The Problem: inordinate waste

Electrician

Architect

PlanningDepartment

SELECTScottish Building

Standards AgencyCetificate Number

First Contact

Visit customer

Contact Architect

Visit CustomerCompile drawing

SubmitDrawing1 x copy

Contact Planning

For documentaion7 x A4 sheets

DocumentationSent

7 x A4 sheets

Documentation returned7 x A4 sheets4 x drawings

Contact SELECTFor certificate Certificate

Approved5 x A4 sheets

Approval granted5 x A4 sheets2 x drawings

Visit siteCheck application

Notify planningWork completedSubmit certificate

4 x A4 sheets

Visit siteVerify workcompleted

Install socket

Wholesaler

Obtainmaterial

Submit certificate5 x A4 sheets

Examples:• The above complex procedure is to change a £4.50 three pin socket in a council house.• 40% negative spend on interventions that could have been avoided (Christie Report)• The regulation becomes the customer rather than the service user (Russel Griggs)• “Demoralisation may be the most pernicious and insidious cost”.(John Seddon)

The Fundamental CauseThe way we think – our “control” culture

Our Command and Control Culture wastes the innovative potential of those at the work face

Solving organisational problems

1850s Present Day

Traditional management , which used to be successful, focused on directing and controlling its people.

The future is going to be how well our organisations are able unleash the spirit and willing commitment of their people.

“We cannot solve our problems from the same level of thinking that created them.” – Albert Einstein.

The Opportunity – to think differently

The above change is as radical as the metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a butterfly. (Richard Pascale)

Unreasonable

A belief in people and the design of systems to enable their spirit and willing commitment

It Works

The Grampian Justice system project which was able to reduce the time taken to close out summary cases from 247 days to just 35.

The consultants on the project were Vanguard – see www.systemsthinking.co.uk

There are innumerable other successful examples across all sectorsWe are appalling bad at learning from these examples

Learners

We are flooded with ResourcesPeople

5 Million Scots, of which 1.5 million are graduates (plus the Scottish diaspora) The vast majority want to contribute to the advancement of Scottish Society.

Case StudiesThe many case studies demonstrating what can be achieved.

Consultancies, learning GroupsWe are well served with Consultancies and learning groups.

CommunitiesThe powerful work within communities

Exemplar organisationsEspecially the employee owned companies

Documented KnowledgeThe comprehensive research that has been conducted over the past decades. It is fully documented.

The Unreasonable LearnersA connected group of forward thinkers – see www.unreasonable-learners.com

The Way Forward Our whole society has to think differently

• Engaging Society– Through the use of the web and the internet– Thought leading presentations beamed across the whole of Scotland

• Removal of Barriers– Research into waste and barriers– Removal of causes of waste and barriers to progress

• A Belief in Knowledge– As per the wording on the Scottish Mace we need to develop a culture that is based

on “Wisdom” – or the application of principles that have been proven scientifically.• Organisational/Societal Learning

– The continual improvement of the systems that characterise our society• Using the abundant resources in Society

– The people, consultants, learning groups, Scottish diaspora, the successful projects, employee owned companies etc

Who are going to be the leaders in this push to modernise Scotland?