Increasing overall effectiveness of laboratory operations NCSLI Annual Conference National Harbor, Maryland Presented by Dean S. Williams © 2011 Effective Focus Insights. All Rights Reserved

How?

Knowledge & Motivation

Knowledge Tough to do what you don’t know how to do

Effectiveness can be Very Simple

Motivation ’cause it just won’t happen on its own

Effectiveness is like Staying in Shape

You can do it

Once upon a time …

10 Woke up facing a BIG problem

Instrument Backlog

12

13

Chain – talk about underlying principle - system level – everything is part of a system and church illustration real effectiveness is about SYSTEM Effectiveness

Effective Focus (simple) Insights

Principles Focus – Goal + a Simple Plan Improve – address the constraint Evaluate – Measure your progress Pragmatics Problems – What to change Conflicts – What to change to Resistance – How to change Practices Simplify – Creating efficiency Prioritize – Planning success Execute – Getting results

Principles Focus – Goal + a Simple Plan Improve – address the constraint Evaluate – Measure your progress

1 st Principle - You need to have Focus Focus = a goal and a simple plan

“You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." -Yogi Berra

Our Goal Ensure the Right Measurement Resource is in the Right Place at the Right Time.

1 st Principle - You need to have Focus Focus = a goal and a simple plan

“Enthusiasm without knowledge is like running in the dark.” - unknown

Our Goal and Simple Plan

2nd Principle – To Improve, address the Constraint

“ It’s possible to spend your time working efficiently on unimportant problems which, when solved, will bring no glory to you and no profit to the company.” - Robert H. Henry

System view of M&TE operations Plants Receiving 500 after 350 before 10 Labs Total Production 250 Approval 600 Shipping Capabilities of each function 350 before 500 after

3rd Principle – Measure to improve effectiveness

“Tell me how you will measure me and I’ll tell you how I will behave.” - Eli Goldratt

Throughput Three Measures for greater effectiveness Inventory Operating Expenses

Principles Focus – Goal + a Simple Plan Improve – address the constraint Evaluate – Measure your progress

Practices Simplify – Creating efficiency Prioritize – Planning success Execute – Getting results 3 1

32 1 st Practice – Simplify for greater effectiveness

“Almost every well- established organization has a coral reef of procedures that were laid down to achieve some long forgotten objective.” - John W. Gardner

What don’t you need?

David?

Get rid of everything that doesn’t look like David.

It’s OK to…

nd Practice – Prioritize for greater effectiveness

It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about? -Henry David Thoreau

Focus on Quadrant 2, the “green” zone Not Important / Important Urgent / Not Urgent PRIORITY GRID 2 IMPORTANT And you let then become URGENT NOT IMPORTANT but they act URGENT IMPORTANT And not yet URGENT NOT IMPORTANT And not URGENT

41 3rd Practice – Execute with singleness of mind for greater effectiveness

“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.” - Peter Drucker

Multi-tasking

"To do two things at once, is to do neither.“ - Publilius Syrus

Learn from the Gerbil

Be the Relay Runner

Eat the Frog

Practices Simplify – Creating efficiency Prioritize – Planning success Execute – Getting results 3 1

Pragmatics Problems – What to change Conflicts – What to change to Resistance – How to change Goal Need Want Conflict Type and nature of the problem Direction of the solution The complete solution Negative side effects Obstacles Un-verbalized fears Effective Change Symptom Cause Symptom Cause Root Cause

Symptom Cause Symptom Cause Root Cause 1 st Pragmatic– Problems getting beyond the symptoms to find lasting solutions

“When we find and work at removing the actual cause of the problem we will never find it repeating.” - Brahma Kumaris

52 Go beyond dealing with symptoms and start addressing the underlying causes.

2 nd Pragmatic– Conflicts breaking the barriers to greater effectiveness Goal Need Want Conflict

“We are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when we discuss it freely.” - Thomas Babington

55 Move from arguing about wants and start talking about needs and common goals

Type and nature of the problem Direction of the solution The complete solution Negative side effects Obstacles Un-verbalized fears Effective Change 3 rd Pragmatic– Resistance planning for more effectiveness solutions 6 Layers of Resistance

“There are no problems we cannot solve together and very few we can solve by ourselves.” – Lyndon Johnson

58 Overcome resistance to change by effectively engaging the stakeholders – determine and address their concerns

Pragmatics Problems – What to change Conflicts – What to change to Resistance – How to change Goal Need Want Conflict Type and nature of the problem Direction of the solution The complete solution Negative side effects Obstacles Un-verbalized fears Effective Change Symptom Cause Symptom Cause Root Cause

Principles Focus – Goal + a Simple Plan Improve – address the constraint Evaluate – Measure your progress Pragmatics Problems – What to change Conflicts – What to change to Resistance – How to change Practices Simplify – Creating efficiency Prioritize – Planning success Execute – Getting results

Recommended Reading 7 Habits – Stephen Covey The Goal – Eliyahu Goldratt Finally Focused – Dean Williams Switch – Chip & Dan Heath Strengths Finder – Rath Well Being Finder – Rath & Harter

What’s your next step ?

Effective Focus Insights Questions? Comments Principles Focus – Goal + a Simple Plan Improve – address the constraint Evaluate – Measure your progress Practices Simplify – Creating efficiency Prioritize – Planning success Execute – Getting results Pragmatics Problems – What to change Conflicts – What to change to Resistance – How to change