The Cranky Middle Manager Show #162 No More Incrementalism- Tor Dahl
Wayne Turmel dives in way over his head to talk to Dr. Tor Dahl for the second time. Sir Tor talks about how nothing great can be established with baby steps. No more incrementalism! Also, a look at the emperor Constantine and how he can help your next product launch.
Tor was made a Knight First Class of the Norwegian Royal Order of Merit the day he spoke to me. Drop us a line…it might be good luck!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the Cranky Middle Manager Show. Today we talk productivity and bold steps with Tor Dahl. Dr. Dahl was with us last year and he’s way too smart to hang with the likes of me but he spoke to us anyway. Also we dedicate the show to the Roman Emperor Constantine. No small steps. Love it or hate it, that’s how you change the world.
2:15 We have dueling quotes of the week. Should we remember that all good change is slow or do we get fired up and just go for it? If you love quotes, don’t forget to support the show by getting a copy or ten of my new book, “125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From the Cranky Middle Manager Show”. It will be available on Amazon in the US and UK in mid-October but you can get your signed copy today! And while we’re doing shameless plugs, if your company does webinars or web demos, check out www.greatwebmeetings.com and get $200 off a webinar review.
5:00 Tor Dahl is throwing around the word incrementalism… what the heck is it and why do we care? American productivity grows at about 2% per person per year. How do you take what’s in Old Joe’s head and implant it in the next person? You need to ask a lot of questions but the results are exponential.
8:30 Some simple questions… what do you do that no one on earth should be doing? What causes delays? What do you do that could have been planned better? Answer those and you’re on your way.
12:33 Is it easier to take big leaps when you’re starting from scratch? Doesn’t matter if you’re a country or a corporation….
16:13 If you can’t measure or guarantee success, which is more dangerous- to take a risk or to do nothing? Tor is no big fan of Six Sigma… variation is what drives progress. Warning, we are going seriously into the weeds and you may need to listen twice.
20:37 At what point do you realize you can’t operate any better and you have to change WHAT it is you do? Can you pull a Kennedy-to-the-moon project in your company?
26:45 Can countries or companies do this when they are democracies? Sure China can do it, but what about Western countries?
For more information you have got to check out Tor’s newsletters
Don’t let the weasels get you down!!!