The Competitive Advantage of Common Sense: Using the Power You Already Have (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books)

193 Pages·2003·0.65 MB·English

by  Fergus O'Connell

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
O’Connell,Fergus.
The competitive advantage of common sense:using the power you already have/Fergus O’Connell.
p. cm. -- (Financial Times Prentice Hall books)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-13-141143-8
1. Executive ability--Problems,exercises,etc. 2. Common sense--Problems,exercises,
etc. 3. Simplicity--Problems,exercises,etc. 4. Management--Problems,exercises,etc. I.
Title. II. Series.
HD38.2.O29 2003
658.4’09--dc21
2003040592
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© 2003 Pearson Education,Inc.
Publishing as Financial Times Prentice Hall
Upper Saddle River,NJ 07458
Authorized adaptation from the original UK edition,entitled
SIMPLY BRILLIANT,First Edition by Fergus O’Connell,
published by Pearson Education Limited,© Pearson Education Limited 2001.
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ISBN 0-13-141143-8
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This book is dedicated
to the memory of Donal McHugh.
C
ONTENTS
PREFACE xvii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xix
INTRODUCTION xxi
1
MANY THINGS ARE SIMPLE 1
Questions 2
Answers 3
Scores 4
The Idea 5
The Problem of Overly Complex 5
The Design of Computer Systems 6
Tool 7
Examples 9
Example 1: Running a Successful Business 9
Example 2: Marketing 9
Example 3: Lateral Thinking 10
So What Should You Do? 10
References 12
2
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO 13
Questions 14
Answers 15
xi
xii CONTENTS
Scores 16
The Idea 16
Tools 17
Understand What You’re Trying to Do 18
Know If What You’re Trying to Do Is What Everyone Wants 18
Know If What You’re Trying to Do Has Changed 19
Visualization 19
Examples 20
Example 4: Figuring Out What You’ve Been Asked to Do 20
Example 5: Meetings (Part 1) 24
Example 6: Setting Goals 24
Example 7: Looking for Simple Causes 26
So What Should You Do? 27
References 28
3
THERE IS ALWAYS A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 29
Questions 30
Answers 31
Scores 32
The Idea 32
Tools 36
Make the Journey in Your Head 36
Do It in as Much Detail as Possible 36
Use Knowledge and Assumptions 37
Count the Bricks in the Wall 37
There Always Has to be Another Way 37
Record What Actually Happens 38
Look for Connections 40
Examples 42
Example 8: Estimating 42
CONTENTS xiii
Example 9: Meetings (Part 2) 46
Example 10: Dealing with Lots of Things and Prioritizing 48
Example 11: Speeding Things Up 49
Example 12: Dealing with Specialists 49
Example 13: Problem Solving 50
Example 14: Discussions That Lead Nowhere 51
So What Should You Do? 52
References 53
4
THINGS DON’T GET DONE
IF PEOPLE DON’T DO THEM 55
Questions 56
Answers 57
Scores 58
The Idea 58
Tools 60
Make Sure Every Job Has Somebody to Do It 60
Dance Cards 60
Maximizing the Strengths of the Team 63
The Strip Board 65
Examples 67
Example 15: Getting a Life (Part 1) 67
Example 16: Getting a Life (Part 2) 73
Example 17: Aligning Goals or Objectives 79
Example 18: Ensuring a Project or Endeavor Gets Done 81
Example 19: Ensuring That Your Organization
Delivers on Its Commitments 84
Example 20: Coping with Interruptions 89
Example 21: Managing in Recessionary Times 90
So What Should You Do? 91
References 93