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high-output-management.md

Introduction

  • This book is directed towards the middle level managers.
  • The world has become much more fast paced. If you don't do it, someone else will.
  • Basic ideas:
    • output oriented management: everyone in the org produces something.
    • work is pursed not by individuals but by teams: the output of a manager is the output of the organizational units under his supervision
      • what can managers do? mangerial leverage: perform tasks that have high leverage
    • team will perform well only if each individual performs their best. can be measure by "task-relevant feedback"
    • if you want to continue to work, you must continually dedicate yourself to retaining your competitive advantage

Chapter 1: Basics of Production

  • We need to deliver product to the client within an acceptable timeframe, competitive price (while making acceptable profit).
  • Work back from the delivery deadline, to make a plan on how you're going to get multiple things together. Start with the most time consuming step / expensive step (limiting step) and work your way backwards.
  • types of production operations
    • process manufacturing: activity of chaning material to suit needs
    • assembly: putting together components
    • test: verify the charaterstics of the product
  • But in the real world, there might be delays. Plan your work around the new limiting step accounting for these delays. You need to also think closely about how to avoid this limiting step.

Chapter 2: Managing

  • To run your operations well, you will need a set of good indicators / measurements. Focus each indicator on a specific operational goal.
  • Key indicators for the breakfast factory: sales forecast, raw material inventory, condition of your equipment, manpower, quality indicator (setup customer compliant log).
    • If you look at these everyday, you will have the potential to correct them before they cascade into worse problems.
    • Ensure you don't overcorrect for an indicator by having counter indicators.
  • An effective indicator should cover the output of the work unit. If one indicator counts the quantity, another should count the quality.
  • Choose reliable leading indicators so that you act when they flash.
  • Make sure teams provide forecasts, and see if they're able to predict things correctly.
  • Increase productivity by changing what we work on. Work on things with higher leverage. Arrange the process flow in such a way that we have high output productivity.
  • Note all steps in the flow clearly, question each step and remove the unnecessary ones.

Chapter 3: managerial leverage

  • A manager's output needs ot be measure by the output of his org and neighboring orgs under his influence
  • Written reports are the the author to think hard and get precise about what he wants to say. Not mainly for reading.
  • How can a manager maximize his output? By maximizing the sum (leverage of activity x work performed on activity).
  • Train your subordinates to do the work, don't do it yourself. It helps keep the expectation where they need to be. Mangerial meddeling has negative leverage.
  • Block time for similar events. Use calendar for productivity. Don't let tasks be fragemented.
  • Continously keep thinking about the big picture and how we can make things more efficient.

Chapter 4: meetings

  • process-oriented meeting: knowledge / updates are shared, mission-oriented meeting: a decision needs to be taken
  • process-oriented meetings: one-on-one meetings, staff meetings, operation reviews
  • mission-oriented meetings

Chapter 5: decisions

  • each time you don't ask a question, the decision process is inferior.

Chapter 6: Planning

  • Plan in 3 steps: (i) project the need, (ii) understand you present capability and (iii) adjust to meet need.
  • what should I do today to solve tomorrow's problem?

Chapter 11:

  • an employee won't perform well because (i) he can't do it (needs training), (ii) he won't do it (needs motivation)
  • how can you motivate someone?
    • keep some needs unsatisfied at all times: physiological needs, security, social needs, recognition needs, self-actualization needs
  • set goals, at the right difficulty level.
  • once people are at a high enough level, money doesn't motivate them that much.
  • competition helps. having a scorecard of the progress.

Chapter 12-17:

  • There's no optimal management style.
  • Task relevant maturity can tell what the best management style is. TRM: degree of achievement orientation, education, training and experience.
  • Don't ask your subordinates to do a self-review. Tell them about things from your perspecitve first. You should give your subordinates what's in the review before you respond.
  • Interviewing is always a risk, it's a partially observable problem and you're always at the risk of making a bad decision.
  • Questions I can use:
    • Q: what can I do differently to have a higher impact on the team performance?
    • Q: how can I improve my performance at my current job? [ask this to your manager to get specific feedback]