially used by those who do not understand the inner workings of organizations or human behavior.
It is powerful...it is the key to organizational growth and survival!
How is it different?
It is not simply a tool (like the traditional Process Improvement methodologies)...it is a management philosophy...it is an epistomological scheme of possibility thinking...
It is an organizational mind-set, tool-set and behavior-set. In order for it to be effective, it must permeate the very foundation of an organization and reside in the thoughts and behaviors of it management and its workers. It is the way an effective organization should think and act!
Late in the 20th century, the heros were the "nay-sayers!" The individuals that were lauded were those who could quash a "brilliant thought in the making" and apparently save the organization from disaster. Little did the organizations that elevated these individuals realize that they had put themselves on a course of mediocrity...(at best) or on the path to destruction...(at worse).
The organization's "possibility thinkers" became outcasts. These representatives of "what made America great," went into quiet seclusion. How sad!
I have worked with 4 companys that were built upon that "pioneering spirit" and each, one way or another, fell complacent, and rested on their laurels...only to wake one morning to the realization that they were in trouble!
These same 4 companys believed (sans 1) that innovation progress must be controlled and focused!
Over the course of my career I intentionally observed and listened. I dug deeply into into the history of each and made observations and drew parallels. I found a common thread! I expanded my query beyond "the 4" to others and found the same!
Companies that were successful had a specific mind-set, tool-set and behavior-set in their DNA!
The methodology of the 21st century is both a return to possibility thinking (the pioneer spirit) of the past and a leveraging of the benefits of the new millenium! It is "culture changing" and intended to permeate the very foundation of an organization. It teaches the organization the mind-sets, skill-sets and behavior-sets that make it great! It IS DNA changing!
Most of the 4 saw the 21st century methodology as just another tool-set that could be used by an isolated and specialized group of practitioners to fix problems. Those that did...have completely missed the boat!
The 21st century methodology was built to change entire organizations...it is not something to be superficially used by those who do not understand the inner workings of organizations or human behavior.
It is powerful...it is the key to organizational growth and survival!
How is it different?
It is not simply a tool (like the traditional Process Improvement methodologies)...it is a management philosophy...it is an epistomological scheme of possibility thinking...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)