Comments for Business Governance Blog http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog Creating Authentic Solutions for Thriving on Your Own Terms Thu, 02 May 2013 17:00:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Comment on Capitalizing on Complexity by Mike http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=419&cpage=1#comment-116 Mike Thu, 02 May 2013 17:00:31 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=419#comment-116 Very intriguing concepts, Hans. Why is CEO tenure down and dismissal for poor performance on the rise? Those are great questions, and provide a very interesting possibility to help executives become more effective. Very intriguing concepts, Hans. Why is CEO tenure down and dismissal for poor performance on the rise? Those are great questions, and provide a very interesting possibility to help executives become more effective.

]]> Comment on Not-Telling-the-Truth vs. Lying by admin http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=172&cpage=1#comment-66 admin Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:16:28 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=172#comment-66 This is by far the most frequently read blog post that I wrote. People literally google search the title. PLEASE WRITE A COMMENT; I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Hans Norden This is by far the most frequently read blog post that I wrote. People literally google search the title. PLEASE WRITE A COMMENT; I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Hans Norden

]]> Comment on Business as a Spectator Sport by Edelito C. Sangco http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=217&cpage=1#comment-62 Edelito C. Sangco Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:48:06 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=217#comment-62 Truly, being a professional who works both in the government and cooperative sector, I really met persons from both sides of the spectrum being mentioned in the blog. There were persons whom, at first glance you might consider as expert in the field. But a little engagement, without a benefit of a background investigation, would spell disaster. This happened to our coop, an IT consultant, endorsed by his brother manager of the federation, had presented to us what seemed a very workable savings and credit software. We signed up with him only to know that all the commands were none customizable, hence, not suitable for us. We realized that we were being duped, but only after losing some money, time and efforts. Truly, being a professional who works both in the government and cooperative sector, I really met persons from both sides of the spectrum being mentioned in the blog. There were persons whom, at first glance you might consider as expert in the field. But a little engagement, without a benefit of a background investigation, would spell disaster. This happened to our coop, an IT consultant, endorsed by his brother manager of the federation, had presented to us what seemed a very workable savings and credit software. We signed up with him only to know that all the commands were none customizable, hence, not suitable for us. We realized that we were being duped, but only after losing some money, time and efforts.

]]> Comment on When Logic Falls on Deaf Ears by BPM Training http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=182&cpage=1#comment-29 BPM Training Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:52:43 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=182#comment-29 "What gets my goat every time is when people rather keep doing the same thing over-and-over again when they know full well from experience that they will not like the outcome" Isn't one definition of insanity something similar to... when a person does the same thing over and over and expects a different result? :) I definitely understand what you mean and yes it is utterly annoying. “What gets my goat every time is when people rather keep doing the same thing over-and-over again when they know full well from experience that they will not like the outcome”

Isn’t one definition of insanity something similar to… when a person does the same thing over and over and expects a different result? :)

I definitely understand what you mean and yes it is utterly annoying.

]]> Comment on What Were They Thinking? by Colin Sanderson http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=136&cpage=1#comment-28 Colin Sanderson Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:00:53 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=136#comment-28 Much enjoyed many of your postings. Yet here I am not persuaded of the contrast you make between the study of case-law and that of businesses. The matter is complicated in that comparisons of cases at law, unless the new case is destined to set a new precedent, rely on a rule based system. Yet I believe patterns do arise from the study of different businesses, or of the same business as an activity at different times. (Pace, Isaiah Berlin, et al.) I am not sure that it is useful to say that the study of business is either a science or not a science. The mathematician, William Kingdom Clifford in the 19thC stated that there are no scientific subjects. This is a striking statement, but is explained by the fact that whatever one studies, in art or in nature, one can study it scientifically or not. That is, it is not the subject of study which makes a science, but the tools or methods one brings to that study. At the outset, the application of logic, which you rightly demand, is at least proto-scientific. Hence classically its teaching as a preparation to philosophy, including natural and moral philosophy. But there are many other scientific tools which can be and are brought to bear. Even a set of annual or quarterly accounts provides measurements, perhaps crude, of a business's performance over time. What inferences are drawn from them, however, may differ between different individuals. The more complete the accounts, the less should be that individual variation. I am persuaded that Operational Research (OR), by any other name (Management Science, Cybernetics, General Systems Science, or, more weakly, Systems Thinking), is applicable and effective in analysing and running a business. And I accept its designation as employing scientific methods; not necessarily experimental method, although once one has the operational model, one can surely perform "what if" "experiments". (Controlled experiment is one gold standard of science, but it is not the only scientific method.) Yet I am not a practitioner myself, so I must rely on listening to and studying the work of others. I am still seeking classic case studies of the successful application of OR, etc. Whether generalisations can be drawn therefrom, and applied in other instances, is obviously an important question. I need to study more! Then, maybe, my comments might be more useful. :-) But again, thanks for the stimulus. Much enjoyed many of your postings. Yet here I am not persuaded of the contrast you make between the study of case-law and that of businesses. The matter is complicated in that comparisons of cases at law, unless the new case is destined to set a new precedent, rely on a rule based system. Yet I believe patterns do arise from the study of different businesses, or of the same business as an activity at different times. (Pace, Isaiah Berlin, et al.)
I am not sure that it is useful to say that the study of business is either a science or not a science. The mathematician, William Kingdom Clifford in the 19thC stated that there are no scientific subjects. This is a striking statement, but is explained by the fact that whatever one studies, in art or in nature, one can study it scientifically or not. That is, it is not the subject of study which makes a science, but the tools or methods one brings to that study.
At the outset, the application of logic, which you rightly demand, is at least proto-scientific. Hence classically its teaching as a preparation to philosophy, including natural and moral philosophy. But there are many other scientific tools which can be and are brought to bear. Even a set of annual or quarterly accounts provides measurements, perhaps crude, of a business’s performance over time. What inferences are drawn from them, however, may differ between different individuals. The more complete the accounts, the less should be that individual variation.
I am persuaded that Operational Research (OR), by any other name (Management Science, Cybernetics, General Systems Science, or, more weakly, Systems Thinking), is applicable and effective in analysing and running a business. And I accept its designation as employing scientific methods; not necessarily experimental method, although once one has the operational model, one can surely perform “what if” “experiments”. (Controlled experiment is one gold standard of science, but it is not the only scientific method.)
Yet I am not a practitioner myself, so I must rely on listening to and studying the work of others. I am still seeking classic case studies of the successful application of OR, etc. Whether generalisations can be drawn therefrom, and applied in other instances, is obviously an important question. I need to study more! Then, maybe, my comments might be more useful. :-) But again, thanks for the stimulus.

]]> Comment on When Logic Falls on Deaf Ears by Gene Bellinger http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=182&cpage=1#comment-27 Gene Bellinger Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:49:06 +0000 http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=182#comment-27 Hans, I had to chuckle a bit when I read your post as I spent years in the midst of the same frustration and then I came to understand... People always, always, always do exactly what makes the most amount of sense to them in the context of the moment based on their current understanding. While numerous people have have debated this statement with me to date no one has found the one white crow. To completely understand the behavior of another is next to impossible, though if I strive to understand you then am I not making a step in the right direction to understand your behavior? be well, Gene Hans, I had to chuckle a bit when I read your post as I spent years in the midst of the same frustration and then I came to understand…

People always, always, always do exactly what makes the most amount of sense to them in the context of the moment based on their current understanding. While numerous people have have debated this statement with me to date no one has found the one white crow.

To completely understand the behavior of another is next to impossible, though if I strive to understand you then am I not making a step in the right direction to understand your behavior?

be well,
Gene

]]> Comment on A tail wags dog story by Gabor Fulop http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-4 Gabor Fulop Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:57:03 +0000 http://organizationalgovernance.wordpress.com/?p=79#comment-4 Hans, Great blog! Throughout my career, I have seen so many leaders focused on short-term metrics, the next big product or signing a big contract that I believe they forget to look at how all the pieces fit together (i.e. lost sight of the forest because of the trees). My evidence? Seeing some great people allowed to leave organizations, or worse yet, escorted out the door for short-term cost cutting. How many executives really look at symptoms then ask "Why?" five times to identify root-causes rather than just short-term metrics? Hans, Great blog! Throughout my career, I have seen so many leaders focused on short-term metrics, the next big product or signing a big contract that I believe they forget to look at how all the pieces fit together (i.e. lost sight of the forest because of the trees). My evidence? Seeing some great people allowed to leave organizations, or worse yet, escorted out the door for short-term cost cutting. How many executives really look at symptoms then ask “Why?” five times to identify root-causes rather than just short-term metrics?

]]> Comment on The Myth about Change by Ellen Farrell http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=45&cpage=1#comment-3 Ellen Farrell Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:10:18 +0000 http://organizationalgovernance.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-3 I am about to pursue a dream I've had for quite a while. I haven't pursued it before because I kept getting stuck on how to do it. This week i met with Hans and he showed me his methodology for organizing my thinking so I would know exactly my first step was, then the next and the next. It was as if he turned the light on in a room that was dark for a long time. Thank you Hans. I'm in ACTION and can't wait to give you a report on my successes. Ellen Farrell The Evolution Revolution I am about to pursue a dream I’ve had for quite a while. I haven’t pursued it before because I kept getting stuck on how to do it. This week i met with Hans and he showed me his methodology for organizing my thinking so I would know exactly my first step was, then the next and the next.
It was as if he turned the light on in a room that was dark for a long time.
Thank you Hans. I’m in ACTION and can’t wait to give you a report on my successes.
Ellen Farrell
The Evolution Revolution

]]> Comment on Are you serious? by Val Kinjerski, PhD http://anticipatedoutcome.com/blog/?p=71&cpage=1#comment-2 Val Kinjerski, PhD Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:51:41 +0000 http://organizationalgovernance.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-2 Hans, I think that you are absolutely right when you say that "the boundaries to break are . . . in changing our thinking and judgment about the activities that we select to perform every day in order to bring us one step closer to the organization’s purpose." This is the essence of employee engagement and what I call spirit at work. The key is to be on purpose. Yet, how many of us know, really know the deeper purpose of our organization? Moreover, is the work we do in alignment with that purpose? It is indeed time to rethink our work. Val Kinjerski, PhD www.rethinkingyourwork.com Hans,

I think that you are absolutely right when you say that “the boundaries to break are . . . in changing our thinking and judgment about the activities that we select to perform every day in order to bring us one step closer to the organization’s purpose.” This is the essence of employee engagement and what I call spirit at work. The key is to be on purpose. Yet, how many of us know, really know the deeper purpose of our organization? Moreover, is the work we do in alignment with that purpose? It is indeed time to rethink our work.

Val Kinjerski, PhD
http://www.rethinkingyourwork.com

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