The Rapid Response Institute

Category: Case Studies

  • Is Chivalry Dead?

    Is Chivalry Dead?

    Some still believe that an individual’s word is his/her bond.  Or that the Marquess of Queensberry Rules still apply.  Sadly, for many, these statements are outdated.

    Blockchain is a, “decentralized digital ledger that securely stores records across a network of computers in a way that is transparent, immutable, and resistant to tampering.”  This is the reason it is famous for cryptocurrencies and lesser known but as important as the backbone of secure Supply Chain Management and invoicing/payment systems.  In this era of complex global business relationships with millions if not billions of transaction each year, the blockchain SCM is essential.

    And Yet!

    Not only are the well known and often comical scams running strong, some executives still seek to take advantage of the unwary and naive.  Guess both types of thieves will always be with us.  In addition to a lifetime of dealing with those who seek success at the expense of others, here are two recent use cases taken from the last 18 months, of which this Blogger has personal knowledge.

    The Handshake

    A small supplier of leased equipment to heavy industry ‘cut’ a deal with another small firm to lease equipment to a much larger organization of which the small firm had a business relationship.  In this case contract negotiations broke down but the equipment supplier shipped the equipment on a handshake and assurances the ‘paper’ was not necessary.

    As of this writing, there is a great deal of animosity and non-payment.  Likely, legal action will be taken to the detriment of both these small firms.

    The Contract Did Not Address

    In another ongoing situation, a one page agreement provided by the sales person of a small firm was accepted by the small buying organization.  No provisions we provided for accidents or incidents while the equipment was in the possession of the seller, but making changes to the total solution by a 3rd party who was partially directed by an engineer representing the buyer.

    A resulting fire rendered the equipment unsalvageable and the finger pointing commenced.  This was compounded, as the buyer’s engineer kept few if any notes and most communication was verbal.  The who will pay for the damage is still uncertain, as are next steps.

    Trust But Verify

    Chivalry is not defined as it was in the day of the knights and I think rightfully so, as we are not taking our swords to the field of battle against those believed to have wronged us.

    Contracts need not be the lengthy small print most think they are.  A contract must start with an offer (proposal) and its acceptance.  The do not need to be in writing but usually are.  They must be legal and have consideration (value exchange).  Finally, the contract is between ‘Capable Parties,’ those qualified to enter the agreement.  The written agreement typically has standard clauses or provisions including but not limited to assignments, arbitration, amendments, modification, notices, choice of law, force majeure and more.

    An average written contract would have saved all parties in the two use cases from a lot of personal and organizational grief.

    Finally, most larger organizations have put in place Operations Management Systems.  They go by a number of names but their purpose is to assure the contract is adhered too, especially for a complex project as well as document performance for the protection of all involved.

    Our firm has been directly active in this field for about 15 years but working in the area for over 50 years.  We have developed our software solution Smart OpEx that enables this business model for the benefit of all parties involved.  The proverbial “He said–She said,” goes away.  This has been addresses previously and more information is available on our website.

    Chivalry May Not Be Dead, but Consider that Handshake Management as Expired.  How will you manage even small business relationships going forward?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Massive Waste of Time

    Massive Waste of Time

    Call Center robotic humans and/or maybe AI reading their scripts and/or sending stupid texts.

    We a get them everyday.  The opportunity of a lifetime.  Since your D&B rating has recently increased, we are please to announce that you can borrow a ridiculous amount of money at a low interest.  This blogger has never responded but I am sure the pitch continues something like this.  “Send us your banking information so we can deposit the funds.”  Yea, right!  Then we will do our best to drain your account.

    Some are Easy, but More and More they are Not

    The bad old  days of getting notice that you are the recipiant of millions of dollars from some never known relative who died in an African car accident are fading.  However, they are being replace with much more sophisticated approaches to grand thief.  Some of which seem to be working.

    So What Can One Do?

    First and foremost, NO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE ‘CLICK’ ON A LINK OR ATTACHEMENT OF ANY KIND–PERIOD!!  If you do, they have you.  Secondly, does it make any sense?  My company typically gets 4-10 unsolicited loan opportunities, daily.  Well my organization has had a real banking relationship for almost two decades.  Why would I need huge sums of money from an unsolicited Internet text or email?  Nor do I answer unsolicited phone calls and if I inadvisably pick up one, I do not respond but just hang up.  Rude?  Na, they are trying in steal my money.  Do you apologize to a guy mugging you?

    I have not yet set the phone to not answer numbers not in  my contact list, but I am close.  Unfortunately, some actual add value firms such as Healthcare Providers still depend on telephonic communications but hopefully that will change soon.

    For Your Convenience

    Every vendor we buy from wants to keep your credit card information in thier ‘secure’ wallet.  Not to worry, this makes it easier to buy from us next time.  NEVER ALLOW THIS.  Companies are hacked all the time and personal information and credit card numbers are taken.  Why take the chance, it only take a few seconds to type the number in each time.  That said, one reputable vendor I used stated that they would keep the card number on file,  I contacted them and told them, I did not want this.  their response, “We don’t save cards.”  No credibility, and there is not much I can do with the liars but stop buying from them.  Hey, they got the information they wanted but no future revenue from this consumer.  Their CRM system should be so proud.

    Be a Knowledgeable Buyer

    This writer lives in Houston, Txxas, a large city with a crime problem.  I take appropriate steps to assure my safety and that of my significant other.  We all  take similar steps based on our locale and relative safety.

    Moreover, based on the current reputation which is similar to that of the 1970s, we no longer go to New York City to see the plays.  Their lost tourist spending.  Take the same precautions with your online life as you do with your physical life.  Both are equally important to your ‘Quality of Life.”

    Forget the term ‘scam’ it denotes too soft behavior.  These are criminals who would kill you over your wallet on the streets.  Same NDA.

    In a future Blog, we will discuss how this same crowd is after your children.

    What are you doing to protect your family from online criminals?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • THE Enforceable Contract

    THE Enforceable Contract

    The days of the so-called gentlemen’s/gentlewoman’s handshake agreement are over if they ever truly existed.

    One of the most famous handshake deals was the 1983 acquisition of Getty Oil by Pennzoil.  Texaco sought to sweeten the deal with a superior offer that Getty accepted.  The original deal made in New York was later upheld in the state of Texas and Pennzoil prevailed.  As with much litigation, it appeared jurisdiction the trial was held mattered a lot.  One wonders even in Texas if that type agreement would be upheld today.

    Agreements are broken all the time and the soc-called ‘he said–she said’ defense is frequent.  Moreover, loose interpretation of poor or deliberately cloudy language gives the unscrupulous an upper hand.

    For example, early in this writer’s sales career my team closed a (single) deal that represented over 10% of a public company’s division yearly sales.  The company reneged on the commission deal citing its ability to renegotiate commissions for ‘unique’ situations.  Needless to say, I resigned and no one else ever tried to go for the ‘brass ring’ deal again.  Guess they won.  Maybe not as my personal sales throughout my career were enormous dwarfing this first multi-million dollar sale.

    In another case, a technology deal fell apart when (after a handshake) the buyer refused to pay.  You can imagine what happened next.  Finally, how many of us have been lied to about opportunities?  Happens every day.

    Recently, I secured an online offer for an artmobile I wanted to sell.  Upon “inspection” I was told blank, blank were issues and the price was reduced by 2/3.  I left and will offer the name of the national firm to anyone who wants it.  What goes around comes around.

    Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) has been replace with the due diligence both parties are now required to perform.  And this assumes both parties are engaged in a legal transaction.  All bets are off if you succumb to dead relatives in Africa leaving you millions, huge lines of bank credit offered and thousands of nefarious thieves scamming (too weak a word–should be just be out right criminals)

    Trust But Verify

    Sage wisdom from an actor turned president.  Oh wait, he was too old and unqualified, so it must not mean anything!

    We all have to do business with a wide variety of individuals and even organizations with questionable ethics.  We must get our so-called ‘ducks in a row’  and maintain a high level of situational awareness.

    What steps do you take to make sure you and your firm enter into strong enforceable contracts?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • AI or AU?

    AI or AU?

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage but are these laudables premature?  Is it in really Artificial Unintelligence (AU) or just latest manifestation of the 30+ year old Expert System and a passing fad?

    Recently, none the less than Google (parent Alphabet) suffered a $100 billion market setback when their AI strategy suffered a lack luster performance.  This pundit has believed for a while that AI is ‘not ready for prime time,’ despite the continual harping about this world changing too.

    IT hype is not new.  The modern era for Information Technology most likely started with Alan Turing’s ‘Machine,’ circa 1936.  Ever since, society has endowed these inanimate objects with special ‘human like’ powers.  In our 2023 book, Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability, we asked the question regarding Machine Learning.  “What do you do if your machine is learning the wrong things?”

    In our forthcoming (2025) book, Navigating the Data Minefields: Management’s Guide to Better Decision-Making, we address this issue and its management in great detail.  In the meantime, management is well advised to treat all new technologies with a skeptical mind regards of what internal and external proponents with their agendas argue.

    We have known for decades that IT projects need to undergo the same scrutiny as any capital expense.  So why do these projects still get a pass?

    Over the years, we have chronicled major corporate failure such as Bud Light.  A nine (9) percent equity hit on one day because of AI hype puts that organization in that league.  Use common sense in technology assessments!

    What guardrails does your organization have in place to prevent major technology faux pas?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Burrattery

    Burrattery

    Burr!  Its winter in the northern hemisphere and many shiver from the cold.  The ‘Many’ include batteries.

    We have know for generations that cold weather negatively affects electrical batteries.  So, it should come as no surprise that Electric Vehicles (EVs) performance can suffer greatly when the temperatures are extremely cold.  This phenomenon is not limited to this power source, diesel engines face similar challenges at very low temperatures.

    Is It All Hype?

    The IT research firm, Gartner has developed a model describing the process from the inception of new technologies to their general acceptance.  The Gartner Hype Cycle is widely viewed as a reasonable model of this process and is applied to a wide variety of technological innovations.  As the title suggests, technology undergoes a process of innovation, disappointment and finally broad acceptance.  Moreover, this process can take many years with the demise of many startup companies that were perhaps even too early in the process.

    According to Gartner, “Data-enabled services, electrification and smart cabins are a part of many technologies in this Hype Cycle.  Most of these technologies continue to be in the Innovation Trigger and Peak of Inflated Expectations, showing they have a lot of potential to disrupt the automotive space, but yet have some way to go before reaching mainstream adoption.”

    Diffusion of Innovations

    Most readers are probably familiar with the so-called Technology Adoption model which is composed of five types of users/buyers:

    1. Innovators
    2. Early Adopters
    3. Early Majority
    4. Late Majority
    5. Laggards

    For these and more reasons (including high prices), it seems that EVs may have a way to go before wide acceptance with more robust battery technologies.  Finally, we previously challenged the perceived low Carbon Footprint of batteries and documented these technologies are not as green as portrayed.  Interested readers can take a look at our blog Crippling Green discussion regarding the economics of Climate Change.

    Where does your organization fall on either or both of these curves for battery technologies?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • When Does It End?

    When Does It End?

    Once Again Organizational Safety Cultures Have Failed.  Why Does This Keep Happening?

    The controversial Normal Accident Theory suggests that in complex systems accidents are enviable.  So it would seem with continued major disruptions in Critical Infrastructure Sectors.  We have argued that this is not necessarily correct.

    Systemic Safety Culture

    Following the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010 and building off our 2014 book, IMPLEMENTING A CULTURE of SAFETY A ROADMAP FOR PERFORMANCE BASED COMPLIANCE, we continue to address the issues associated with safety failures and developed a Roadmap towards the High Reliability Organization (HRO).  An HRO faces the same challenges are its industry peers; however, it has robust processes in place to quickly mitigate safety and critical operational exposures.

    As part of our practice, we have developed a robust toolkit to facilitate the rapid transformation to an organizational Safety Culture without business disruption.  Many of the tools are provided at no cost and are easy to use–their details are available.

    Culture Eats Strategy

    The aircraft manufacture Boeing and its supply chain are undergoing increased scrutiny as result of the Alaskan Airline Max 9 inflight door failure.  This is entirely appropriate.

    As part of this process, the aircraft producer’s culture has come into question.  Some argue the firm moved away from an engineering culture to a safety culture.  This pundit believes that they are one in the same for this sector.

    A more appropriate argument is that the firm has recently exercised other values at the expensive of aircraft manufacturing technology.  Is this a loss of focus and a deviation from core values and capabilities?  Always a danger, i.e., New Coke and Bud Light.

    Get Smart

    In our recent book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability, ” we make the case that the smart extended factory floor (including supply chain partners) adds significant value to organizations in that sector.  This approach supports engineering/safety cultures while enabling certain social behaviors.

    We believe that a simple Safety Culture is insufficient in complex environments.  It must be coupled with High Reliable Management.  Only then can organizations capitalize on ‘Smart’ coupled with new solutions such as Artificial Intelligence.

    Is your Safety Culture Adequate?  If not, what are you doing about it?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • All Is Not Quiet

    All Is Not Quiet

    Organizational Conflict may not be visible.  Passive Aggressive executives may not exhibit the classic signs of stress.

    The stresses of everyday business are well understood by those in that mix.  Each individual has an agenda based on his/her personal desires as well as organizational job description and target (goal) requirements.

    By definition, this puts all in an organization conflict situation.  Moreover, this is not necessarily a negative environment.  Stress between individuals and division can lead to synergies beyond the immediate.

    This so-called Tension at the Margin concept is taken from the physical construct Surface Tension, a relationship between two different substances such as water and air.  In other words, there is always a bit of tension or stress between two or more different entities–living or inanimate. 

    The problem manifests itself when conflict becomes counter productive.  Political agendas overtake the goals of the organization and individuals see themselves as superior to the organizations of which they are employed.  We first addressed this issue in our 1994 peer reviewed article, Organizational Conflict and Dispute Resolution.

    Managed stress can add significant value; we see this in competitive sports everyday.  Unmanaged stress can lead to a cardiac event both personally and organizationally.

    How is your organization managing its Tension at the Margin?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • V R T

    V R T

    In our forthcoming book, “Navigating the Data Minefields: Management’s Guide to Better Decision-Making”  we coined the term, Valid, Reliable and Timely (VRT).  “This term identifies all data dimensions including its temporal component.”

    Check Up

    When we go to the doctor we expect that the information conferred by this professional is Correct, Consistent with the current medical knowledge base and Relevant to our present.  If it is not, the confidence in the diagnosis degrades and can even lead to malpractice driven legal issues.

    One of the issues a patient faces is the significant difference in the knowledge base between the medical professional and the layperson sitting across of him/her.  Many accept the statements of the professional as gospel.  Sometimes to their regret.

    Enter the Knowledgeable Buyer

    We live in a technological era even though many of us are technologist.  Often the technology itself is user friendly and reduces our core knowledge.

    How many of us rely on a calculator or spreadsheet to the extent our math skills have suffered?

    This Baby Boomer spent much of his career on the bleeding edge of the computer era.  Today I am not conversant in the details of Acritical Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Big Data etc.  However, I know how to ask the right questions!

    One of the Right Questions is embodied in our Economic Value Proposition Matrix (EVPM).  Does this technological investment add value to the organization and if so, how and how much?  In other words, the economic value of the expenditures.  Keep in mind that technology expenditures include not just the cost of the product, its support infrastructure, switching costs and training among other change management processes.

    One does not need to be a medical professional to query the doctor about the recommended action plan.  Common sense and knowledge of our body in the case (or our business) as the saying goes, “is not so common.”  Don’t just jump on the technology bandwagon, do your homework and ask “does this add value to our culture as well?”

    VRT

    Does the proposed project make sense does it sound like it is a Valid or accurate process?  Is it consistent or Reliable and finally is it the right time for our ‘culture’ and organizational maturity to make the change?

    You might be surprised at these common sense answers.

    Does your organization have a plan/process in place to cut through the technology clutter?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Data Management for the Non-Technical Executive

    Data Management for the Non-Technical Executive

    “Per McKinsey research from June 2022, nearly 70 percent of the top economic performers, compared with just half of their peers, are using their own software to differentiate themselves from their competitors.”

    McKinsey went on to state that:

    • Digital products are driving the need to embed software across the board
    • Increasingly, more value is being derived in products and services from software
    • The growth of low cost Cloud and AI programming are putting unprecedented power into the hands of the global workforce

    The foundational key to global economies with tightly integrated software into products such as automobiles is DATA.  According to the research firm, IDC approximately 175 zettabytes of data will exist in 2025.  IDC went on to report that one zettabyte is ONE TRILLION GIGABYTES and that to download this amount of data would take 1.8 billion years.

    This amount of data and its criticality to the firm’s success are staggering statements.

    How are organizations going to be able to management this new economy in a meaningful way?  We can’t all be data scientists.

    Enter the Non-Technologist

    It is safe to say that data will be used by all aspects of the organization and its extended supply chain.  Finance, HR, Procurement, Tax, Sales & Marketing, Researchers, Medical Doctors, Facilities Management, etc. are staffed with experts in those fields not necessarily in IT or specifically Data Management.  How are these executives and their staffs be assured the data and software they are using ‘spit out’ the correct results?

    This is a daunting challenge today will only  get worse.  Moreover, the software sector is notorious for it poor quality documentation and many do not follow strict data management protocols.

    On the Horizon

    This blogger has been dealing with technical and later financial and business data of various qualify and sources since at least 1968.  Maybe I have not seen it all, but I have seen a lot including significantly poor data with significant gaps.  Management at all levels are not equipped to understand the underpinnings of the data they are using to make critical decisions.  Is the data Valid and Reliable (accurate and repeatable)?  Many are not even aware of the definition of those simple terms.  How can they trust the data provided?

    This author is pleased to announce that he recently entered into a contract with CRC Press to draft the book, “Navigating the Data Minefield: Management’s Guide to Better Decision-Making” to be published in 2025.

    This book will provide the non-IT software executive with tools and best practices to help her/him assure that the data provided by internal and external provider is of high quality.  It will provide a roadmap model that is straightforward and easy to understand.  It will also provide data and software experts with an understanding on the type of questions management may ask as well as project deliverables expectations.

    Stay tuned we will keep you informed as the exciting project develops.

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Communication, Communication, Communication

    Communication, Communication, Communication

    A recent TEXT from a possible vendor did not identified himself as a referral.  I did not pay any attention to it and both of us missed an opportunity.

    In our social media age with its shorthand, i.e. HRU, much can be lost in the exchange.  Like most of us I am bombarded with those seeking my attention.  So if the message is to get through the clutter it has to have meaning and a CALL TO ACTION.

    One can argue that all the communications tools at our disposal, we have lost the art of communicating.  This is a loss far beyond hiring a vendor.

    Dale Carnegie famous said, “Tell the audience what you’re going to say, say it; then tell them what you’ve said.”  This approach works for text messages as well.  And do not forget to introduce your self if the individual does not know you and/or your organization.  By the way, do your homework and don’t waste anyone’s time–a sure deal killer.

    Finally, in our globally connected economy, the language you speak may not the first or even a language the recipient understands.  Translators are great software tools but they are not perfect and nuances may be lost.  If I don’t know the sender, this pundit automatically hits spam on messages in the language I understand and it is not on me to spend the time and energy to translate your sales pitch.

    What is your organization’s process to make sure its message is getting through?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Technology Betrayal

    Technology Betrayal

    In one case, a new cell phone (2023 purchase) went dead.  The replacement and the subsequent replacement did the same thing.  Now on the 4th phone, a work around has been found.

    The promise of technology is legendary.  However, the hype is often over the top and not a statement of realty.  The movement towards, MVP (minimum viable product) is but one of the issues technology providers face.

    The idea is to get to market with a version that meets the basic level of functionality that addresses a customer’s requirement.  One way to view this is as a market research tool.  However, in this author’s experience an MVP (with minimal or no changes) often becomes the first marketable version as develops rush to secure market share.  In our recent book, Smart Manufacturing we address the the Gartner Hype Cycle and state, “We live in an era of exploding technologies.  Daily, some new whiz-bang widget is announced and—Hyped!  No longer better than sliced bread, new technology promise everything from global peace to weight loss.”

    Caveat Emptor!

    We are repeatedly reminded that the computer chip is at the heart of all products and our everyday life.  This blogger does not deny that point of view.  However, this extreme dependence has drawbacks as well.  For one thing, the quality of the software is only as good as the development team.

    According to one source software quality assurance is, “A process that focuses on identifying and maintaining set requirements for developing reliable products.”  Previously, we defined validity and reliability as the first tenet of data quality assessment.  So it is with the software providing or using said data.

    In December 2022, the consulting firm McKinsey published, “Every company is a software company: Six ‘must dos’ to succeed.”  In that article, they posit that to be successful organizations will need to develop their own software.  This will require that organizations internalize the software development process as part of their core business capitalizing on their Subject Matter Expertise.

    How ready is your organization for this emerging business model?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    Additional Resources

    There are significant resources available on the subject.  Our intent is not to provide a comprehensive list, but a few that are oriented towards the layperson and not just the developer.  In no particular order:

    Interested readers can search for ‘software errors,’ ‘software quality assurance’ and other similar key words.

    Miscellaneous

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Valid and Reliable?

    Valid and Reliable?

    The first thing a statistician, data scientist, medical researcher, engineer, social scientist or anyone depending on data is to assess its quality.

    As of this writing, the recent release of the Durham Report suggests that the FBI was lax in their assessment of the alleged Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election cycle.  This resulted in the reporting to the nation and the rest of the globe what appears to be Fake information.  Did it tip the scales on the election and subsequent events?  Not for this pundit to say, albeit this will be the subject of discussion (including some conspiracy theories) for years to come.

    Our case is more straightforward.  Organizations of all types private and public routinely make critical decisions based on poor quality data (including gasps in data).

    The first tenet of quality is to assess the validity and reliability of said data.  Validity refers to the accuracy of the measurement but does NOT determine whether the right process was evaluated.  Reliability is a function of data consistency (can it be reproduced?).

    Error Management

    There are two types of data errors.  Not surprisingly labeled Type I and Type II.  Statistician define Type I errors as providing a ‘false positive’ and Type II a ‘false negative’ result.  One way to asses data is the use of Hypothesis Testing.  Assessment often begins with a hypothesis about a set of data.

    • A ‘null hypothesis‘ makes the assumption that the data is a function of pure chance.
    • The ‘alternative hypothesis‘ assumes the data set is impacted by a non-random cause.

    Moreover, a data set can have multiple hypotheses.

    Data is also classified as Primary or Secondary.  Primary data is that which was collected directly by the data scientist/organization.  Secondary is that which as obtained from a third party.

    This researcher considers Secondary data as more likely to contain errors and needs additional scrutiny.  It appears the FBI data on election interference was Secondary data.

    According to a 2022 Harvard Business Review article, “It costs 10 times as much to complete a unit of work when the data is flawed in any way as it does when the data is good.”  In 2016 HBR reported that according to IBM, decisions made on poor quality data cost $3.1 trillion.  In 2021, the research firm Gartner reported that poor data quality costs the average firm $12.9 million.  For the Fortune 500 alone that is over $3.225 trillion.

    For interested readers, the cited Gartner article provides a set of 12 actions organizations can take to improve their data quality.

    Decision Support

    We must recognize that data quality is an issue and while we can take steps to improve it, the problem is ubiquitous and most likely growing.  We must make the assumption that ALL data has either Type I or Type II errors and act accordingly.

    One approach is the use of the Scientific Method.  This model is developed for the average lay person and can used for business decisions as well as in everyday life.

    Moreover, ALL data sets will be incomplete or have gaps.  Statistical and other decision support tools can deal with this issue.  Finally, the human injects bias into the process as well.

    Coda

    The running joke, “If it is on the Internet, it must be true,” is widely known as satire.  That said, we often trust data due to its source or the fact that a so-called expert is the author, commentator or recommender.  As with many things in life a healthy dose of ‘data’ skepticism is in order.

    What steps is your organization taking to assure decision-making processes are based on high quality data?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials herein.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    See our Economic Value Proposition Matrix® (EVPM) for additional information and a free version to build your own EVPM.

    The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page.  Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor of the just published book, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.”  His focus is on Operational Technologies.

    “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962).  For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game.  You can contact this author as well.

    For more details regarding climate change models, check out Bjorn Lomborg ands his latest book, False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet.

    Regarding the economics of Climate Change, check out our recent blog, Crippling Green.

    For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author can put you in touch with Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts.  If interested, check it out and give me a shout.

  • Roadmap to Decision Making In the ‘Smart’ Era

    Roadmap to Decision Making In the ‘Smart’ Era

    “Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”

    — Napoleon Bonaparte

    Volumes have been written on decision-making and this pundit has offered his share of insight and comment on the subject as well.  Some of our comments regard the appropriateness of the human intercession in electronic decision making.  Others raise questions regarding algorithm fallibility.  Moreover, Human Factors must be considered for any technology initiative which are becoming increasingly important.

    If one unpacks the previous paragraph a substantial level of complexity emerges.  As complexity increases so does risk and the need from proper governance.  However, many still see this potential transformation through the lens of just another IT initiative.

    Roadmap

    The oil and gas industry faced a similar dilemma at the dawn of the 21st Century.  At the time, referred to as DOFF or Digital Oilfield of the Future, a plethora of technologies became available.  The task was to transform 100 plus years of traditional operation to what is now referred to as the Digital Oilfield, aka Integrated Operations and a number or synonyms.  While this processes continues to evolve as new solutions emerge, i.e., Cloud, at the time much was trial and error.

    In conjunction with industry leadership, we released our Roadmap to Enterprise Optimization: A Guide to the Impact of Information Driven Field Operations on the Petroleum Corporation in the fall of 2004.  We believe it was the first industry (POSC) supported effort that was not simply research but a ‘bona fide’ action plan or roadmap to success based on industry/other knowledge, standards, economic value and best practices.

    Click for full size Integrated Operations Framework or graphic

    Since then, we have updated this roadmap into an Operational Excellence Platform.  Note that Integrated Operations is a key component.  The platform is a robust detailed solution that is available not just to the energy sector but all sectors identified by Homeland Security as Critical Infrastructure.  These sectors were recently identified as susceptible to hacking by the US government.

    Getting Smart

    Enormous corporate (shareholder) wealth has been destroyed implementing ‘game changing’ technology enabled transformation efforts.  Are we about to do that again, getting smart?  The easy answer is yes, but it does not have to be.

    Roadmap constructs are well understood and provide guidance.  In some models the step by step process provide practitioners with well defined models that can lead to success–defined as on time and under budget performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

    We are in the process of writing a book, to be released in 2022.  One chapter will define a roadmap for the transformation to ‘Smart’ for a major industrial segment.  As with earlier works, it will focus on the human element aligned with a technology assessment process.

    Get Smart was a comedic TV show spoofing the Cold War ‘spy’ environment of the 1960s.  Getting Smart today may not be a lot different.  The goal under a ‘Cone of Silence‘ was to attain and sustain competitive advantaged achieving superior stakeholder returns.

    Getting smart in 2021 will require a ‘Roadmap to Smart.’  A set of ‘to do’ processes that assures success.

    What is your Organization’s Plan to put Smart Decisioning Making Processes in Place?

     

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • ESG Implementation–Strong v Weak Revisited

    ESG Implementation–Strong v Weak Revisited

    “A healthy corporation acts on the interests of its stakeholders and customers”

    — Ari Melber, Journalist

    Currently, organizations are being implored to implement Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) driven business models.   Proponents even suggest that investment in organizations that do not have this imprimatur should be avoided or even divested.

    However, one wonders what has changed?  Successful firms, private and public have long understood that they must add value to their constituencies.  One example, a few decades ago an energy services provider used its high volume oilfield pumps to help a small town in Kansas where it had a district office drain flood waters.  Why would they do this?  Perhaps because employees lived in this community or perhaps it was just the right thing to do.

    Flash forward and we find organizational largess still in place.  During the recent Texas freeze, a local furniture retailer opened its doors to dispossessed individuals and families.  The owner has a long record of supporting the community and his responses to local disasters is legendary.

    After the Deepwater Horizon incident in April 2010, our firm started to look at Asset Integrity issues in oilfield operations.  Our discoveries transcended several Critical Infrastructure segments.  The recent failure of the Colonial Pipeline is a manifestation of issues uncovered yet not resolved more than a decade ago!

    Focus on Operations

    In 2011, we posited that organizational governance was not just a financial issue at the ‘C’ level.  Rather its true focus should be at the revenue generating asset level.  This led to our 2011 groundbreaking monograph, Asset/Equipment Integrity Governance: Operations–Enterprise Alignment.  Therein, we posited a new governance model that incorporated the ESG components widely discussed today.

    Moreover, in 2014 our book, IMPLEMENTING A CULTURE of SAFETY: A ROADMAP FOR PERFORMANCE BASED COMPLIANCE identified the requirement for organizations in the Critical Infrastructure space to change governance models to one of Strong Bond.

    Following the release of our AIG model, we put forth a Strong v Weak governance model to manage High Reliability Organizations (HRO) necessary for firms in Critical Infrastructure sectors.  Strong Bond is appropriate for organizations in Critical Infrastructure segments, while Weak Bonds may be better for retail.

    One suspects that ESG is another tick in the box.  If ten years (or earlier) from now another critical system fails, it will not be because HRM processes were not followed or ESG verbiage was in the annual report Letter to Shareholders; it will be because nothing really changed.  As of this writing the US Federal government is advising organizations in Critical Infrastructure sectors to more aggressively address cybersecurity risks.

    Why is this? Do Boards and CEOs need politicians and bureaucrats to tell them about the details of running a business?  If they do, investors may want to revisit their portfolios.

    One suspects that the ESG fad will fade. There will always be a new management mantra that consultants will put forth.  Well run organizations will remain well run.  Others not so much.

    Governance models come and go.  Regardless, how will you assure your organization is well run?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Post Covid-19 Operational Performance

    Post Covid-19 Operational Performance

    Not the So-Called New Normal

     

    The light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel may not be the train many still believe.  Populations are being inoculated at very high rates.  Moreover, there is ample evidence in my metropolitan area that the general population no longer believes or adheres to the ‘advice of experts.’  This should surprise no one who understands the US long history of civil disobedience.

    We pundits forecasting the new normal following a traumatic social event always get it wrong and so we will again this time.  There is a simple reason for this–Human Behavioral Economics.  Another leg of the three legged stool is the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and not all technologies are at the same level or even play well together.  Finally, Organizational Culture must be ready as well.  If these situational settings are not met, the crisis passes and we get back into the comfortable and familiar.

    Following the initial euphoria that we could work from home and not wear pants, many discovered this really was not for them.  Many children did not do as well in a stay at home educational setting and teachers were challenged as well.  Moreover, many tasks require personal engagement.

    Many are Called . . .

    As always winners and losers will emerge and it will take some time for that rank order to solidify.  While digital is important and we have supported that business model for decades, bits will not physically move the barrels.  Still will take heavy industrial technology and processes.

    Using information and other technologies to drive Operations Management Systems are the future.  Not necessarily driven by IT firms but those digital engineers steeped in both disciplines.

    If Organizations are to achieve successful Sustainability, they first need a High Reliability level of Agility and Resiliency.  The only get these attributes when they perform at a high level of Excellence.

    So as we arrive at another new normal, we need to recognize that not everything from the past was bad and not everything we see today is good.  Some processes will be sustained and coupled with newer one.  New Normals do not really destroy the past; we continue to evolve.

    Even innovation from Creative Destruction is not instantaneous.

    How will your organization take advantage of emerging opportunities?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Teaming Safely

    Teaming Safely

    “For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind”

     

    Second only to the basic need for food, water and what is required to sustain physical life, safety and security are the next step in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  In other words one cannot love or feel belonging or achieve a level of esteem without having the warmth of safety much less attain self-actualization.

    More recently, team safety has come to be defined as Inclusive.

    There are three components of team safety:

    • Sociological — “developing and maintaining friendly social bonds is a fundamental organizing principle of human behavior”
    • Psychological — “defined as a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”
    • Physiological — “relating to the way in which a living organism or bodily part functions”

    If members do not feel ‘safe’ then the team is not capable of high performance.  Moreover, the synergistic value that can be derived from team diversity can not be captured.

    Attaining Safety

    While the need to be safe is coded in our DNA so to speak, we are not inherently safe.  Individuals as well as teams must be proactive to reach situational safety.

    We are Mindful when we are in touch with ourselves and the environment through nurturing feelings.  Interesting, being mindful is a major requirement of High Reliability Organization/Team.  High reliability is a necessary ingredient for an organization’s Safety Culture and by extension its Teams (including third party ecosystem members).

    Safety is a learned behavior.  Therefore, effective training and ongoing reinforcement are necessary. Moreover, realistic scenarios are mandatory making the learning process relevant.

    Take the following maturity assessment and implement your team training program!

    What is your Team’s Culture of Safety Maturity?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

     

  • Is Your Remote Team Aligned?

    Is Your Remote Team Aligned?

    Recently, my team and I were tasked with a delicate decision making process.  Due to its nature and signatory level, team members were only authorized to explore and present options.  The final decision was mine alone.  Our project governance model clearly defined this decision making process.

    One day I received a call from remote members explaining they were going to a vendor site to assess our options–I concurred.  Several hours later they let me know that they had made a decision and signed a contract.  When challenged about their actions they informed me that the vendor had demanded that they ‘act fast.’

    Twice in my career I was the C level executive responsible for global operations.  In one case, one of my direct reports was in a different office along with my boss, the CEO.  I received multiple calls from the CEO over a period that ‘so and so’ had stopped by to talk and decisions were made about my operations.  “Well you were not here was the excuse and it seemed like a good idea to me.”  Would it surprise anyone that ‘so and so’ was relieved shortly thereafter?

    In another, the software development operation was in a different part of town.  Development plans were agreed to and then in some cases materially changed with without authority or even informing management.  Needless to say, projects were late or not completed.  After a few weeks of this, the development lead was terminated.

    Remote Management Governance

    Based on the above paragraphs, some may argue that I am not a very good manager.  Perhaps, they are right; however, the point is remote management can be very difficult.  Empowered individuals and teams must have boundaries.

    Yes, hire smart people and get out of the way.  However, there are limits as even Steve Jobs, the micromanager would agree.

    Evidence suggests that working remotely has its challenges and not everyone is well suited for it.  Some individuals will need additional support.

    There is a great deal of information available about remote management.  Some is sound, but this Though Leader on the subject disagrees with much the advice.  It seems for many, this is their ‘first rodeo’ while remote management goes back to antiquity.  While not the first, the Roman Empire functioned well from a bureaucratic or management perspective.

    Inclusive Teams

    Currently, much of the discussion focuses on the Inclusion of team members.  We are recognizing that Diversity is not enough if not every one participates.

    Previously, we had put forth the construct that cross cultural teams have many of the same characteristics of diverse groups.  We can extend this model and success that Inclusive Teams include those individual who are not as well suite for remote teams as others.

    Managing diverse remote teams and assuring that all team members are valued contributors requires a level of managerial engagement that is constant, consistent and appropriately empowering.  ALL members must be encouraged to participate and their input must be acknowledged by the others.  Only then can Steve Jobs and Elon Musk like decisions be taken and not by those who tend to dominate groups unilaterally.

    D&I in a Post-Pandemic World

    Typically, D&I has been defined as a function of ethnicity and/or gender.  Last year we put forth the construct that Cross-Cultural and D&I are similar models of human behavior and best practices from both could add value to the other.

    Diversity must now include those are not well suited for new business models; however, flawed they may be–jury is still out regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of full time remote teams.  Inclusion means they must be actively involved.  Leaders at all levels must assure this model is successful.

    How Do You Assure the Reluctant Remote Team Members are Included?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

     

     

  • What Is Your Opinion Based On?

    What Is Your Opinion Based On?

    “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”

    ~ W. Edwards Deming

    Data and its use is a very hot topic these days.  Significant controversy exists over decision making regarding Covid-19 strategies and the quality or lack there of the data supporting government policies.  Scientific disagreements and so called ‘academic arguments‘ are appropriate, especially when facing the NEW.  However, the way some data is being used should give us all pause.

    We will learn a lot from this pandemic, one important opportunity is to understand how incomplete and competing data can/must be used in important decision processes.  By definition, every decision is made with incomplete and/or poor quality data.  Moreover, all data is not revealed by traditional data analysis–Latent variables play a major role in any assessment process.

    Opinions Are Like …

    There are a number of ways to complete the above sentence and we will leave that to the reader.  As Deming mentioned, if the data supporting a position is not valid and reliable, it enters the arena of “FAKE.”  According to Accenture, “Fake data is data that is unverified, maliciously tampered with, or just plain wrong.”

    Unfortunately, much of what is passed today, especially on social media might be classified in the fake category.  With no quality assurance, even by institutional resources, positions are advanced as gospel and are often not just wrong but driven by agendas.

    For example, months ago, hydroxychloroquine was vilified by an on air journalist, yet a world leading medical expert posited that it helped.  Presently, the pendulum has swung against this drug.  Questions of the efficacy of the data have been resurrected.

    It is beyond the scope of this piece to address data nuances. Interested parties may find the Public Health Research Guide: Primary & Secondary Data Definitions useful.  Moreover, it is not necessary to become a data expert or data scientist.  The construct, Wisdom of the Crowds suggest that the knowledge and decision of a large group can be better than experts.

    If you have expertise in data, ask this simple question “Is the data reliable and valid?”  Also, follow the wisdom of physicist Richard Feynman, “If it disagrees with experiment, its wrong.”

    With so many claiming to follow The Science, it is important that individuals have a level of understanding about the data that supports The Science.  Sadly, from this physicist’s perspective secondary, unvetted data is often the weak foundation of their positions.

    So, What Are Your Statements Based On?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Passing of the Greatest Generation

    Passing of the Greatest Generation

    Salute Ladies and Gentlemen!

    December 7, 1941 was 79 years ago.  A twenty-year-old at the time would be 99 today, almost a centenarian.  My father is 98 and not likely to see 2021.

    We live in a technological age, and despite the pandemic it is relatively easy living for many.  No one is asking our youth to go to foreign lands with the likelihood of not returning.

    If the Twentieth Century has taught us anything, it is that youth has stood up repeatedly despite the dithering of politicians.  Many of this century’s young warfighters continue this proud tradition of defending our nation and our freedoms.

    Born at the dawn of the last century, this generation saw the Great Depression and volunteered for the (hopefully) final global conflict; World War II.  Since Pearl Harbor, our world has changed dramatically and quickly.

    They saw the transformation of the United States into a global Super Power and slogged through some 45 years of the Cold War.  China moved from the backward nation occupied by Japan to its current position.

    The (possible) Chinese saying/curse, “May You Live In Interesting Times” applies to this selfless generation who laid the ground work for our modern world.  On way they invented the transistor in 1947—the foundation of our “Smart Technologies.”

    As they pass from the scene, in the words of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”

    We must pick up their gauntlet.  In one sense it is a heavy lift; however, those who came before us have lightened our load.

    What Are You Doing to Make Your Parents and Grandparents Proud?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Covid-19 Positive: Telemedicine Kicked into High Gear

    Covid-19 Positive: Telemedicine Kicked into High Gear

    Crisis Drives Change

    In 2001 this writer approached the Houston medical community, post tropical storm Allison which flooded many basements in the Houston Medical Center with the loss of experimental data and other records.  We proposed the development of an Internet based solution to hold and manage medical records of all types.  The response to my organization’s offer to digitize records was met with disbelief and ultimate rebuke.

    At the time I was employed by a major corporation with the technology and financial resources to accomplish this task.  Sales Objections included privacy, doctors will not ‘buy in,’ insurance will not pay for it and a host of other lame excuses.

    Flash forward to 2020.  Why are thing so different now and the idea of ‘digitalization’ almost universally accepted?

    Twenty years is a career for many, yet it took a crisis this year to kick the medical sector into action at critical mass—Coronavirus, aka Covid-19.  As often the case large organizations are content to stay with the status quo.  Culture, processes, and even individual bonuses incent lethargy and complacency.  This common trait is not limited to one sector.

    Moreover, advances in online telemetry support the physician’s ability to treat many aliments remotely.  The industry did not just ‘jump’ to the current state, it evolved over time.  For example, remote and inaccessible areas such as Antarctica have taken advantage of telemedicine including remotely directed surgeries.

    Democratization

    We may look back on 2020 as the seminal moment when medicine was digitalized.  Despite current access issues such as we are finding with K-12 education, most will have the ability to interact online in the near future.  Moreover, a number of COTS (commercial off the shelf) health solutions such as found in a variety of Smart phone products enable remote diagnosis and monitoring on a global basis.

    The catalyst for taking telemedicine to the next level is Covid-19!  A good Positive.

    How is your organization taking advantage of remote operational technologies?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • How Bored Are You? – Adding Value During the Pandemic

    How Bored Are You? – Adding Value During the Pandemic

    A friend of mine sent me this uncited picture, so my apologies to the originator as I cannot give you the rightful credit deserved.  If you see this, let me know and I will update this blog.

    We are all enduring 2020 in our own way.  Sometimes positive but often negative.  Battling my own 2020 demons, I was never tempted to invent new mathematics.

    Other than the obvious humor of this likeness, what value add have we provided society since March?  For some dealing with job changes/loss and the kiddos at home may make developing calculus a seemingly easy task.  Some families have faced hospitalization and even the loss of loved ones.

    We all have been touched by this disease and personally, family and close friends have contracted it.  So far, all are recovering or have.

    With vaccines on the near horizon and with a pathogen (typical) lifecycle record of less than a couple of years, we may all move on and back to normal—in this pundit’s opinion not the new normal many prognosticate pontificate.  Likely, the old mask-less normal.

    We all have choices to make and in many cases have already made them.  While therapeutics and vaccines look very promising, the virus is still with us.  Personally, we have four choices.  Where we find ourselves at the end is a function of current behaviors.

    Note that developing new math is probably not one of them; however, new Apps are a distinct possibility.  New art, writing, music, businesses and a plethora of other options can be your contribution.  Carpe diem or make the most of your Isaac Newton moment.

    This virus is often compared to the 1918 so-call Spanish Flu; however, six pathogens have haunted the human race since then with another 14 in recorded history—not to mention polio that started circa 1916 and ran well into the 1950s..  Seems that one way or another we are all sentenced to live with this kind of scourge.

    How we make the best of it is up to each one of us.  Spend your time well—add value as opposed to waistline.

    What will you tell your kids you did during the 2020 pandemic?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Linear Metrics in Non-Linear Times?

    Linear Metrics in Non-Linear Times?

    “If it disagrees with experiment, its wrong”

    Our point today is to assess how behavioral decisions are being made today; not about the politics of one candidate or the other.

    The race to the US presidential election has entered its final phase.  As of this writing, establishment wisdom holds the conventional candidate as the presumptive winner.

    Pollical polling is a linear straightforward process albeit with the inherent bias of ‘all’ behavioral instruments.  Effective surveys will take a statistically significant representative sample and project those results to the larger electorate.  A time-honored approach for product marketing as well.

    However, there is another school of thought.  When a new produce/idea is disruptive or not well understood, the firm needs to be proactive rather than simply reactive such as using a survey.  Steve Jobs stated, “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them.  By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.

    One interpretation, ‘They don’t know what they don’t know.’  Echo the words of Donald Rumsfeld!

    Pollsters suggests that 2016 will not be repeated and they have modified their survey instrument control processes.  Recently one noted canvasser, Frank Luntz stated, “Pollsters did not do a good job in 2016.  So, if Donald Trump surprises people, if Joe Biden had a 5 or 6-point lead, my profession is done.”

    Our Lying Eyes

    When the world was the center of the universe with all the stars and galaxies rotating around us, linear projections confirmed the observed metrics.  However, famously, Nobel laureate, Richard Feynman taught us that, “If it disagrees with experiment, its wrong.”

    Galileo and Kepler among others experimented using the observable data differently.  They discovered that the universe does not revolve around our planet.

    Their assessments altered the given world forever and caused them significant personal angst in the process.  Established ‘science’ did not welcome this change readily.

    If the incumbent rallies and is elected for a second term despite expert projections using legacy linear tools, it maybe time to rethink how social beliefs and behaviors are measured.  Given the problems with Covid-19 data management, the same maybe said for that issue as well

    Hypothesis—Disruption cannot be accurately measured with traditional tools.

    Learnings

    Beyond politics and marketing, there are lessons for all of us.  Artificial Intelligence, Search Engines, Predictive, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, IoT et al are now all the rage.  But what if they are using the wrong algorithms?

    There are ramifications for our daily lives.  In March 2019, the Boeing Max 8 was grounded and has yet to return to service.  Will driverless automobiles put us all at risk?

    This survey question maybe answered on November 3 or whenever the final results are tabulated.  Other questions about the use of other metrics will remain unanswered; at least for now.

    How are you certain your decision supports processes and tools are providing valid and reliable data?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • Pressure Differential

    Pressure Differential

    Managing Tension at the Margin

    As September draws to a close the Houston metropolitan area has dodged two hurricane bullets; Laura and Beta.  Fingers crossed that this very active season draws to an early and quiet close.  The beauty and downside of the 24/7 news and weather reporting is that lay people learn more jargon then we ever new possible.  Take for example, the term Pressure Differential.

    One broadcaster used this phrase to describe the low at the eye-of-the-storm and circulating higher pressure.  In other words, the ‘tension at the margin’ or stress between competing bodies—the engine of power.

    Humans constantly deal with this phenomenon and sometimes the stress caused by this dichotomy can seem to be overwhelming.  Sometimes, it seems this powerful internal engine races without a governor.

    The Power of Change

    The pandemic, storm season, economy, job, family and a host of other issues tug at our margins constantly.  When writing about stress, Winston Churchill famously stated, “But the element which is constant and common in all of them is Change.”

    Mark Twain is credited with, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes (and it will change).”  Hurricane pressure differentials subside and the sun shines again.  Yet, the hurricane engine does not change of its own accord.

    In the case of Beta, dry air at its margin was one element that sapped it of its strength.  Storms change as a result of exogenous events.  Humans can also incorporate endogenous actions as change agents.

    Use Case

    Recently, I commented on a LinkedIn post where the author was reminding recruiters that hospitality workers have great and transferable skills.  The example I suggested was around events.

    The traditional conference event sector has been hit hard by the pandemic with most conferences cancelled.  The toll on those employees and supporting contractors must be horrendous.

    However, there is a surge in online event like activity.  Many of the same activities for in person conferences are the same.

    The program must be developed and marketed.  Speakers, panelists, participants and others must be recruited.  Wouldn’t those sales, planners and others from the traditional sector bring immediate and significant value to the digital venue?

    The power of change is within all of us.  Govern that engine properly and your pressure differential will nullify.

    What’s Your Change Plan for these Transformative Times?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to any third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event and contact the organizer for access to the presentations!!

    You can contact this author as well.

  • MVP: A Case of Failure

    MVP: A Case of Failure

    Not as Easy as it Seems

    When transforming this website to the Word Press platform, this author accepted the “wisdom” of various online sources and used a so called up and coming new Page Builder.  A huge mistake!

    After many failures and indeed public page lockups, I changed to a more established solution—the one used for this writing.  Over this technological journey, I was told by a number of support individuals to ‘deactivate’ plugins and troubleshoot from there.  While this sounds good on paper (or over chat call out), it does now work well when using this technology to run a business.

    Software Architecture

    According to Wikipedia, “the fundamental structures of a software system and the discipline of creating such structures and systems.  Each structure comprises software elements, relations among them, and properties of both elements and relations.  The architecture of a software system is a metaphor, analogous to the architecture of a building.  It functions as a blueprint for the system and the developing project, laying out the tasks necessary to be executed by the design teams.”

    The proliferation of Apps, Plugins and other products are a concern in any Open Source software development process that depends on a global set of independent development firms and individuals.

    As far back as the 1980s systems integrators decried the use of third-party memory cards in DEC mini systems.  The logic was that these organizations could not assure performance if these products were use.  To some extent they were right; however, in many ways it did not matter.

    However, when it came to service or warranty, It did matter.  If the system crashed because of a third-party product the user was on their own.  Loss of revenue and destruction of reputation remained with the customer and not the technology providers.  This was also my experience in 2020; some 30+ years later!

    These systems are not trivial; they are complex.  For example, the following diagram is taken from AWS Best Practices for Word Press. Does your provider manage to this level?

    Does It Matter Now?

    In an era of turn off your plugins to troubleshoot, I am not sure this doesn’t matter—point made above.  How can one run a business or even a personal ‘fun’ site if this error message appears after an upgrade?

    One fears that in the Open Source era Generally Accepted Practices for software development are not rigorously followed.  Imagine if GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practices) were not followed?  Oh wait, do I hear Enron, MCI et al?  We all know how that ended.

    So, use a ‘free’ plugin to clean up short code.  Hopefully, the tech selected will refresh when the new ultimately happens and incompatibility will not be an issue.  If this your strategy—Good luck!

    Are You Betting Your Company on this So-Called MVP Model?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    You can contact the author as well.

  • Radar: Technology Game Changer!

    Radar: Technology Game Changer!

    The battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 with over 200,000 individuals involved is possibly the largest naval battle in history.  Hopefully, one of the last ones.

    In that battle, the submarine USS Darter initially detected (on radar) the Japanese task force early on October 23.  Other US naval vessels spotted that armada shortly thereafter on their radar screens.  This advanced knowledge enabled to US Navy to seize the initiative.  After the battle, the Japanese never stood up an equivalent naval force again.

    Technological advantage can be a game changer.  There is evidence of this phenomenon throughout history.  In this instance, the result was the elimination of the adversary’s ability to recover and reengage in a meaningful way.

    History’s Lessons

    Another game changer from that era was the proximity fuse developed by the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University.  This technology enabled anti-aircraft rounds to explode within 75 feet of an attacking enemy aircraft instead of requiring physical contact which had a poor track record.  Referred to as, “The real secret weapon of World War II,” it is credited with shorting the war.

    Adversity has always led to rapid technological development.  There are indications that the Covid-19 pandemic is fueling an explosion of new ideas that directly address the infection as well as drive performance when the threat has passed.

    Capturing Value

    The conventional approach is to follow the Technology Adoption Life Cycle.  But is that still the realistic model today?  In our article published in 2004 Calculus of Value Model, we argue that the exact opposite is true.

    Advantage can go to those organizations that deploy technology early and codify knowledge obtained as a result.  The resulting ‘unfair advantage’ can change an industry.

    Previously we have made the case that while the concept of Minimum Viable Product aka MVP; a product that Early Adopters will find satisfactory, “The assessment of such technological solutions needs to be robust and thought through.  Not the knee jerk response often seen.”  Meaning that certain risks must be factored in the Value Proposition, but these can be manageable.

    According to Oracle’s Larry Ellison, “If you do everything that everyone else does in business, you’re going to lose.  The only way to really be ahead, is to ‘be different’.”  So Be Different—Start Early!

    How Can You Make New Technologies Your Organizational Game Changer?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We are presenting, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 the week of September 14, 2020.  Check Out this timely event!!

    You can contact the author as well.

  • The Tyranny of the Blank Sheet of Paper

    The Tyranny of the Blank Sheet of Paper

    We have all had that, “Where do I start” moment?  Confronted with the NEW, sometimes the task seems daunting.  In a recent conversation, a colleague and I were discussing an adult training program.  The subject centered on how to help students jump start a creative flow.

    We humans are fond of using so called cheat sheets.  Whether school CliffNotes, Cut and Paste, Go Bys, Best Practices or other tools to wrap our mind around a subject and launch the thought process.  In other words, anything to move us away from the cosmic void–so called ‘writer’s block.’

    Tidbits that Work for Me

    Faced with tyranny often during my formative career years, i.e., a professional services proposal, new spreadsheet, etc. a few tricks were developed.

    First—Just start writing.  Put your thoughts down as they fly out and don’t worry about the order or even if they are relevant.  You can sort these things out later, but a least your paper is no longer blank.

    Get Up—Hit a spot where nothing is pouring out of your brain? Put your (electronic) paper down and go exercise or do something totally unrelated.  You will be surprised how the creative juices will flow when you return.

    Ask a Friend—Remember the old game show where contestants could ‘phone a friend’ when stumped on a question?  Brainstorm with friend and colleagues; even those who have no knowledge of the problem your engaged with.  Sometimes, they have the best insight—true out of the box.

    Do Something Else—If time allows put the project on the shelf and work on something entirely different.  You can come back later refreshed.

    FYI, the tyranny never goes away.  Hundreds of publications and presentations later, it still can persist from time to time.  The four tidbits still work for this author.

    By one definition, tyranny is “cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control.”  There is no reason to let a blank sheet of paper exercise such awful authority.  Take back your creativity!

    Why Let the Blank Sheet of Paper Ruin Your Day?

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    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 on April 9, 2020.  The summit will be offered again soon.  Check it Out!!

    You can contact the author as well.

  • Home for a While?

    Home for a While?

    It appears that issues associated with the Covid-19 pandemic will remain for some time.  Hopefully, the emerging vaccines will be readily available in the coming months.  That said, one of the disruptive changes that may codify is Working from Home.

    In our March 16, 2020 piece, Home Base During a Crisis: ‘get up, clean up and dress up’ we addressed some of the problems one uncovers when working from home during a crisis.  In that piece, we conjectured “Is this a paradigm shift or just a short-term inconvenience?  Reality; probably a bit of both.”

    The virus and its propagation remain serious.  However, from the perspective of a new normal working remotely is becoming an accepted model.  Many organizations have announced long-term and even permanent distant working plans.

    As we move from a short-term crisis to a ‘way of life,’ we must make changes as well.  The need for a daily structured process must become our approach to the job as does the need to find meaningful engagement with others.

    As with other change models, new process should not just happen.  An attainable action plan must be put in place and followed.

    Some Ideas

    In no order, these thoughts might be helpful.

    • When we transitioned from school to our first ‘real’ job, changes in our daily life were perhaps dramatic. It is useful to think of this paradigm shift from that perspective.
    • One of the challenges faced by retirement is often the sudden stop in activities. Going from Business @ the Speed of Thought to “I wonder what I will do today” has literally killed many retirees at a very young age.

    One way to make this a soft landing is a transition process.  Many I have known have taken new positions that were not as stressful prior to full retirement.  Try this approach when moving to 80+% working from home.

    Another example; restaurants opening after Stay at Home orders were lifted started at 25% capacity and then to 50% and so on.  This allows staff to adopt policy and guidelines into their formal work process.

    • Think of this as a ‘Life Stage Transition.’ Marriage, birth of a child, divorce, moving, etc. lead to significant changes in our daily schedule.

    An article in Psychology Today recounts “10 Ways to Make it Through Your Life’s Transitions.”  This is a good quick perusal and readers will see useful coping mechanisms (especially for those where a transition is unwanted).

    Moreover, with school openings uncertain children as well as parents may learn from the points made herein.  Working from Home has good stages and not so good junctures.  Capitalize on the former.

    What is Your Personal Business Model for Working from Home Permanently?

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 on April 9, 2020.  The summit will be offered again soon.  Check it Out!!

    You can contact the author as well.

  • Agility, Resiliency, Sustainability

    Agility, Resiliency, Sustainability

    In a recent Harvard Business Review, I was struck by an article about Best Practices for small businesses.  From that piece, “To successfully navigate Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) challenges like Covid-19, family business leaders can look to best practices from another organization that specializes in VUCA situations—the U.S. military’s Special Operations Forces (SOF)” (emphasis added).  There are a lot of good ideas in the article that organizations can implement immediately.  Moreover, we have long recognized that properly vetted and adjusted as necessary, Best Practices from others can add significant value to organizations in other industries.

    Out of the Darkness

    It is easy to be overwhelmed these days.  Mildly put, most if not all organizations were thrown into chaos in less than a month.  Depending on your business you are either partially operating or still waiting to open-up.

    Regardless, how you work in June will be different than early March (~60 days as of this writing).  Traditional recession management and recovery techniques may not be applicable this time.

    There are lots of ideas about how to use technology going forward.  Digitalization, IoT, IT-OT, among others are hawked as THE solution.  Problem is, it is not that simple, and it takes time and money to implement.  Many midsize firms do not have those privileges/resources.

    There are a lot of actions most organizations can take without major CAPEX investments in time and money.

    Years ago, we recognized that certain industrial sectors, particularly those with a high-risk profile such as energy or others deemed to be part of Critical Infrastructures face unique challenges.  Some have a tendency towards incremental change or even the status quo.  Change is often slow with setbacks.

    Moreover, for every major firm there can be thousands of organizations in the supply chain ecosystems all of which must work well if total costs and profitability for all are to be effectively addressed.

    This seemingly daunting task yet it need not be.  There is a solution set available that can help organizations manage through this dark period and into the light, thriving.

    The mission of The Rapid Response Institute is;

    “Helping Clients Achieve Organizational Agility, Resiliency and Sustainability”

    To that end, we have developed solutions, methodologies, and tools enabling enterprises of all sizes to not just survive but thrive after disruptive events.  Much of this is either free or at low cost.

    Rapid Response

    In our 2009 White Paper, Rapid Response Management: Thriving in the New World Order we posited our new approach to managing your business.  “Rapid Response Management (RRM) is an organizational construct or mental model that enables the organization and its key partners to rapidly sense changes and respond accordingly–quickly.  While it maximizes the effectiveness of management knowledge to address change, it is not simply gut feel.  Rather it is a simple yet sophisticated, methodical paradigm any organization can quickly and inexpensively implement.”

    RRM is a creative and well documented method for running your business.  The thinking was well advanced by 2009 and has been further ‘stress tested’ over the past decade.

    We have updated RRM with our Operational Excellence Platform and interested readers are invited to check that out as well.  Our offerings are designed to help our clients get through crises such as Covid-19.

    We are updating this white paper and it will be available as an e-book in the near future.  If you would like to reserve a free copy, Contact us.

    We are here to shed some light during this dark period.  For no cost, no obligation discussion contact us.  We can put decades of experience dealing with business cycle adversity on your team.

    Feel like your trapped?  You’re NOT!

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 on April 9, 2020.  The summit will be offered again soon.  Check it Out!!

    You can contact the author as well.

  • Disrupting Disruption!

    Disrupting Disruption!

    Let me understate, ‘working in the petroleum sector has always been challenging.’  Now we find ourselves in a major economic downturn caused by a Covid-19 pandemic and aided and abetted by an international crude oil price war.

    Once again, many thousands have lost their livelihood and possibly not return to a similar job as the industry consolidates and restructures both organizationally and operationally.  However, much has changed and for the better since this writer first experienced a major retraction in the 1980s.

    Back in the day, choices then included sending hundreds of hardcopy resumes hoping the right person would find/like it out of an overflowing inbox or leave the sector and look for better pastures.  Collectively, impacted individuals tried both.  Certainly, there was not a feeling that we were in command of our destiny, even if we knew someone who could help us.

    Today, we are the Master and Commander of our voyage!

    I See Things

    Visions of armies of energy workers becoming software programmers are probably hallucinations.  Some might but many will not have the ability, temperament or interest in such a feat.

    There are always winners and losers in any disruption.  Already, there are signs that the traditional retail sales processes are accelerating on a path they were already on.  Upscale restaurants now feature ‘take out.’

    Some who once worked for manufacturers, oil producers and other core companies will most likely find new careers with suppliers to those firms.  This may be especially true of supply chain, business process and technologies such as IT and engineering.  For example, operators will look to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and qualified suppliers to implement their Digitalization business models.

    Those with technical skills such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) will be in demand for both recall to older business models but more likely to enable new ones.  Other emerging energy sectors include renewables and their derivatives.

    Entire, global business models are under scrutiny and change is inevitable.  Older sluggish companies will be replaced with new agile entrants.  Just look at how Amazon evolved from an online book seller to their current position.

    How to Disrupt

    What if I want to strike out?  For those who feel alone and not sure which way to turn, there is help available right now!  As far as I know everything listed below is at no cost and RRI knows these resources directly—no third parties.

    • “Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, announced that it would provide free access to its ArcGIS platform and training resources to professionals worldwide who are impacted by work furloughs during the COVID-19 outbreak.
    • Do you have a great idea for an energy-based startup company, but not sure where to start? I am on the leadership team of the Global Energy Mentors and we provide free mentoring services.  Check us out and you do not have to reside in the Houston metro area!
    • Looking for help from the Small Business Administration and again, don’t know who to call? Let us know and will put you in contact with the Houston office.
    • There are other opportunities available where we can help you. For example, the BBL Ventures Energy & Industrial Tech Challenge and Eunike Ventures it’s Alliance Partners are seeking innovative technologies via our 2020 Technology Open Call.  There are others as well and to date, the Innovation and Acceleration sector remains active.
    • Got a quick question? Contact us for 30 minutes of free online/email consulting limited to the first 50 and perhaps more.  We know of numerous additional resources and hopefully can direct you.

    Moreover, almost anyone can develop an App about any subject or issue.  What’s bugging you for which there is NO App or other solution?  Guess what, you now the Subject Matter Expert in that field.  Search App Development for all manor of free or low cost tools and help.

    Changes of the magnitude discussed herein can be daunting but there is no reason for any of us to fail in this transformation.  When faced with few or no options in your current career environment—What do you have to lose?

    Why let this disruption control you?  You control it!

    For More Information

    Please note, RRI does not endorse or advocate the links to third-party materials.  They are provided for education and entertainment only.

    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 on April 9, 2020.  The summit will be offered again soon.  Check it Out!!

    You can contact the author as well.

  • Tumultuous Decade: What’s Next for Oil & Gas?

    Tumultuous Decade: What’s Next for Oil & Gas?

    April 20, 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of one of the most horrific incidents in the upstream oil and gas sector—Deepwater Horizon.  In addition to the tragic loss of eleven lives, the sector forever changed.  Immediate restructuring of federal oversight resulted in the establishment of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and their subsequent Safety Culture Policy.

    The industry changed too.  One of the first efforts following Macondo was the formation of the Marine Well Containment Company.  Its mission is to rapidly respond to Deepwater incidents in the Gulf of Mexico.  Subsequent organizations are also positioned around the world.

    Moreover, the industry embraced Safety Culture and continues to improve based upon Systemic Safety Cultures across organizational ecosystems.  These processes are incorporated into Operations Management Systems that incorporate SEMS as part of Operational Excellence Initiatives.

    In 2014, the sector faced another slap in the face with the collapse of oil prices, yet again.  Now it is the double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic coupled with the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

    Darkest Before the Dawn

    Each time the industry is forced to retrench, it follows a predictable pattern.  Reduction in force (layoffs), corporate restructuring and turning to technology are among the most common steps.

    This chart from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows the employment levels for the upstream sector since the early 1970s.  One can make the case that the level of employment in the sector is flat at best.  One likely cause is automation and the extensive use of information technology to manage the business.

    Note: This chart is current as of March 2020

    In 1970, the US population was a little more than 205 million.  Now it tops 330 million.  This supports a hypothesis that the per capita employment by the sector is decreasing.  We expect this to continue.

    The Digital Oilfield marches on with the advent of IT-OT Convergence, Digitalization, etc.  This process has been underway since at least the late 1970s with the advent of the first computerized data acquisition systems.  Likely, much longer if one considers for example, the invention of electric well logging by the Schlumberger brothers in 1926.

    Certainly, other technological advances have contributed as well.  The often maligned fracturing the rock traces its roots back the beginning of the industry (circa 1862).  Contemporary hydraulic fracturing was started by Halliburton in 1949 and shale ‘fracing’ by Mitchell Energy & Development Corporation during the 1990s.

    While we have not done the detailed research, historically oil companies have outsourced to engineering firms, IT companies and others that provide a service as opposed to full time employees.  Today’s disrupted employees may find better careers in the emerging sectors that support petroleum operations as well as other sectors.

    Schumpeter’s Creative Destruction is a work in ‘the patch’ today.  A lot has happened in the Deepwater Horizon incident.  Here’s to calmer waters this next ten years!

    How Are You Positioning Your Career to Capitalize on Disruption?

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    For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game

    We presented, Should Cross Cultural Serious Games Be Included in Your Diversity Program: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Online Conference, New Diversity Summit 2020 on April 9, 2020.  The summit will be offered again soon.  Check it Out!!

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