Projects plow (or plod) ahead just fine, especially when there is something that is believed to approximate a charter, like a project or work initiation document, a sensible budget spreadsheet, or a darn good powerpoint presentation. What could possibly go wrong when a group of managing directors get together to approve a large project on [...]

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There are a number of highly toxic traps that a project can find itself in. It could be that the project is perpetually spinning with no defined end. Perhaps it is being (ab)used to further or encumber someone’s advancement in the organization. Some projects are completed with an anecdotal pronouncement of success that - just [...]

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A while back, I had the opportunity to hear Mary Poppendieck speak at the BayAPLN. I just spotted the Agile 2007 90min video+slides version of it and had to watch it again. Of particular interest to me were the case studies. I was already aware of the Toyota Production System, how it focuses managers on [...]

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Companies can sometimes be pretty indiscriminate with their policies and decisions. I’m all for the pursuit of the greater good but I feel this is sometimes confused for the pursuit of a one-size-fits-all. Decrees can be very useful last-resorts to get an organization to take needed action or to implement new legislation. However a common [...]

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As we describe a management methodology for the enterprise, we are going to need to explore a number of approaches for adoption. A type of guidance I really appreciate is when others share their practical experience over time. Salesforce.com is one such example. They took the Big-Bang approach to their adoption of agile principles and [...]

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Reward and incentive structures are often designed around the performance results that are relevant to the business of the enterprise. One reason for this is that everyone can see and easily measure the bottom line. While this will often be a necessary input, it is nowhere near sufficient to result in high levels of productivity. [...]

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In engineering I learned about how Adaptive Control is used to manage Nonlinear Processes. These are defined as processes that change in behavior as operating levels change. An example might be an industrial plant where chemicals, gasses, liquids and other things are mixed together at a constant rate but at some point the temperature of [...]

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At the recent Agile Leadership Summit in San Francisco, I had the good fortune to meet and listen to a number of like-minded people that I hope to continue to learn from. One of these was Pollyanna Pixton.
In her presentation she addressed the question of how to hire and promote The Right People. She summarized these [...]

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No sooner have I activated this blog than I already have a practical example of where Adaptive Enterprise Management might make a difference. Denis Brégeon describes his surprise at the management trap he recently found himself in. As a team member, you can call out all the things you wish managers did differently. However when you’re asked [...]

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Welcome to the Non-Linear Enterprise blog. While its charter is being developed, here are at least three aims that motivate the start of this journey.
The first is to satisfy my thirst for knowledge and that of those who come upon it, for whom I hope to make this a useful and regular virtual thinking lounge. A strong focus [...]

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