Category Archives: questions

How i learned to skip with Toyota

Posted on April 28, 2017 by

I do skipping at the gym. It looks like this. But i want do be epic at skipping and make the rope go round twice. Like this… These are called “Double Unders”. So called because although you jump up once, the … Continue reading →

Posted in change, experiment, questions, systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

There are only 6 graphs you’ll ever see on a performance report and they’re all rubbish. Here they are.

Posted on March 21, 2017 by

This is Performance Cat, and she doesn’t like rubbish performance reporting. And she definitely doesn’t like dumbass explanations for meaningless shapes in graphs… One of the more adorable features of performance reporting in normal ordinary command and control organisations is … Continue reading →

Posted in data, information, leadership, questions, setting a numerical target is like..., statistics, systems thinking | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The 1 thing nobody has ever said about a scorecard (and the 7 things they often do)

Posted on June 20, 2016 by

What people often say about scorecards 1. This colour symbol is wrong, shouldn’t it be a green? 2. Why isn’t that an up arrow? 3. There’s a spelling mistake in the comments 4. The formatting is slightly off. Needs more … Continue reading →

Posted in all wrong, command and control, measures, purpose, questions, systems thinking, targets, thinking | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

The Zinn Principle

Posted on December 17, 2015 by

We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us, startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly fixed … Continue reading →

Posted in learning, questions, systems thinking | Tagged | 2 Comments

How to be Bert or Ernie

Posted on April 18, 2014 by

. This is what happens in every organisation I’ve been in when someone more important asks someone less important for something. The someone-less-important doesn’t feel they can ask more about what it is that is needed, as the someone-more-important has … Continue reading →

Posted in clarity of purpose, command and control, communication, questions | Tagged | Leave a comment

Learning is a thing

Posted on October 21, 2013 by

Today I learnt that… Nope, it’s gone.

Posted in deming, knowledge, learning, questions, systems thinking, very short posts | Tagged , | 1 Comment

3 word Deming

Posted on October 19, 2013 by

I found this sorry article left in a meeting room. As you can see, not much progress had been made. Flip charts in meeting rooms are brilliant evidence of the thinking that was in the room. Imagine that is you … Continue reading →

Posted in deming, learning, questions, systems thinking | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Think Data

Posted on October 14, 2013 by

Here is Seth telling it how it is. “presenting information […] in a way that allows people to hear and see and think, is one of the most powerful tools available to people who’d like to make change. It’s far more … Continue reading →

Posted in plausible, questions, systems thinking, thinking | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Why listening beats questions 6 ways to Sunday

Posted on July 13, 2013 by

Q: What is the difference between asking questions and listening? A: One isn’t the same as the other, and neither is both. Yesterday I was taking my turn, as a good natured Policy Officer, asking staff about the draft council … Continue reading →

Posted in me doing it, questions, thinking | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The astronaut answers

Posted on June 23, 2013 by

Remember this? The correct answer is……it falls to the ground. The answers you gave are below. 70% of you are correct! Well done! There is gravity on the moon, it is just weaker than on earth as the moon has … Continue reading →

Posted in learning, questions, thinking | Tagged | 8 Comments

The Schleswig-Holstein Question

Posted on May 16, 2013 by

Here is a test, a maxim and a principle to guide you on your way. 1: The Dick Gregory Better Mousetrap test “When you’ve got something really good, you don’t have to force it on people. They will steal it!” … Continue reading →

Posted in questions, systems thinking, thinking, very short posts | Tagged | 2 Comments

Value for money is the breakfast of champions!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

Value for money. That’s what. The public sector and Council’s in particular are obsessed with “value for money”. Or rather obsessed with the phrase, and where they are on associated league tables that purport to answer the foolish question they ask themselves, … Continue reading →

Posted in all wrong, command and control, public sector, questions | Tagged | Leave a comment

Curious?

Posted on March 1, 2013 by

“be curious read widely try new things what people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity” aaron swartz (1986-2013)

Posted in knowledge, learning, questions, very short posts | Tagged | 3 Comments