Eisenhower’s matrix (Urgent-Important) adjusted for delegating decisions

The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as Urgent-Important Matrix, is a 2x2 matrix designed to help decide on and prioritize tasks by urgency and importance. This framework is attributed to general Dwight D. Eisenhower, allegedly using it when facing tough decisions during WWII, as the Allied Forces Supreme Commander. In short, the matrix is built upon …

5 good reasons for leaders or senior managers to build a Goal Tree for Strategy Deployment

In this video I am sharing the 5 good reasons for leaders or senior managers to build a Goal Tree for Strategy Deployment. You can find these 5 reasons as a blog post, along with many other articles related to strategy deployment and Goal Trees, on my this blog : Leaders, here are 5 good …

Autonomy, accountability and tunnel effect

One young employee told me “I don't like my manager to ask me over and over again about the progress of my work. I like to get my objective and then be let on my own to achieve it, I’ll report when I’m done”. Well I thought, you have never been project manager nor in …

Problem solving: start asking what was the last change?

This post could be a sequel of “Yeah, problem solving” in which I used Peter Senge’s quote: “Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions”. Quite often people we consultants meet are puzzled by a problem they can’t understand: a reliable process or machine suddenly seems out of control, steady performance dropped unexpectedly and with no apparent …

Can CCPM reinforce Parkinson’s law?

In this post I share a post-mortem analysis of a situation we’ve encountered while helping a company to improve its performance. This company was specialized in custom-made machine engineering and asked for help to improve its On-Time Deliveries performance. We proposed to install Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM), an obvious choice given the circumstances. Critical …

My takeaways from Breakthrough Project Management conference

Paris, October 17th, 2016. Ian Heptinstall, co-author of “The Executive Guide to Breakthrough Project Management, Capital & Construction Projects on-time in less time, on budget at lower cost without compromise” (full title), was there to deliver his conference on the subject. Before you turn away thinking this has nothing to do with my industry, you …

Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are

This quote, often falsely attributed to Theodore Roosevelt (see Sue Brewton's blog), is an excellent mantra for both personal and management use. Too often when facing a problem or a challenge, individuals tend to push it to others, to complain about their insufficient resources and have great ideas for others instead. Think about the latest …

The man-machine system performance

When looking for performance improvement of a man-machine system, too often management puts emphasis onto machine or technology at large, ignoring the fact that humans associated with equipment, machines or technology form an interrelated system and consequently humans are the discriminating factor. The fallacy of trusting the latest technology There is a strong belief, backed …

How corporate Lean programs spoil golden opportunities

This is the sad and true story of a manufacturing unit of a major manufacturer in his industry. This company has a corporate program to roll out Lean, with permanently appointed staff to support it. The Lean organisation is structured from a corporate level to sites representatives and staff appointed to support departments within the …

What coaching means to me – part two

A coach is a person able to teach, train and advise someone, to improve skills and/or practice and to make his/her coachee reflect about achievements and how to improve from the lessons learned. It takes some experience and skill to coach others, that’s why I am not comfortable hearing the words coach or coaching that …