Category Archives: Systems thinking

Systemic Health Care Failure: Small Business Coverage

Posted on December 27, 2009 by John Hunter

There are many significant problems with the medical care system in the USA. It makes sense that a system that costs over 50% more than other countries and has no better outcomes, from all that extra spending, suffers from many … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Health care, Innovation, Systems thinking | Tagged Economics, health care system | 2 Comments

The CEO is Only One Person

Posted on December 14, 2009 by John Hunter

The CEO is important but they are only one person. Rarely do they determine the success of a company. The instances where they seem to are so rare as to almost seem like just random luck. I think they can … Continue reading →

Posted in Management, Systems thinking | Tagged executive pay, Investing, leadership, management, Systems thinking | 6 Comments

Habits

Posted on December 10, 2009 by John Hunter

Some things about what people do also have their roots in psychology. Deming had an understanding of psychology as one of 4 areas in his system of management. A huge factor in what people do is based on what they … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Process improvement, Psychology, quote, Systems thinking | Tagged curiouscat, Deming, extrinsic motivation, John Hunter, managing people, motivation, Psychology, quote | 7 Comments

Making Better Decisions

Posted on November 24, 2009 by John Hunter

I think the most important thing you can do to make better decisions is to learn from the decisions you make. It sounds easy, but very few people do so effectively. The best strategy to learn from decisions is to: … Continue reading →

Posted in Management, Process improvement, quote, Systems thinking | Tagged Career, continual improvement, Data, John Hunter, learning, management, Process improvement, Quality tools, quote, Systems thinking, tips | 4 Comments

Lean Inventories Do Not Excuse Failing to Deliver

Posted on November 20, 2009 by John Hunter

Low inventory levels do not mean failing to have products available for customers. Now, if you manufacturing in huge batches and can’t respond to customer feedback then it might mean failure to predict customer demand does mean failure to deliver. … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Lean thinking, Management, Manufacturing, Process improvement, Systems thinking | Tagged Customer focus, customer service, Economics, lean management, lean manufacturing, Lean thinking, Process improvement | 2 Comments

Learn Lean by Doing Lean

Posted on November 13, 2009 by John Hunter

In response to: Developing Your Lean Education Plan [the broken link was removed] If you actually let the lean leaders practice lean management you are probably doing more to help them learn than anything else. Reading is great, but 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Career, Education, Lean thinking, Management, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged Career, coaching, curiouscat, Education, John Hunter, Lean thinking, management, managing people, respect for people, Systems thinking, training | 6 Comments

Russell L. Ackoff: 1919 -2009

Posted on October 31, 2009 by John Hunter

We lost another of the absolutely best minds in management history, this week. Somehow, many managers, do not know of Russell Ackoff’s ideas. I find that amazing. Dr. Ackoff is one of two management thinkers that any manager, that is … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Innovation, Management, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged Ackoff, Deming, management, respect for people, Systems thinking | 4 Comments

Worker Retention at Zappos

Posted on October 29, 2009 by John Hunter

Tony Hsieh, chief executive of Zappos, spoke at a recent y-combinator event (two great organizations we have mentioned before). Facebook and Zappos’s Different Views on Worker Retention “We actually want our employees stay with the company for a long time, … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Deming, Fun, Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged aim, Creativity, Deming, long term thinking, management, managing people, respect for people | 2 Comments

Managing to Test Result Instead of Customer Value

Posted on October 19, 2009 by John Hunter

Computer hardware and software creators use benchmarks as one tool to compare the performance of alternative products. At times this can be very useful. You can learn what software of hardware is faster and that may be a very valuable … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, IT, Management, Software Development, Systems thinking | Tagged Creativity, Data, programming, Software Development, Systems thinking, targets | 7 Comments

How ‘Buy American’ Can Hurt U.S. Firms

Posted on September 16, 2009 by John Hunter

How ‘Buy American’ Can Hurt U.S. Firms Canadian communities angered by perceived American chauvinism have started a Buy Canadian campaign to exclude U.S. bidders from municipal contracts. “If that sticks, well, there goes 25% of my business,” said Mr. Pokorsky. … Continue reading →

Posted in Competition, Economics, Lean thinking, Systems thinking | Tagged Economics, Manufacturing, Public Sector, Systems thinking, Wisconsin | 2 Comments