LIBRARY

Featured Book:

Human Sigma by John H. Fleming, Ph.D. and Jim Asplund
The value of any book can be measured by whether it provides actionable insight. That is, whether it makes you think in way that drives you to take action. Having said that, the value of a book will not be the same for every person because of the variation of knowledge of the subject matter, incentive to act, willingness to take risk, etc. The book reviews published here reflect a sincere effort to assess the value in terms of whether it provides actionable insight from the perspective of the reviewer, acknowledging there exists significant variation in perspectives. Read More...

Recommended Reading:

One of the signs of a really healthy organization is the amount of reading and sharing of books.

We have read and recommend all of the books listed here. Not all of these are great books, but all contain great ideas. Not all have ideas that are appropriate for your organization – right now. There is as much to be gained from conducting an honest discussion of the ideas that do not apply - and why.

For those just beginning the improvement journey, we recommend the following six books be read sequentially, and you can easily purchase each book at Amazon by clicking on the title.

The New Six Sigma - The original Six Sigma transformed the business world. The New Six Sigma will have an even more powerful impact. Discover these techniques today—and start reaping the results tomorrow. Read Our Review...

Adhocracy – Also an easy read, it is the absolute best advice we have ever read on the structure needed to drive improvement.

The Goal - Process improvement 101. An easy read and is as relevant now as it was when it was first published in 1984. It is still the advice we reference when we go to an unfamiliar process or business.

Lean Thinking – Quite simply, we should all understand Lean. It is the basis for responsiveness, which, after all, is the most important thing to improve for most companies.

Execution – As Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan demonstrate in Execution, the ultimate difference between a company and its competitor is, in fact, the ability to execute.

Out of the Crisis – A difficult read, but Deming is as right as ever. This is a personal roadmap for any executive that truly wants to differentiate his company. This is the basis of the Lean and Six Sigma philosophies.

Managerial Breakthrough – Also a difficult read, but Juran is the originator of the Breakthrough Strategy. This is the foundation of the Six Sigma toolset.

Good to Great – This book brings all of the above together, clearly articulates that leadership’s actions, not some new buzzwords like Lean and Six Sigma, make the difference.