Actually, you do need to reinvent the wheel
Despite the apparent wisdom of not trying to reinvent the wheel, we've actually learned over the years that it is vital for most businesses to do exactly that.
Act
Are suggestion boxes useful?
Suggestion boxes are one of those seemingly good ideas that can easily backfire. When we are studying a process area we create a big wall map which is a visual presentation of how the process works. It makes it easy for employees to see how and where their part of the process fits into the whole.
In search of world-class performance
World-class, or best-in-class, are terms that organizations like to use to either describe themselves or to use as ...
The unlikable tendencies of a consultant
Contrarians have an innate desire to be skeptical, take opposing viewpoints, and want to do things differently. Although it can be slightly irritating for others in a social setting, it's very helpful when you are looking for opportunities in a business.
The surprising importance of SMART work assignments
We spend a lot of time during our diagnostic phase doing "day-in-the-life" studies. The purpose of these studies is not to watch an individual, it's to watch the process flow and transfer points at what we call "the point of execution."
When being more productive doesn’t make you more productive
There are a number of functions in an organization where it's tough to move the productivity meter. You might actually produce more but the base costs don't change so the true productivity measured from a financial perspective doesn't change.
What are specific management behaviors?
Management behavior is a critical issue in organizations. However, the meaning of the term itself is often a little fuzzy.
What does changing management behavior really mean?
We often say it’s tough to change management behavior. Universally, executives nod their heads in agreement. But when we all say it, what do we actually mean?
How many managers does an organization need?
Sometimes we do a study that we call the "Span of Control" analysis, where we look at how many subordinates report directly to each manager in an organization. It's a more difficult study than it sounds, because the way organizational charts are drawn is not always how they really are.
They myth of working smarter, not harder
It’s not easy for any operation to go through a performance improvement change. Consultants love to say that people should: “Work smarter, not harder,” but that can be a false dichotomy.
Two ways to sequence a findings presentation
We've written frequently about the need to look at operating problems from three vantage points: the actual process of how things get done; the management system that is used to control the process; and actual management behaviors
The secret to making internal performance improvement groups succeed (part 2)
A few more thoughts on some of the problems we have seen that can limit the effectiveness of PI groups.