To Learn Corporate Strategy, Study the Military Masters

By Pascal Dennis (bio)

Thucydides, Sun Tzu, Livy, Machiavelli, Clausewitz - magic names.

These Masters of War are still read centuries & millennia later.

Thucydides' The Peloponnesian War was the classical text of choice during the two Iraq wars.

And General Colin Powell, famously, had the following quote from the master framed on his State Department desk:

"Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most."

Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and Clausewitz are no less popular.

Why are these authors still relevant?

Because they wrote beautifully - clear, simple sentences that cut to the heart of the issue.

Because they lived what they wrote about. (All were practitioners, with all respect to many contemporary academics.)

Because human nature does not change.

In our consulting work, I see the same chess positions over and over.

Different board, different style of chess piece -- but the same positions.

The greats understand this, which I suppose is what makes them great.

I have image of these old boys shooting the breeze in a bar, regaling one another with stories, the ideas, opinions and insights coming fast & furious.

(I'd love to be the bartender!)

Best,

Pascal




In case you missed our last few blogs... please feel free to have another look…

Reflections on Deploying Improvement Strategies
Hubris and Ethics
TPS and Agile
Lean Means Don’t Be a Dumb-Ass

Reflections on Deploying Improvement Strategies

By Pascal Dennis (bio)

"Every day a little up…” an esteemed sensei taught me.

Doing so entails focusing your energy of the critical few improvement areas.

What will we emphasize in 2025?

What's holding us back? What's the root cause of each obstacle? What are the countermeasures?

Strategy is all about emphasis.

Failure modes are daunting. Here are some:

1. Not understanding our current condition - hence, our remedies are ineffectual
2. Not understanding root causes & jumping to countermeasures
3. Not confirming cause & effect, before embarking on a difficult set of countermeasures
4. Trying to do too much - not focusing

In my experience, if we "go see", get our hands dirty, and grasp our current condition, we have a chance to answer the above questions honestly.

And thus, we'll have a chance to improve.

Strategy is a never-ending game. Perfect execution is unlikely and, in any event, not the point.

The point is to continually deepen our grasp of our business, deploy improvement strategies each year, learn from what happens - so we keep getting better.

Keeps us young, keeps us relevant.

We learn from where we've been, and look to where we're going.

Cheers,

Pascal




In case you missed our last few blogs... please feel free to have another look…

Hubris and Ethics
TPS and Agile
Lean Means Don’t Be a Dumb-Ass
Scatter - Our Nemesis

Hubris and Ethics

By Pascal Dennis (bio)

Hubris is the ancient Greek word for arrogance, excessive pride or self-confidence.

Hubris is a common root cause of unethical behavior and, arguably, the most dangerous enemy of great companies.

(Check out this fine book on hubris and the Enron catastrophe entitled The Smartest Guys in the Room.)

What's the countermeasure to hubris?

Humility -- the extreme awareness of limits, of standards, of all that we are not. Humility is one of the Great Virtues, and underlies Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice.

Justice, for example, is only possible if we’re humble enough to accept a higher standard or code.

Visual management, 5 S, standardized work and all the other elements of the Lean business system are designed to keep us humble.

Our old Toyota plant in Cambridge Ontario won many awards. "How could they give us an award?" we'd wonder. "We're so screwed up..."

We need great companies -- they show us what's possible.

And great companies need humility - for the same reason.

Best,

Pascal




In case you missed our last few blogs... please feel free to have another look…

TPS and Agile
Lean Means Don’t Be a Dumb-Ass
Scatter - Our Nemesis
The Biggest Weakness is Contemporary Business Culture?

TPS and Agile

By Pascal Dennis (bio)

Over the years, our Lean Pathways team has had the pleasure of working with software developers – a fun, capable and creative group.

For some years now, the software world has been using the Agile methodology to increase throughput while reducing defects and lead time.

In my experience, Agile and the Toyota Production System (TPS) are entirely simpatico.

In fact, it seems clear to me that Agile is a child (or perhaps grandchild) of TPS.

Core TPS principles and methodologies like visual management, team huddles (scrums), rapid experimentation and total involvement are central to Agile.

As you may recall, I am not interested in ‘theology’ – only in what works and lasts. TQM, TOC, BPR and Agile are all true, and all congruent with TPS.

All roads lead to Rome.

The clear and present danger for TPS/Lean, and Agile, is superficiality.
(Superficial systems generally attract opportunists seeking a quick hit.)

A set of connected principles and methods become a Way (do in Japanese) when they connect to your deeper being.

If our work is to last and attract new practitioners (e.g. Millennials) we need depth, which means connecting with TPS/Lean roots, and committing to years of practice.

Thereby, we’ll attract practitioners (deshi in Japanese) who’ll further develop the Way, and attract future deshi.

Best regards,

Pascal




In case you missed our last few blogs... please feel free to have another look…

Lean Means Don’t Be a Dumb-Ass
Scatter - Our Nemesis
The Biggest Weakness is Contemporary Business Culture?
What Makes a Great Sensei?