Monthly Archives: July 2010

Delighting Customers

If you have customers that see you as adequate you will keep customers based on inertia. But you have several big problems awaiting you. Those trying to win your customers business only have to overcome inertia – which can be … Continue reading

Posted in Competition, Customer focus, Deming, Management, Process improvement, quote | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Actionable Metrics

Metrics are valuable when they are actionable. Think about what will be done if certain results are shown by the data. If you can’t think of actions you would take, it may be that metric is not worth tracking. Metrics … Continue reading

Posted in Data, Deming, Management, Statistics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Management Improvement Carnival #104

Wally Bock hosts his first carnival for us, Management Improvement Carnival #104, on the Three Star Leadership Blog. He has long posted his Leadership Reading to Start Your Week and Midweek Look at the Independent Business Blogs that also highlight … Continue reading

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged | Comments Off on Management Improvement Carnival #104

The Problem is Likely Not the Person Pointing Out The Problem

I believe the problem is likely not the person pointing out the problem. Now granted I have often been that person. Part of what I have been tasked with doing in various jobs is finding ways to improve the performance … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Management, Process improvement, Psychology, quote, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Building on Successful Improvement

Do ‘Quick Wins’ Hurt Lean Initiatives? This becomes very difficult, since in many organizations these executives have the strategic attention span equivalent to the life-cycle of a mayfly. When the ‘quick win’ approach is taken, the savings / impact becomes … Continue reading

Posted in Management, Psychology, quote, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Management Improvement Carnival #103

Jamie Flinchbaugh hosts the Management Improvement Carnival #103 on his blog, highlights include: How do you change a culture? – Obviously a big question and one I spend considerable time on, but LeanRI.org throws in on a challenging and important … Continue reading

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged | Comments Off on Management Improvement Carnival #103

Involve IT Staff in Business Process Improvement

I started out basically working on management improvement from the start of my career. My makeup (I am never satisfied and figure things should always be better) along with a few traits, experiences and probably even genes made this a … Continue reading

Posted in Career, Deming, IT, Management, Popular, Process improvement, quote, Software Development, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Improving the Recruitment Process

I have thought the recruiting process for hiring staff was very inefficient. I still think it is very inefficient. Not only do companies waste time or resources we also do not do a good job systemically placing the right people … Continue reading

Posted in Career, Management | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Management Improvement Carnival #102

12 Things Good Bosses Believe by Robert I. Sutton – “My success – and that of my people – depends largely on being the master of obvious and mundane things, not on magical, obscure, or breakthrough ideas or methods.” [I … Continue reading

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged | 3 Comments