In my blog about ‘pipes and connectors’ I went over my perspective on the transformation required at an individual level to make newer connections. Businesses can do the same.
While theory of constraints (TOC) talks about its main tool – FIVE focussing steps including the identify and exploit steps for a constraint, the theory of COL focusses on just FOUR steps to remove the constraints in learning. These FOUR focussing steps correspond to the activities of the four quadrants of COL. Simply stated, they are Acquire and Apply, Benchmark and Begin, Do and Discover, Connect and Collaborate.
Of course, the simplest thing we can do is to commute the circle to visit all the quadrants. Once we do that, the things we need to do to achieve the business transformation through the learning process of COL will become self-evident. It saves us time not only in researching the plethora of business transformation tools that are currently available but also helps us to keep pace with the tools themselves.
Each time we commute the circle, we will be able to achieve the right perspective to pick the right tools for business transformation. The essence of commuting the circle lies in the time it takes to commute after determining the time that is required. Of course, the commute can be made shorter or longer depending on the speed chosen and the speed chosen for each commute can be adjusted to correspond to the complexity of the transformation that is required or desired.
We have come across many schools of thoughts to deal with the transformation. As we can see over the past few decades, the business process transformation has taken on newer meanings with each commute of the circle. We have come up with various frameworks and methodologies to transform businesses – from BPR to BPI and BPM to BPO. The tools and the companies involved in Business Process Transformation(BPT) effort are too many to mention here.
Let’s take a look at managing the transformation itself under these various hats. There has been attempts to synthesize these theories to come up with newer ones. Lean process and Six Sigma produced Lean Sigma. Similarly the attempts have been made by many in the areas of project management to manage the transformation as a project. Theory of Constraints(TOC) management processes for project management have been expanded to include Critical Chain management while synthesizing TOC tools to cover PMBOK knowledges areas and project phases.
Similarly, Lean, Six Sigma, TQM processes have been synthesized to PMBOK knowledge areas and to CCPM phases for both single project and multi-project environments.
Let’s take a moment to pause and ponder on what we have thrust upon ourselves. If we closely follow the essence of all these management processes, we find that they all relate to a system approach to complex problem solving. All four of the COL processes can similarly be synthesized to all of the above, but the COL approach is on the lines of learning. But, my question is – why do we need to do that?
The underlying principle is to re-learn what we already know with newer connections. These connectors keep changing with changing times. Hence, the business transformation needs to be aware of such changing times and tools to transform in such a way that is most suitable for its type of growth, cultural background and the business landscape that it operates in.
Each quadrant will equip these businesses with fundamental processes that are essential in learning, no matter how you go about achieving the transformation. Even if you miss one step, I think the results that you end up with may range from out of tune transformations to catastrophic transformation that might even wipe out the business itself from the landscape.