Root Cause is a way of thinking that allows us to continually improve complex systems with both manageable and emergent properties. It implies an ordered sequence of events. However, having worked many root cause analyses as a quality engineer, within complex and even simple systems the causal chain is not linear, direct and easy to… Read More
Our Business is Growth
I went to lunch with a couple of colleagues that I consider people who exemplify the principles of this blog. They manage their business. They not only have an idea of what they want out of life but they follow their own purpose. Their actions serve both the greater good of the systems they integrate… Read More
Creating is Primary for the Business of You
I picked up an interesting book at the library this weekend, The Necessary Revolution, How individuals and Organizations are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World by Peter Senge. It has a couple of paragraphs that precisely align with what the business of you is all about on page 50. Problem solving is about making what… Read More
Managing Expectations Yields Opportunity
There are many organizations, especially in the aerospace industry, that struggle with perpetual reaction mode. Unfortunately it starts with the contract award. When we plan for being proactive including adequate margin, we are told by our customers our schedule or cost does not meet their expectations. What do we do? We capitulate. We cut out… Read More
Impact of Our Decisions
The primary driving energy of our mental weather pattern is our conscious decisions. Decisions differ from choices which well up from within without conscious deliberation (which will be covered later). Conscious decisions are where we “cut down” alternatives to come to an understanding of which path to take. Decisions are reached through conclusion and rational… Read More
Setting Expectations for Ourselves
My daughter is finding her ability to solve third grade math problems. A few weeks ago she was comparing herself to other people in her class. We told her it doesn’t matter what others are doing and if it is something important to her she will have to practice everyday. In the last two weeks… Read More
Humanizing Business
Finding value in ourselves humanizes business. I’ve been discussing applying business principles to an individual’s life with a few colleagues. Of interest is some individuals think that business dehumanizes. I ask Why? Business is the exchange of value between organizations, organizations and individuals as well as individuals and individuals. To dehumanize is to deprive of human… Read More
Kids are Awesome
Dropping my daughter off at martial arts after dark, my 4-year-old son said from the back seat, “All the lights have lines.” It took me a good 5 minutes before I realized what he was saying. He was squinting his eyes to diffract the lights in the night through his eye lashes. I was such… Read More
Enriching Feedback
Without feedback, we can not be objective about our own work. With feedback, our work becomes more. It broadens. It deepens. It grows and takes on meaning beyond our limited perspective. When we receive, orient ourselves to, and incorporate feedback we enrich the product of our activities. It’s not just about work. This applies… Read More
Threshold Identity
Our identity constantly evolves with increased change during periods we pass through a threshold. I’ve been working at a growing company for years. We have reached a point of diminished returns on our efforts to grow and change. We maintain instead of improve. We look at the bottom line instead of the whole picture. Our metrics… Read More
Business of You 