Subject: Theory of Constraints 2 Laws of Leadership (Part 2)

In Part 1 I covered the Theory of Constraints first Law of Leadership -- “Don’t be a sissy!” And I have to admit I was holding my breath as I clicked the send button. I was direct (as I tend to be) and I wasn’t sure what your response would be.
 
It stirred up a lot of response. My heart rate increased as the first responses starting showing up within 10 minutes! Here are just a few of the first responses I received:
 

“Liked this one a lot!”

“I really love this – I talk to “just do it” all the time in my work (it’s in a frame on my desk). Adding “don’t be a sissy” is fantastic.”

“Amen”

“Great mail Lisa!”

“Agreed and amen!!“

So it seems that I have your permission to be direct (except for the few people who unsubscribed).  Now, I want to cover the second Theory of Constraints Law of Leadership – “Just do it!”

So now that you know how not to be a sissy and you’ve decided what you are going to go do. Just do it!

“Just do it” does NOT mean steam rolling your people (but at the same time don’t let THEM be sissies!), it means to focus and get it done NOW.

Use the Theory of Constraints buy-in and “yes, but …” processes to get agreement on what you want to do and why you want to do it. These processes also serve to clarify what exactly you’re going to go do and usually the solution improves in the process.

Then, if you have someone who just doesn’t want to do it -- do it anyway. Ask them if they are willing to try (really try) it. If so, then get on with it. If not, it maybe it’s time to replace that person with someone who is.

Don’t make excuses as to why you can’t start now. If there are other things going on, and those things are NOT your biggest most important project (yes singular) – stop doing them. You can start them again if they become your biggest priority.

There are really only 2 Theory of Constraints “Just Do It” measures:

1) Reliability – did you do what you said, when you said you’d do it. Whatever the something was you decided to do that we talked about in Part 1 – did you do it on-time? If you are unreliable you didn’t. If you are reliable you did it and finished when you said you would. Due date performance is a type of reliability measure.

2) Effectiveness – you didn’t waste time being distracted on other things and/or doing things you shouldn’t have been done. Ineffectiveness is the biggest cause of unreliability and “not doing”. If you’re doing things you shouldn’t, typically you are making it very difficult to be reliable and get done what you should. Inventory is a type of ineffectiveness measure – if you have produced something ahead of when it was needed in order to be efficient or to save money.

Being ineffective is really a focusing issue – both not working on the right things and working on too many things at one time.

So get really clear on what you’re going to do and what you’re NOT going to do and then get it done.

And to me, that takes care of leadership. There are only 2 things you need to do:

1) Don’t be a sissy!

2) Just do it!

One of the best leaders I’ve interacted with recently was one of my Velocity Scheduling System clients – Tanya DiSalvo, President, Criterion Tool. Her team was struggling with buying into VSS but she held firm (definitely not a sissy) and then focused on doing it. And doing it right, not some watered down version of what the group was first willing to do.

Here’s the payoff she and her team got:

 
And I received this email update from Tanya on June 6, 2010:

“Welp it’s Criterion’s one year anniversary with the VSB (Velocity Scheduling System) and WE STILL love it!

A few major projects went thru our building: new product launch in Oct- Dec, another new product launch currently under way, reduction of staff thru attrition and increase in work, and in most cases we came thru with flying colors.

Attached is our score card. :)”

Wishing you unsissified success,

Dr Lisa

P.S. Make sure that you click on the links above. They link to additional information and some really good stuff.

P.P.S. If you run a custom job shop and are frustrated with scheduling -- check out the Velocity Scheduling System Coaching Program  http://www.velocityschedulingsystem.com/

P.P.P.S Download the "9 Challenges to Scheduling Your Job Shop and Why Your Schedule is Dead on Arrival" special report here: http://www.velocityschedulingsystem.com/ebook/

Theory of Constraints POOGI - Part 53: Yes, but… The Value of Concerns and Objections

We are continuing our series based on The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt and the Theory of Constraints. {This series was co-written with Brad Stillahn.}

Brad: Both as a business owner, and back when I worked for large companies, I have found a lot of negative people. Someone has a good idea, and then it seems like everyone has a “yes, but…” It’s irritating.

Dr. Lisa: Particularly if it’s YOUR idea. In Theory of Constraints, we call that a “yes, BUT”; Small yes and a big BUT.

Brad: Why can’t people be more positive and optimistic? It seems like such negativity blocks progress. Perhaps such people are the problem.

Dr. Lisa: Hold on. To voice concerns is part of human nature. When we hear an idea or solution presented, it is natural to think of what negatives might come from it. The presenter is normally very proud of his or her suggestion, and just as often is not fully aware of what negatives might result from implementing it.

Brad: So he or she is expecting praise and to get credit for the idea?

Dr. Lisa: Exactly. Now, depending upon the trust level and power relationships within the group, and whether there have been previous bad experiences from raising concerns, the concern might not be expressed. Instead, you might hear “let me think about it”. However, we don’t think about it. What we think about is our “BUT”, and hope the idea just goes away. So, we don’t benefit from the idea, and we miss the opportunity to improve it by voicing the concern.

... to be continued in Part 54.

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!

Dr Lisa Lang

(c)Copyright 2009, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Process Of On-Going Improvement (POOGI) - Part 26

We are continuing our series based on The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt and the Theory of Constraints.

Whether you’re selling stuff or just trying to get the collaboration of other people, you need buy-in. Do you follow a buy-in process?

As W. Edward Deming, father of the Quality Management revolution said, “If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing.”

So let’s describe the buy-in process that was developed by Dr. Eli Goldratt, father of the Theory of Constraints (TOC). Big picture, the steps are:

• What to Change?
• To What to Change?
• How to Cause the Change? more information on the TOC Thinking Processes

You use a buy-in process to accomplish business objectives. For a profit-seeking company, the overall company objectives can be generalized as:

• “Make more money, now as well as in the future”, and
• “Provide a secure and satisfying environment for employees now as well as in the future”, and
• “Provide satisfaction to the market now as well as in the future”.

Usually though, buy-in is sought related to a more specific objective and you should verbalize what that is. This more specific objective should make sense in relation to the overall business objectives of the company.

...to be continued.

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
Dr Lisa Lang
(c)Copyright 2008, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.


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