Category Archives: Systems thinking

Fooled by Randomness

Posted on October 30, 2007 by John Hunter

This is a nice article discussing how people are often fooled by thinking there must be special causes for patterns in random data. I still remember my father showing my classes these lessons when I was in grade school. Playing … Continue reading →

Posted in Data, Management, Statistics, Systems thinking | 3 Comments

Enhancing Passion of Employees

Posted on October 13, 2007 by John Hunter

What can we do to enhance passion amongst employees? Some think you need to pay people more. If tomorrow you doubled everyone’s pay they are excited for a short time a few months later everything is the same on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | 4 Comments

Bring Me Solutions Not Problems

Posted on October 1, 2007 by John Hunter

My comments on: No Problem Without a Solution [I removed the broken link] I understand that most managers feel that their employees should not bring them problems. Instead, expressed in the most positive way, employees should fix things or bring … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

CEO’s Given Lottery Sized Payouts

Posted on September 27, 2007 by John Hunter

Comment on: Fun With Statistics, CEO Life Edition In the US, CEO’s tend to be fairly interchangeable these days and it is rare for their tenure to exceed five years. There are some notable exceptions such as chain-saw Al and … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Performance Appraisal, Systems thinking | 2 Comments

Seven Fatal Flaws of Performance Measurement

Posted on September 25, 2007 by John Hunter

The Seven Fatal Flaws of Performance Measurement by Joseph F. Castellano, Saul Young, and Harper A. Roehm Performance measurement systems are used to establish specific goals, align employee behavior, and increase accountability. Organizations often use these systems to set targets … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Performance Appraisal, Statistics, Systems thinking | Comments Off on Seven Fatal Flaws of Performance Measurement

Employees That Telecommute are the Most Loyal

Posted on September 18, 2007 by John Hunter

In Loyal Employees Stay Home, quotes from the Wall Street Journal (behind a iron curtain still in this day and age – oh well): “When companies allow employees to work remotely or from home, they are explicitly communicating to them … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, IT, Management, Respect, Systems thinking | 3 Comments

Keeping Older Workers

Posted on September 16, 2007 by John Hunter

We’re Not Finnished With You Yet Abloy and many other Finnish companies are suddenly treating older employees like a precious resource. Instead of nudging them into early retirement, they’re coaxing gray-hairs to work longer with better health benefits, extra weeks … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | 2 Comments

Deming on being Destroyed by Best Efforts

Posted on September 13, 2007 by John Hunter

Best efforts are essential. Unfortunately, best efforts, people charging this way and that way without guidance of principles, can do a lot of damage. Think of the chaos that would come if everyone did his best, not knowing what to … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Systems thinking | 5 Comments

The Siren Song of Multitasking

Posted on September 5, 2007 by John Hunter

The Siren Song of Multitasking Yet multiple technologies often translate into multiple interruptions: On average, workers are interrupted once every ten and a half minutes, according to Gloria Mark, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, who studied the … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | 5 Comments

Tesco in the USA

Posted on August 22, 2007 by John Hunter

Tesco is opening Fresh and Easy stores in the USA: starting with Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world and well known for using lean management methods. I added Tesco … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Customer focus, Lean thinking, Management, Respect, Systems thinking | 1 Comment