I have spent much of my life urging companies to become more efficient - and helping them to do do. But, of course, I know that some do not go far enough. Becoming more efficient should not be an end in itself. Becoming efficient creates capacity - it gives an organisation the headroom to start

Recruitment is perhaps the most important function you ever undertake If you don't recruit talented, skilled, flexible staff, you can't expect your staff to exhibit talent, skill and flexibility. But you also have to create an organisation in which that talent, skills and flexibility can thrive and grow. You have to impose your will ,your

If you run an organisation - and run it well, how do you manage to keep it running well when you are not there.  This can certainly be a problem for small, startups and growing organisations that do not have an established management structure. First of all, let's hope you have recruited well - employing

Should we focus our improvement efforts on improving the quality of what we do ... or in improving the productivity It doesn't matter. Productivity and Quality are inextricably linked. Improving quality adds value to goods or services which adds to the top line of the productivity ratio. Improving quality through systematic analysis and investigation of

Do you know how well your competitors are doing - not in terms of their results but operationally? They might have better results but be a worse performer because they are bigger than you. They may be at a disadvantage in terms of their location, access to labour, materials or energy ... yet still have

When running a race, an athlete has to be in peak condition, with no injuries. They also have to be aware of the capabilities of their opponents and set their tactics accordingly (especially for long distance races). Well, business competition is rather similar. A business organisation has to be in peak condition with no significant

Remember ergonomics?  Not many people seem to. I often see products that look like the designer has no idea of the shape and size of a typical person.  They may have been designed for an average human being of the 1940s ...  but not thew 21st century. Think seats on public transport, on aeroplanes, in

Some organisations treat  people badly as they pursue profit at all costs. Yet this is short-termism of the worst sort. As you travel around and visit various companies, you will invariably see a poster or plaque in reception claiming 'Our people are our Greatest Asset' or "We are Investors in People:". Yet few of those

The Industrial Revolution was the greatest ever change to UK society, transforming the lives of millions of people. Yet, at the time, many people suffered from appalling work under dreadful conditions. Now the UK is faced with Brexit and ... We get all sorts of predictions but these are almost always based on prejudice, not

Politicians often bemoan the UK's poor productivity.  Yet, at the same time, over the last decade they seem to have systematically destroyed much of the further education sector with a policy of 'a thousand cuts'.  The same is true of 6th form education. There is quite a bit of evidence to show that a well-