What's the key to success in a start-up (or anything novel for that matter)?According to Steve Blank, who inspired and informed the Lean Startup deal, no matter your inspiration, aspiration, or enthusiasm, your first ideas are just best guesses. Build whatever elaborate plans around those best … [Read more...] about Don’t Think; Do: How the first step on the pathway to epiphany is admitting you just don’t know
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Remembering Normal Bodek and His Toyota Way Management Principle
Jeffrey Liker has published v.2 of The Toyota Way, a great book the first time and even better now. Worth returning to the content and the wisdom in it, at some other point.This note is just about the beauty of the title, based on reflections and reviews prompted by the passing of Normal … [Read more...] about Remembering Normal Bodek and His Toyota Way Management Principle
How to keep from going off track and out of whack: feedback – fast, frequent, and fine grained
Compressing Feedback Cycle Times to stay on Target and Maintain Internal SynchronizationSummary: How do ensure that the organizations of which we are part succeed? Fast, frequent, and often fine-grained feedback to keep our collective effort on track and to keep our individual efforts … [Read more...] about How to keep from going off track and out of whack: feedback – fast, frequent, and fine grained
Succeeding in periods of abrupt change …
In May 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy's leadership may well have been imagining the celebrations and accolades to be showered on them in the coming weeks. They had (what they must have thought was) a fantastic plan of surprise attack at Midway Island, the coup de grâce follow up to the devastation … [Read more...] about Succeeding in periods of abrupt change …
How do you get speed in technology intensive, engineering heavy situations?
Slow down (in development) to go fast (in deployment and production). Local experience gives example to this point and might provide insight to the many of use trying to develop and deliver value at speed. (Boston Globe article and white paper).The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ("MBTA") … [Read more...] about How do you get speed in technology intensive, engineering heavy situations?
Remembering Paul O’Neill
The Honorable Paul O’Neill, former CEO of Alcoa and 72 nd Secretary of the Treasury passed away last weekend. He’ll be eulogized fairly and enthusiastically for his stewardship of Alcoa, which enjoyed huge success during his tenure, and for his public outspokenness during and about … [Read more...] about Remembering Paul O’Neill