Borders and Xerox are two business organizations that can teach us a valuable lesson. Borders sells books through retail stores to customers. Xerox sells machines for making copies of papers. What could these two different companies have to teach us?
It is a lesson that we can learn from nature. Charles Darwin was a scientist who realized that species (i.e. animals) were evolving over time. Species learned to adapt or risk becoming extinct. I learned much about Darwin from an exceptional movie titled Creation. This movie presents the story of how he ended up writing a book on his theory of evolution. (I am aware that there has been controversy on this book because some people believe his theory in contradiction with what was written in the Bible. That is a subject for another blog.)
Xerox successfully adapted when the business world started to reduce paper consumption and copying. Borders, on the other hand, did not successfully adapt when the world started moving more toward electronic, rather than paper books. That is why Borders recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Barnes & Noble, another bookstore retail chain, has successfully adapted thus far. For example, this organization has moved into the electronic age with its book reader and online bookstore.
Adapting is not the only condition for continued life and prosperity. To prosper, an organization must successfully implement an effective plan of strategies and tactics to become ever-flourishing. A number of organizations have utilized the Transformational Strategy and Tactic tree (from TOC) to become ever-flourishing. The key to continued life and prosperity of any organization is to not only be successfully led and managed, but also to continue to adapt to the changing environment.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Planet Earth - ensuring our home is in great shape
This morning, I was enjoying my walk on the Greenbelt trail in Scottsdale, Arizona. This trail is a long one that winds through the city and forks in different directions at times. It consists of a concrete path, with large areas of grass on either side. Scottsdale (which is near Phoenix) is part of the desert. That means all this grass has been artificially implanted here, along with an underground sprinkling system to sustain it.
As I was walking, I noticed there were a number of large puddles on the concrete. I realized these puddles were not due to rain, but rather the sprinklers. I became dismayed by the fact that so much water is being wasted, not just on the path, but on the implanted grass. I admit that the grass looks appealing and feels good to walk on with bare feet. However, we need to also consider the negative ramifications of our actions. Water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
The other night I watched an amazing YouTube video titled Home. The scenery and narrative were compelling. The objective of the video was to protect our planet, to understand how much damage we humans have caused. Watching the movie reminded me of Al Gore's work on global warming. His movie, The Inconvenient Truth, was also compelling. Even great movies, such as Avatar, The Bee Movie and The Last Unicorn convey similar ideas. Will we finally start listening to these messages and take appropriate action?
After I contemplated the movies further, I remembered some thoughts that Eli Goldratt shared in his great book, The Choice, explaining his philosophy of life. He pointed out that Newton stated that nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself. Eli used lessons and methods from the hard sciences to apply to developing his approach to teach the world to think (his goal in life).
My conclusion is that we need to take actions to not only protect all life on Earth (plants, animals, ...), but more importantly to ensure that the harmony is restored and sustained in the future. Nature has much to teach us about life.
As I was walking, I noticed there were a number of large puddles on the concrete. I realized these puddles were not due to rain, but rather the sprinklers. I became dismayed by the fact that so much water is being wasted, not just on the path, but on the implanted grass. I admit that the grass looks appealing and feels good to walk on with bare feet. However, we need to also consider the negative ramifications of our actions. Water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
The other night I watched an amazing YouTube video titled Home. The scenery and narrative were compelling. The objective of the video was to protect our planet, to understand how much damage we humans have caused. Watching the movie reminded me of Al Gore's work on global warming. His movie, The Inconvenient Truth, was also compelling. Even great movies, such as Avatar, The Bee Movie and The Last Unicorn convey similar ideas. Will we finally start listening to these messages and take appropriate action?
After I contemplated the movies further, I remembered some thoughts that Eli Goldratt shared in his great book, The Choice, explaining his philosophy of life. He pointed out that Newton stated that nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself. Eli used lessons and methods from the hard sciences to apply to developing his approach to teach the world to think (his goal in life).
My conclusion is that we need to take actions to not only protect all life on Earth (plants, animals, ...), but more importantly to ensure that the harmony is restored and sustained in the future. Nature has much to teach us about life.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A chance meeting on a plane with an exceptional young man
About a week ago, I met an exceptional man on my flight from Indianapolis (on my way back to Arizona after visiting family there). His name is Josh Bleill. Josh lost both his legs as a Marine in Iraq during the war. Josh was traveling with his wife, Nikki, and their two month-old daughter, Allie. We had a good conversation on the hour-long flight. I was impressed with his attitude and approach to life.
Josh is the Colts Community Spokesman. It was interesting to talk with him given my family's passion for the Colts NFL football team. I started following the sport closely last year after I developed a real interest in American football once I understood more about strategy in the sport. It must have been difficult for the team and Peyton Manning (the quarterback) to lose in the playoffs in the last few minutes of the game.
Before the end of our flight, I decided to give Josh a gift: President Barack Obama's book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters. I thanked him for his service to our country. I didn't sign the book because it not up to me to do so. I think it would be great if our President, at the very least, signed his book.
Today, I went online to find out more about Josh. I learned that he wrote a book titled, One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage. He also can be booked to speak at events. For more information, go to www.colts.com/onestep.
Josh is the Colts Community Spokesman. It was interesting to talk with him given my family's passion for the Colts NFL football team. I started following the sport closely last year after I developed a real interest in American football once I understood more about strategy in the sport. It must have been difficult for the team and Peyton Manning (the quarterback) to lose in the playoffs in the last few minutes of the game.
Before the end of our flight, I decided to give Josh a gift: President Barack Obama's book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters. I thanked him for his service to our country. I didn't sign the book because it not up to me to do so. I think it would be great if our President, at the very least, signed his book.
Today, I went online to find out more about Josh. I learned that he wrote a book titled, One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage. He also can be booked to speak at events. For more information, go to www.colts.com/onestep.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Why don't we follow good advice?
Today, I was pondering the question of why people don’t follow the advice given to them. I believe there are several potential explanations regarding why we don’t do what is suggested, assuming the advice is good.
One reason is that the person really does not understand the advice. We need to be sure to listen carefully, ask questions, take notes or ask for visual aids to ensure we fully understand the advice being provided. The key to understanding is to know what to do, how to do it and the logic underlying the recommended actions.
Another potential reason is that we don’t fully trust the person giving us the advice. In other words, we question whether or not their expertise is valid regarding the subject the advice is being offered on. One way in which we can validate their expertise is through questioning. Before taking advice, I first make sure I fully understand what is being recommended and why. Unless the full logic makes sense to me, I won’t act on the advice. I check it using cause-and-effect logic in general and based on knowledge I have acquired in life thus far.
Another reason for not following someone’s advice relates to the difference between what was explained and what actions you took to implement it. When I learned how to write Strategy and Tactic trees, I realized how important it is to clearly explain actions in terms of what the action is for and why the action is the best choice for achieving the objective. The only way a person can follow advice well is by fully understanding the advice. For example, it is not just about knowing the rules. When you know the rules and the logic of the rules, you can understand what to do in different situations. Then, you will know how and when to break a rule effectively to still achieve the desired objective.
One reason is that the person really does not understand the advice. We need to be sure to listen carefully, ask questions, take notes or ask for visual aids to ensure we fully understand the advice being provided. The key to understanding is to know what to do, how to do it and the logic underlying the recommended actions.
Another potential reason is that we don’t fully trust the person giving us the advice. In other words, we question whether or not their expertise is valid regarding the subject the advice is being offered on. One way in which we can validate their expertise is through questioning. Before taking advice, I first make sure I fully understand what is being recommended and why. Unless the full logic makes sense to me, I won’t act on the advice. I check it using cause-and-effect logic in general and based on knowledge I have acquired in life thus far.
Another reason for not following someone’s advice relates to the difference between what was explained and what actions you took to implement it. When I learned how to write Strategy and Tactic trees, I realized how important it is to clearly explain actions in terms of what the action is for and why the action is the best choice for achieving the objective. The only way a person can follow advice well is by fully understanding the advice. For example, it is not just about knowing the rules. When you know the rules and the logic of the rules, you can understand what to do in different situations. Then, you will know how and when to break a rule effectively to still achieve the desired objective.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Are people good or bad?
Years ago, this question was posed to me in a late night discussion with Eli Goldratt. Actually, the question was about whether people should be considered good or 'not bad.' This subject came up because his son Rami and he had reached different conclusions. One of them thought people are good, while the other thought people are not bad. What do we mean by this? Well the question is really about whether in general people are good or not.
I have reached the conclusion that, in general, people are good. I think that the vast majority of people want to do good for themselves, for their loved ones, friends and for their work. That doesn’t always mean the actions they are taking will achieve a good result. It was Reuven Brenner who stated that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
It is important to make sure that people understand how to ensure that their actions do achieve the intended result (of course, assuming this is a positive change or result desired). That is what TOC provides, an effective way to think. TOC involves surfacing and challenging assumptions, evaluating decisions using cause-and-effect logic and other tools for guiding more effective thinking processes.
First, we need to start with a good objective or target – to clearly state it in writing. Then we can use the TOC Thinking Processes (TP) to figure out how to effectively reach that goal. The TP provide generic methods for figuring out what the problem is or what the pot of gold target is (what to change), what to change to and how to cause the change.
This isn’t sufficient though. What is needed is the understanding about what information needs to go into the TP analysis to ensure that the desired results are achieved. I will talk more about this so-called information in future blogs.
I have reached the conclusion that, in general, people are good. I think that the vast majority of people want to do good for themselves, for their loved ones, friends and for their work. That doesn’t always mean the actions they are taking will achieve a good result. It was Reuven Brenner who stated that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
It is important to make sure that people understand how to ensure that their actions do achieve the intended result (of course, assuming this is a positive change or result desired). That is what TOC provides, an effective way to think. TOC involves surfacing and challenging assumptions, evaluating decisions using cause-and-effect logic and other tools for guiding more effective thinking processes.
First, we need to start with a good objective or target – to clearly state it in writing. Then we can use the TOC Thinking Processes (TP) to figure out how to effectively reach that goal. The TP provide generic methods for figuring out what the problem is or what the pot of gold target is (what to change), what to change to and how to cause the change.
This isn’t sufficient though. What is needed is the understanding about what information needs to go into the TP analysis to ensure that the desired results are achieved. I will talk more about this so-called information in future blogs.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities - how not to cause harm in the world
Years ago, a member of my family was diagnosed with a medical condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Her body had developed an intolerance to various chemicals that exist in society. Her symptoms include seizures, headaches and nausea, to name a few. She needed to move into a new home, one that was prepared for people who have severe allergies. She is unable to go out in society much because the scents of perfumes and other smells can cause her to become very ill and unable to recover for days.
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed that I became aware of this type of medical condition. The plan the doctors devised to help her include eating organic foods, taking oxygen and regularly using a dry or infrared sauna to detoxify her body. That is not a comprehensive list of her treatment plan though. I just wanted to share part of her plan here.
I was surprised about a year ago to see a sign in a bathroom at a park which stated that only natural cleaning products and supplies were being utilized there because of people with multiple chemical sensitivities. These experiences, in addition to others, led me to the realization that many of the chemicals, food products and supplies we have created in this world are causing harm to people, in some cases severe damage. How much harm is it causing those of us who don’t have her medical condition? How much damage is happening in nature and to other forms of life as well?
I am not bringing this subject up to cause any kind of harm to the organizations involved in the production or distribution of the products mentioned (i.e. chemicals). I just want to further create an awareness that we can each make a choice to take actions that do not cause harm to anyone or anything in this world. I have no problem whatsoever with businesses making money, as long as the actions taken are ethical, moral and legal. I applaud any organization with a sincere goal of “Our organization is ever-flourishing; continuously and significantly increasing value (creating growth and stability) for all stakeholders – employees (including suppliers), clients and shareholders (while preventing harm to the world - society and the environment - due to our actions or lack of action)."
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed that I became aware of this type of medical condition. The plan the doctors devised to help her include eating organic foods, taking oxygen and regularly using a dry or infrared sauna to detoxify her body. That is not a comprehensive list of her treatment plan though. I just wanted to share part of her plan here.
I was surprised about a year ago to see a sign in a bathroom at a park which stated that only natural cleaning products and supplies were being utilized there because of people with multiple chemical sensitivities. These experiences, in addition to others, led me to the realization that many of the chemicals, food products and supplies we have created in this world are causing harm to people, in some cases severe damage. How much harm is it causing those of us who don’t have her medical condition? How much damage is happening in nature and to other forms of life as well?
I am not bringing this subject up to cause any kind of harm to the organizations involved in the production or distribution of the products mentioned (i.e. chemicals). I just want to further create an awareness that we can each make a choice to take actions that do not cause harm to anyone or anything in this world. I have no problem whatsoever with businesses making money, as long as the actions taken are ethical, moral and legal. I applaud any organization with a sincere goal of “Our organization is ever-flourishing; continuously and significantly increasing value (creating growth and stability) for all stakeholders – employees (including suppliers), clients and shareholders (while preventing harm to the world - society and the environment - due to our actions or lack of action)."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Problems in retail - more thoughts after my earlier blog
In an earlier blog dated February 1, 2011, I wrote about how retailers can dramatically improve their performance. I pointed out that the two biggest problems are shortages and surpluses.
I will now share more insights about other problems I have seen in retail. Recently, I was at a grocery store of a large well-known retail chain in the states. When I walked in, there was not a single cart at the entrance to the store in the large holding area for carts. I heard other people complaining about the lack of them. I noticed a short time later that an employee brought in some carts from the parking lot.
It reminded me of an experience I had years ago in which a large retailer had run out of bags to place your purchased goods in. As a result, they were using trash bags from inventory that was supposed to be sold to bag purchases. These are examples of shortages, but not of products we intend to buy, but rather to use to facilitate our shopping. It is important for retailers to effectively manage all types of inventory they sell and utilize.
Another problem I encountered at a store of a large hardware chain was the inability of four different employees to help me locate the product I was looking for. I heard some of them state that products sometimes are moved in the store without them knowing where they move to. Most likely a problem in communication from management. I can understand moving goods for various reasons, but not ensuring that the employees know where they are does not support actual customers trying to find them to purchase. Some people may even give up in frustration before finding the product they had planned to buy.
This brings me to a related complaint. I don’t always understand the logic of where goods are located within a store. It is frustrating when you think you know which department they would be in but can’t find them. I also have experienced poor signage in stores, especially large ones, which would help guide you to what you want to purchase. I would suggest making sure signs and the layout of the store and products logically encourage purchases. In additions, signs should help anyone who is new to the store know where to head to find what they are looking for.
The experiences above and others have led me to conclude that the Retailer Transformational Strategy and Tactic tree (TSTT) needs to have more strategies and tactics added to it. The Retailer TSTT currently includes many important actions necessary for achieving the goal, but not sufficient to ensure that any retailer becomes ever-flourishing. Each TSTT needs to include all the actions (with corresponding logic) necessary and sufficient for an organization to effectively achieve its goal and eliminate any unnecessary strategies and tactics from being implemented in order to ensure that the constraints of management attention and the market or other resources are best leveraged for success.
I will now share more insights about other problems I have seen in retail. Recently, I was at a grocery store of a large well-known retail chain in the states. When I walked in, there was not a single cart at the entrance to the store in the large holding area for carts. I heard other people complaining about the lack of them. I noticed a short time later that an employee brought in some carts from the parking lot.
It reminded me of an experience I had years ago in which a large retailer had run out of bags to place your purchased goods in. As a result, they were using trash bags from inventory that was supposed to be sold to bag purchases. These are examples of shortages, but not of products we intend to buy, but rather to use to facilitate our shopping. It is important for retailers to effectively manage all types of inventory they sell and utilize.
Another problem I encountered at a store of a large hardware chain was the inability of four different employees to help me locate the product I was looking for. I heard some of them state that products sometimes are moved in the store without them knowing where they move to. Most likely a problem in communication from management. I can understand moving goods for various reasons, but not ensuring that the employees know where they are does not support actual customers trying to find them to purchase. Some people may even give up in frustration before finding the product they had planned to buy.
This brings me to a related complaint. I don’t always understand the logic of where goods are located within a store. It is frustrating when you think you know which department they would be in but can’t find them. I also have experienced poor signage in stores, especially large ones, which would help guide you to what you want to purchase. I would suggest making sure signs and the layout of the store and products logically encourage purchases. In additions, signs should help anyone who is new to the store know where to head to find what they are looking for.
The experiences above and others have led me to conclude that the Retailer Transformational Strategy and Tactic tree (TSTT) needs to have more strategies and tactics added to it. The Retailer TSTT currently includes many important actions necessary for achieving the goal, but not sufficient to ensure that any retailer becomes ever-flourishing. Each TSTT needs to include all the actions (with corresponding logic) necessary and sufficient for an organization to effectively achieve its goal and eliminate any unnecessary strategies and tactics from being implemented in order to ensure that the constraints of management attention and the market or other resources are best leveraged for success.
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