One of the first things you learn in consulting is that the problem you’re asked to solve isn’t necessarily the problem that needs to be solved. A client may say, “We need more people.” Or, “We need a new system.”…
If I want to understand an operation, I want to talk to management. I want to see the reports and understand the objectives, measurements, constraints, and problems leadership believes need to be solved. Then I want to go where the…
A consulting project can look very good on the day it ends. The new process is in place. People have been trained. The numbers are improving. Management is pleased. The consultants pack up, everyone shakes hands, and the project is…
I’ve worked on a lot of improvement projects over the years. Some were difficult from beginning to end. Others struggled because of technology, processes, budgets, schedules, or resistance to change. And then there were a few where everything seemed to…
Years ago, while I was working with a management consulting company, our team was engaged by a large corporation to help improve its supply chain operations. I served as the project lead. The company had multiple divisions, and we began…