- There are three sections of text in this page:
(1) What's External-Focus T&T Technology?
(2) PEOPLE and TOOLS
(3) GROUP SKILLS and BEHAVIOR
We encourage you to read these three articles because they reflect core
ingredients of OS' approach to problem solving and optimal performance.
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To succeed in executing a job, a person needs only two personal resources: right CAPABILITY and DRIVE, for a given set of external conditions. (More on this in the next section -GROUP SKILLS and BEHAVIOUR.) Similarly, given a set of external conditions, to perform successfully an enterprise only needs two resources: PERSONS and PROCESSES, where processes include all but people –capital and financing, ideas and plans, places and systems, equipment and tools. For simplicity in the terminology, we call all processes 'tools'. Thus, human group endeavors, besides the will of our God, need only two resources –just people and their tools. Well designed and set tools (good software, good airplanes, good marketing strategy, etc) are critical BUT not enough if people do not have the needed capability and drive. Actually, SUPERB processes (tools) are useless without the corresponding knowledge and skills (the capability) and commitment (the drive). Excellent airport facilities, for example, will produce disastrous operations and services if the people do not know how to use the processes and / or does not have the motivation to do it well. This is basic but often forgotten. We love so much the functioning of machines and systems that frequently act as if assuming that our tools will do the trick alone. But the fact is that even robotic elements of production, for example, or beautifully designed distribution software will be parts of disastrous failures if people fail enough. Computers are a beauty: They will do their job again and again, without complaining or getting bored; and computers will do their job without error and very fast. We, humans, cannot do that. For these reasons, we people group into organizations and use computers and robots and other tools -surgical rooms, reentry and landing systems, high school syllabus, Constitution of the Republic, aircraft carrier, advertising campaign, manufacturing plant, accounting system. Any enterprise needs just people and tools. We should never forget that our God created man (male and female He created them) and gave them the capability and drive to create and use their tools. Therefore, the basic is people –not their tools. A world class biking competitor needs a world class bike as to have a chance to win –nothing less, but an optimal bike will be useless if used by a competitor with less than world-class optimal capability and drive. A key point is the realization that people should not fail in creating and using tools effectively if leaders do not fail. We need to be great leaders at all levels –supervisory level, middle management and upper management. Leaders, as people, are under leadership at all levels. (More about this in the next section -GROUP SKILLS and BEHAVIOUR.) As a summary, we need (1) to design, create, improve and fine-tune great tools, (2) to learn to use them effectively and (3) to develop the drive to achieve optimal performance. Optimal Solutions has the tools, capability and drive needed to excel in its job of helping to facilitate optimal performance from people using their tools in one or more areas with opportunity for profitable improvement / development. Knowing how and being eager to serve, for the Optimal Solutions people to design, create, improve or fine-tune a tool (a process) almost is a 'piece of cake'; while to work with people for performance beyond expectations (through optimal teams and organizations) is nearly 'easy as pie'. Guaranteed. |
Given a set of external conditions, as mentioned above, for succeeding in executing a job a person needs only two personal resources: CAPABILITY and DRIVE. Capability is the result of a learning process which in turn requires drive. We people, fortunately, can learn anything –within logical limits. Success feeds back positively in drive and learning. Optimal Solutions can help people to learn anything -within logical limits. OS facilitates the teaching – recruiting expertise if needed, and also helps to ignite drive as needed and thus expediting learning. This enhances individual capability and drive for optimal group performance, even if tools are not optimal. Optimization of capability, as a result from learning, is a relatively rapid process. Drive, as compared to capability, involves personality and adopted attitudes, but influences from the group itself are paramount in drive generation. The role of leadership includes to ignite and guide the drive and facilitate the learning. We need to be great leaders at all levels –supervisory level, middle management and upper management. Leaders, as people, are in turn under leadership at all levels. There are basic organizational relationships which do no change through time. They do not evolve or adapt (like gravity remains unaltered in relationship to mass and distance): (1) Technical skills, (2) human skills and (3) conceptual skills are needed at all levels of management. A line supervisor will need to apply technical skills more often than an upper manager, while a senior manager is required to apply more conceptual skills than a middle manager. Human skills, however, are required in the same degree at all levels of the organization. Human beings act and react basically the same way. We all need to be coached in a degree which depends on circumstances. Humans develop through learning and motivation, and we all need to look at ourselves from EXTERNAL PERSPECTIVES to be able to compare and grow. Overall performance in QUALITY, COST and DELIVERY (the three keys to success for any enterprise -either services or goods) will depend on the CAPABILITY and DRIVE OF THE GROUP. Rules set by management will not be the predominant factor determining team’s performance: Management is a good bit more than setting goals; although well done goal-setting and control is a requirement for optimal performance. Even the optimally developed technician -who does not need direction but just leadership, who may enjoy working alone, who may be proud of her / his independence and auto-motivation, is part of a team. The output of the enterprise won’t be the potential output of that developed technician, but overall output will be the output made possible by group interactions. The average maximum output of the group will tend to equal the average maximum output of the lowest performing element. A constant VIEW FROM OUTSIDE must be provided for achievement of optimal performance by individuals and groups. This, for example, is how the President of the United States does his job –through receiving constant advising and assistance. There is no other way to perform that superb job. OS is prepared to be your source of external views -to your complete satisfaction. I invite you to go to the Services Page and take a look at a few alternative ways we have designed to deliver EXTERNAL perspectives in facilitating optimal performance.
President Optimal Solutions -for management 'problems'. |
Phone: 011-504-504-2328 Please go to Easy Contact for dialing tips. |
Just some music:
Beethoven:
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Optimal Solutions
Thinking enough is essential for good planning and successful action. Albert Einstein used to say that his brilliant intellectual achievements were mainly due to his dedication and long hours of work. Optimal Solutions dedicates the time needed for optimal execution of the projects assigned to us, delivering the projects with the quality and the client's other requirements -in a suitable time-frame and at an agreed low cost. Talking enough (but not too much) and the corresponding listening and feedback are essential elements for effective communication, which is a key to successful designing, testing, improvement and fine-tuning of solutions through team work achievement. We will talk enough (but not too much) with you and YOUR PEOPLE –as the platform for diagnosis and recommendations of solutions, implementation and follow-up. T&T Technology is an OPTIMAL procedure to secure that better, more profitable and permanent solutions are created and implemented. Solutions need to be practical, economical and sustainable. Besides TTT, External Focus is a systematic view at the enterprise from the outside of it. This perspective facilitates that what's most important is properly assessed: What is perceived from the OUTSIDE matters the most. Internal actions or reactions ought to be tailored to external conditions' requirements or incentives. Resources need to be allocated and efforts need to be focused on producing goods or services of the quality defined by the customers and clients, at competitive costs and with great delivery – the way, time and place clients and customers want. This is basic and crucial but often overlooked due to time constraints, work pressures or struggles and routine. Besides, it is not normal for insiders to perform their work while visualizing as from outside point of views with enough duration and intensity. |
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| (1) What's External-Focus T&T Technology? |
| (2) PEOPLE and TOOLS |
| (3) GROUP SKILLS and BEHAVIOR |
- for [difficult] management 'problems'
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