Beyond Command and Control

Track ability to meet customer demand (capacity) and satisfy customers (capability). Not costs.

Define capability through timeliness, right-first-time etc. Optimize the work system around customer purpose using demand, value and flow measures.

Abandon productivity and utilization metrics. 

Rational change strategies fail. Presentations don't change mental models. Leaders must experience systemic flaws first-hand to be open to new assumptions. This normative learning is emotional and personal.

Logic alone causes defense mechanisms. Help leaders feel customer pain directly. This anchors the outside-in perspective.

Studying demand patterns reveals treasure - a lever to improve. Gain deep knowledge of how your system attracts and retains customers. Listen, understand and clarify customer priorities.

Redesign work by value and flow, not function. Demand holds a mirror to system dysfunction invisible to managers.

Managing costs drives costs up. Value and failure demand get hidden. Instead, manage value - design services to meet customer needs efficiently.

Cost focus causes dysfunction. Value focus aligns work to purpose.

The system beats the individual. Work design limits or enables performance. Improve how work works together through cross-functional coordination guided by demand, value and flow.

Don't just develop individual skills. Optimize the environment.

Learning to see system dynamics is critical but lacking in leaders.

Leadership expertise required is competence to deeply listen to demand signals. 

Study end-to-end processes. Diagnose demand, value and flow.

Back office functions often optimize for cost and standardization, not customer value.

This damages customer experience. Design all services - front and back office - based on understanding customer demand and their definitions of value.

Let customer priorities guide how work is designed and coordinated to deliver maximum value.