I triage information into three categories.
First, what do I need to know to get the job done?
That means understanding a situation in detail – how did we get here, and what needs to change?
One level up is management – talking about resources, timelines and monitoring.
At the edge is pure theatre.
It’s the post with a case study that falls apart when interrogated. A pitch that papers over the cracks. Cleverness that substitutes for clarity.
What I’m searching for is the equivalent of going to Gemba – to the place where work is done.
In consulting, Gemba isn’t a place. It’s a point of view.
It’s the way stakeholders perceive the situation, and the problems they believe need to be addressed.
As management consultants, we make a difference by cutting through to the core.
The value isn’t in talking around the work.
It’s in understanding it.
Handcrafted insight 