Good intentions

Some folk make new year resolutions.

For many, its the same ones every year ... the things they know they ought to do, but don't want to.

Business can be like that. There are things we know we should do ... but something (we always have an excuse) stops us. We're too busy, too tired, the time is not right, and so on.

Well, for a change, this year ... think what you ought to do .. and put some time in your diary to actually do it. You know it makes sense!

Can you use Siri?

Many of you will know about Siri - the 'personal assistant' on the iPhone 4S. I have not used the service myself, but it sounds interesting and useful.

 However, when I had a PA myself, it took some time to find a way of working together that maximised both of our talents and made us really productive?

 This, of course, is true of all team working - you have to understand the talents and attitudes of those within the team and then construct working processes that work for THIS group.

If the personnel in the group change, things may have to be tweaked. Think through your organisation and identify groups that might need a bit of such tweaking ... where gains could be achieved simply by changing the ways on which the group is structured, communicates internally, communicates with others, makes decisions and so on.

Is True Work Like True Love?

True love is hard to define .. but most of think we can recognise it!

True work is actually easier to recognise.   True work is those activities that change the product or service we are supplying in ways that (a) benefit the customer and (b) the customer is happy to pay for.  Everything else is activity that does not add value ... and should be eliminated!

The Holiday Season approaches

What happens to productivity in the holiday season?

It plummets.  People are distracted and unfocused.

Can we stop this happening?

Well, we can certainly minimise it .. but 'doing a deal' on certain things we allow to happen ... and certain things we don't.

So, think through what those things are ... and then talk to your staff about them ... and reach agreement.

Uncover the rocks

I was recently looking at some small manufacturing plants.

 What struck me was the excessive amount of work-in-progress 'on the floor'.

 WIP is like a sea that covers the rocks that represent poor manufacturing practice.

 As you lower WIP levels, these rocks become evident and you find out what you are doing wrong.

But leave WIP levels high and you never uncover the rocks ... and you lose a lot of money tied up in that 'sea'.