http://www.proaction.net The latest PROACTION articles featured in our newsletters. Tue, 08 May 2007 23:38:50 GMT ListGarden Program 1.3.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-05-09-07-html.htm We have devoted considerable effort to enhancing the web site with the goal of moving it closer to something like a web "portal" - a source of information about Best Practices, both process and content. The result now is a considerable body of information that we hope you will find useful. Tue, 08 May 2007 23:38:46 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-05-02-07-html.htm#Article In our feature article of this issue, we pick up a thread from an earlier issue to focus on how Leadership enables culture, or, all too often, the lack of it disables improvement efforts. Tue, 01 May 2007 23:07:33 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-01-10-07-html.htm#Article The message of this article is that Best Practice marketing and sales is a defined, understood, improve-able process, with its own performance metrics, business processes, systems, and continuous improvement program. Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:15:00 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-12-13-06-html.htm#Article This article explores the practice of outsourcing of critical parts, products, services and processes. The message in this article is that there is a Best Practice to the process of outsourcing – a best way to initiate it, select products or services for outsourcing, select the appropriate supplier, and to manage the resulting, altered ongoing business process. Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:30:17 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-10-11-06-html.htm#Article This article continues the discussion of how to create high, sustained levels of engagement by those that comprise an organization. Here, we discuss what true leadership is, the behaviors that comprise it, and how effective leadership is an essential, must-have, management Best Practice for a sustained, high-performance organization. Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:58:41 GMT http://proaction.net/newsletter-04-18-07-html.htm#Article All 4 Essential Factors of the Best Practice path are closely linked to effective Lean initiatives. It is an integral part of continuous improvement programs, requires on-going education and training, and especially effective leadership and culture. In the concluding Part 3 of the Lean Management series, topics include: Start with Success, Support & Confront, Focus on Primary Constraints, Establish the Expectation of Accountability, Keep it Measurable, and A Final Thought on Delegation. Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:16:39 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-04-04-07-html.htm In this article we continue the discussion of a topic that is a universal Best Practice – Lean Management. As anyone with sustained success with Lean will attest it is how people are inspired and motivated, i.e., how they are led in this process that is the critical success factor. Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:05:25 GMT http://proaction.net/newsletter-03-21-07-html.htm#Article Lean management is itself a Best Practice; all 4 Essential Factors of the Best Practice path are closely linked to effective Lean initiatives. It is an integral part of continuous improvement programs, requires on-going education and training. Much of Bill’s message in these articles is focused on leadership, motivation factors, and in creating a lean-enabling culture at the company. As Bill says, "Creating a Lean Organization that is strong and capable will be one of your greatest achievements." Fri, 23 Mar 2007 23:43:27 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-03-07-07-html.htm Building on the top management communication and interface work, team selection, and the preparations for the Conference Room Pilot (CRP), in this article we’ll get into the specifics of what the CRP absolutely MUST cover, and cover well. Tue, 06 Mar 2007 23:00:46 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-02-21-07-html.htm#Article In this article, we discuss preparation for a Best Practice Conference Room Pilot. This includes making sure the team itself is sufficiently educated and trained, and that the CRP itself is sufficiently organized. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:48:11 GMT http://www.proaction.net/newsletter-02-07-07-html.htm In the previous newsletter’s feature article, we focused our attention on the “front-end” of the implementation project. In this issue, we’ll focus on the formation of the implementation team, who should be on the team, who not, what areas they’ll come from, and how to organize the team so the company isn’t driven off the proverbial cliff with no one at the wheel. Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:36:15 GMT http://proaction.net/newsletter-01-24-07-html.htm#Article The preparation process of a Best Practice enterprise software implementation project sets the basis for what follows. This article explains the common thread of ownership and effective leadership upon which a successful, low-risk implementation project is based. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:37:38 GMT