Theory of Constraints Handbook - James Cox Iii [521]
The actions that people take are also effects—results—of the decisions that people made to take the actions.
Decisions are made based on the information available to the persons making the decisions. The point at which information flows is what Grinnell (2007) refers to as the “pinch point” because it comes at the transition between the tangible stuff that we measure, manage, and engineer, and the personal stuff that nobody sees. Let’s dive down. Grinnell’s claim, which, frankly, I can’t argue with, is that the clarity and availability of information is a function of the relationships among the deliverers and receivers of the information. The quality of the relationships between deliverers and receivers of information is an effect of their perceptions of one another, and the foundation for those perceptions is mindsets that stem from the beliefs and culture of the individual.
The use of TOC tends to be focused on those things that are above the information line in Grinnell’s model. However, the actual use of it—which means starting with the concept of inherent simplicity and the mindset of a scientist, the acceptance of the possibility that people are good, and the discipline of internal honesty—has a tremendous impact on those things below the “information line.” The use of TOC TP will change your feelings, behaviors, and relationships, and the result is greater harmony.
References
Cox III, J. F., Blackstone Jr., J. H., and Schleier, Jr., J. G. 2003. Managing Operations: A Focus on Excellence. Great Barrington, MA: North River Press.
Goldratt Consulting Ltd. 2009. POOGI for MTO Manufacturers, MTO S&T.
Goldratt, E. M. 1990. What is this thing called Theory of Constraints and how should it be implemented? Croton-on-Hudson, NY: North River Press.
Goldratt, E. M. 1994. It’s Not Luck. Great Barrington, MA: North River Press.
Goldratt, E. M. 2009. The Choice. Great Barrington, MA: North River Press
Goldratt, E. M. and Cox, J. 1986. The Goal. Rev. ed. Croton-on-Hudson, NY: North River Press.
Goldratt, R. 2001. “Transition tree—A review,” (unpublished) Kfar Saba, Israel.
Grinnell, J. R. 2007. Project Leadership Model. Chapel Hill, NC: Grinnell Leadership & Organizational Development.
Newton, I. 1729. The Mathematical Principals of Natural Philosophy. Volume II. Translated to English by Andrew Motte.
Scheinkopf, L. J. 1999. Thinking for a Change: Putting the TOC Thinking Processes to Use. Boca Raton, FL. St. Lucie Press.
conflict.Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conflict (accessed: December 19, 2009).
situation.Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/situation (accessed: December 18, 2009).
system.Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/system (accessed: December 18, 2009).
About the Author
Lisa Scheinkopf is a Director of Goldratt Consulting, and is recognized worldwide as a leading Theory of Constraints (TOC) authority. Lisa worked with Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt in developing the TOC Thinking Processes and is the author of the definitive TOC reference, Thinking for a Change: Putting the TOC Thinking Processes to Use (St. Lucie Press, 1999). Her articles have been published in a variety of industry and professional publications, and she has a long history of implementing, teaching, and public speaking on TOC. With over 25 years management and consulting experience, Lisa is a past Board Member and Chairperson of TOCICO, and has an MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Appendix B: Categories of Legitimate Reservation
The Categories of Legitimate Reservations—The Rules of Logic28
Goldratt developed a set of logic rules, called the categories of legitimate reservations