Intelligent Management Inc. was recently invited by the IT department of a large insurance company to teach them about the Theory of Constraints. They read a recent book called ‘The Phoenix Project’ that points to the Theory of Constraints as a solution for radically improving software development and delivery. In this post we look at how […]
The Big Picture of Management Through the Theory of Constraints (TOC)
Due to the global success of Dr. Goldratt’s first business novel ‘The Goal’ most people mistakenly think of TOC as just a technique for manufacturing. While TOC does produces fast and radical improvements in manufacturing processes, it is in fact a whole system philosophy and method. The thinking that underlies this theory stems from a worldview […]
The Problem with Business Schools Today (a Systems View)
A recent article in Forbes magazine provides yet another attack on Business Schools as they are today: “…the case studies at the heart of much business school education are cartoonishly simple and provide no grounds for scientifically respectable generalizations.” In this extract from our recent business novel, The Human Constraint, we take a look at what […]
Why Are There So Many Bad Managers? (And Why Are Project Managers the Solution?)
An alarming number of people leave their jobs because of bad managers, according to a recent report from Gallup. This is bad news not just for the unhappy employees but for the organizations who lose good resources. Management has been around for a long time, so why are people still so bad at it? Being […]
Build Your Organization On Projects to Radically Improve Performance
Competencies not power, common goal instead of function/silo results, these are the elements of an organization built on projects. We all know that what matters is the global (overall) bottom line of any organization. And yet, when we measure performance, we connect it with functional, i.e. silo results. How do we come out of this seemingly irreconcilable conflict? We […]
Why Hierarchy and Silos Hurt Project Management
Even with the best Project Management, hierarchy and silos will interfere with outcomes. In this post we look at why that is and how Project Management itself is the answer. If you Google the term ‘Project Management’ you will hundreds of millions of results. It is a multi-billion dollar business and there are official institutes that […]
Project Manager – a Systemic View
The term Project Manager is much abused. We look at a precise definition of what Project Manager means in a systemic organization, where projects make up the nervous system of the organization. An organization is essentially a network of projects with a goal An organization is essentially a network of projects with a goal. There […]
A Networks Perspective Is Changing Everything
“Adopting a networks perspective… changes how we see the world and our place in it.” In this post we look at how that applies to organizations and their design. Revolutions in thought have been part of our human development, from Copernicus’ unveiling how the sun does not revolve around the earth to Darwin’s theory of evolution, […]
From Silos to System – How to Create a Systemic Strategy Part 2
In moving away from silos towards systems, we need to understand the problems afflicting the organization in its current reality to go forward and build a robust strategy and action plan. In Part 2 of our post on building a Systemic Strategy, we illustrate the cycle of Thinking Process tools we use. Why we need […]
A Pattern for Creating a Systemic Strategy
This post comes from Europe where we have been for almost a month working on strategy for some forward looking organizations. Here is an outline of how Intelligent Management helps organizations create a systemic strategy and roll-out plan. We will give more detail in our next post. Strategy is about identifying a direction and creating […]
