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The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition
Generate Better, Faster Results― Using Less Capital and Fewer Resources! “[ The High-Velocity Edge ] contains ideas that form the basis for structured continuous learning and improvement in every aspect of our lives. While this book is tailored to business leaders, it should be read by high school seniors, college students, and those already in the workforce. With the broad societal application of these ideas, we can achieve levels of accomplishment not even imagined by most people.”
The Honorable Paul H. O’Neill, former CEO and Chairman, Alcoa, and Former Secretary of the Treasury “Some firms outperform competitors in many ways at once―cost, speed, innovation, service. How? Steve Spear opened my eyes to the secret of systemizing innovation: taking it from the occasional, unpredictable ‘stroke of genius’ to something you and your people do month-in, month-out to outdistance rivals.”
Scott D. Cook, founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit, Inc. “Steven Spear connects a deep study of systems with practical management insights and does it better than any organizational scholar I know. [This] is a profoundly important book that will challenge and inspire executives in all industries to think more clearly about the technical and social foundations of organizational excellence.”
Donald M. Berwick, M.D., M.P.P., President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement About the Book How can some companies perform so well that their industry counterparts are competitors in name only? Although they operate in the same industry, serve the same market, and even use the same suppliers, these extraordinary, high-velocity organizations consistently outperform all the competition―and, more importantly, continually widen their leads. In The High-Velocity Edge , the reissued edition of five-time Shingo Prize winner Steven J. Spear’s critically acclaimed book Chasing the Rabbit , Spear describes what sets market-dominating companies apart and provides a detailed framework you can leverage to surge to the lead in your own industry. Spear examines the internal operations of dominant organizations across a wide spectrum of industries, from technology to design and from manufacturing to health care. While he investigates several great operational triumphs, like top-tier teaching hospitals’ fantastic improvements in quality of care, Pratt & Whitney’s competitive gains in jet engine design, and the U.S. Navy’s breakthroughs in inventing and applying nuclear propulsion, The High-Velocity Edge is not just about the adoration of success. It also takes a critical look at some of the operational missteps that have humbled even the most reputable and respected of companies and organizations. The decades-long prominence of Toyota, for example, is contrasted with the many factors leading to the automaker’s sweeping 2010 product recalls. Taken together, these multiple perspectives and in-depth case studies show how to:
The Honorable Paul H. O’Neill, former CEO and Chairman, Alcoa, and Former Secretary of the Treasury “Some firms outperform competitors in many ways at once―cost, speed, innovation, service. How? Steve Spear opened my eyes to the secret of systemizing innovation: taking it from the occasional, unpredictable ‘stroke of genius’ to something you and your people do month-in, month-out to outdistance rivals.”
Scott D. Cook, founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit, Inc. “Steven Spear connects a deep study of systems with practical management insights and does it better than any organizational scholar I know. [This] is a profoundly important book that will challenge and inspire executives in all industries to think more clearly about the technical and social foundations of organizational excellence.”
Donald M. Berwick, M.D., M.P.P., President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement About the Book How can some companies perform so well that their industry counterparts are competitors in name only? Although they operate in the same industry, serve the same market, and even use the same suppliers, these extraordinary, high-velocity organizations consistently outperform all the competition―and, more importantly, continually widen their leads. In The High-Velocity Edge , the reissued edition of five-time Shingo Prize winner Steven J. Spear’s critically acclaimed book Chasing the Rabbit , Spear describes what sets market-dominating companies apart and provides a detailed framework you can leverage to surge to the lead in your own industry. Spear examines the internal operations of dominant organizations across a wide spectrum of industries, from technology to design and from manufacturing to health care. While he investigates several great operational triumphs, like top-tier teaching hospitals’ fantastic improvements in quality of care, Pratt & Whitney’s competitive gains in jet engine design, and the U.S. Navy’s breakthroughs in inventing and applying nuclear propulsion, The High-Velocity Edge is not just about the adoration of success. It also takes a critical look at some of the operational missteps that have humbled even the most reputable and respected of companies and organizations. The decades-long prominence of Toyota, for example, is contrasted with the many factors leading to the automaker’s sweeping 2010 product recalls. Taken together, these multiple perspectives and in-depth case studies show how to:
432 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2009
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December 20, 2020
Great lean concepts that can be used at work but much more academic of a read with way to many examples for each area. Very repetitive at times.
October 19, 2021
One of the very first things I read regarding lean before I was a convert, was Steven Spear's HBR paper "Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System". As someone who struggles with comprehension of the written word, I was excited when the audio version of the 2nd Edition of High-Velocity Edge was released.
In this book, Dr. Spear shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of several organizations with their approach, or lack thereof, to using operational excellence as a strategic weapon. This includes a documented death of a patient who received the wrong medication in the hospital. He starts with the question "who's to blame?". This sets the stage for a compelling book.
In the first 1/3 of the book, he outlines some companies that have succeeded in using OpEx and has contrasted them to organizations that have continuously failed. NASA (shuttles) and US Navy (nuclear subs) are great examples of how two organizations utilizing life-threatening equipment are diametrically opposite when it comes to operational excellence.
In the middle third of the book, Dr. Spear discusses the 4 major capabilities needed for organizations to unleash their potential.
- System Design and operation
- Intense desire to seek and eliminate problems
- A culture of knowledge sharing
- A culture of developing problem-solving skills in others.
A company that wants to soar like Pratt & Whitney, Alcoa, and others must not simply have one of these capabilities, they must embrace all four. It isn't until roughly the second half of the book that Dr. Spear brings up Toyota as the poster child for best practices of the four capabilities. Here again, he compares and contrasts examples of Toyota's embracing versus one of the "Big Three" strategies.
The book concludes with a couple of chapters of how healthcare organizations are embracing the four major capabilities. With this, he returns to the opening question "who's to blame?"
Minor criticisms of this book; first I would have liked a clearer definition of "velocity". It might have been there and I simply missed it. The audiobook could benefit from a small PDF summarizing the concepts. The narrator was good and read at a good pace. All in all, a very good book that complements any lean learner's library.
In this book, Dr. Spear shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of several organizations with their approach, or lack thereof, to using operational excellence as a strategic weapon. This includes a documented death of a patient who received the wrong medication in the hospital. He starts with the question "who's to blame?". This sets the stage for a compelling book.
In the first 1/3 of the book, he outlines some companies that have succeeded in using OpEx and has contrasted them to organizations that have continuously failed. NASA (shuttles) and US Navy (nuclear subs) are great examples of how two organizations utilizing life-threatening equipment are diametrically opposite when it comes to operational excellence.
In the middle third of the book, Dr. Spear discusses the 4 major capabilities needed for organizations to unleash their potential.
- System Design and operation
- Intense desire to seek and eliminate problems
- A culture of knowledge sharing
- A culture of developing problem-solving skills in others.
A company that wants to soar like Pratt & Whitney, Alcoa, and others must not simply have one of these capabilities, they must embrace all four. It isn't until roughly the second half of the book that Dr. Spear brings up Toyota as the poster child for best practices of the four capabilities. Here again, he compares and contrasts examples of Toyota's embracing versus one of the "Big Three" strategies.
The book concludes with a couple of chapters of how healthcare organizations are embracing the four major capabilities. With this, he returns to the opening question "who's to blame?"
Minor criticisms of this book; first I would have liked a clearer definition of "velocity". It might have been there and I simply missed it. The audiobook could benefit from a small PDF summarizing the concepts. The narrator was good and read at a good pace. All in all, a very good book that complements any lean learner's library.
April 10, 2020
Spear argues that High-Velocity Edge companies are learning organizations. Organizations that continually look at the whole system to see what needs to be improved, clarified and/or cut. By considering if each action is necessary, if it is leading to near-misses or even tragic circumstances, these companies save time, resources and empower their employees to create value and not just put out fires.
Why I started this book: Needed a grounded nonfiction title and this audio is on my Professional Reading list.
Why I finished it: Fascinating, inspiring and thought provoking. Am I creating solutions or workarounds? I will need to ponder this in all facets of my life, and not just my professional life. And this is a book that I will need to revisit every couple years, like Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness.
Why I started this book: Needed a grounded nonfiction title and this audio is on my Professional Reading list.
Why I finished it: Fascinating, inspiring and thought provoking. Am I creating solutions or workarounds? I will need to ponder this in all facets of my life, and not just my professional life. And this is a book that I will need to revisit every couple years, like Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness.
March 25, 2017
The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition by Steven Spear
“The High-Velocity Edge” is an optimistic book that offers straightforward principles, and ample real-life examples that leaders employ to outperform the competition. Author Steven J. Spear with a doctorate from Harvard Business School, a master’s in engineering and in management from MIT, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton certainly has the expertise and experience to provide his wisdom on best business practices. This practical 432-page book includes the following twelve chapters: 1. Getting to the Front of the Pack, 2. Complexity: The Good News and the Bad News, 3. How Complex Systems Fail, 4. How Complex Systems Succeed, 5. High Velocity Under the Sea, In the Air, and on the Web, 6. Capability 1:System Design and Operation, 7. Capability 2:Problem Solving and Improvement, 8. Capability 3:Knowledge Sharing, 9. Capability 4:Developing High-Velocity Skills in Others, 10. High-Velocity Crisis Recovery, 11. Creating High-Velocity Health-Care Organizations, 12. Conclusion.
Positives:
1. An accessible and well-researched book. Excellent resource for professionals in the field.
2. The interesting topic of how to beat the competition by following sound business practices.
3. A well-organized book. The book follows the four capabilities of the high-velocity edge.
4. A good use of charts and diagrams to complement the narrative.
5. The book is driven by not only the four capabilities but by a variety of business applications. Examples after examples.
6. The foundation of this business edge. “As different as these organizations are in many respects, they have one thing in common: They are adept at designing, developing, and operating exceptionally complex systems to achieve exemplary and constantly improving performance in the design, production, and delivery of complex goods or services.”
7. Explains how complex systems fail and provides case studies “In short, low-velocity organizations, unlike the high-velocity leaders, are slow learners, slow improvers, slow innovators, and ultimately sluggish competitors.”
8. Provides many philosophical principles to abide by. “The argument of The High-Velocity Edge is that the way complex work systems are managed has direct and predictable ramifications for performance.”
9. Alcoa is highlighted as one of those complex-system companies that have succeeded. “If you had to depend on a single explanation for Alcoa’s success, it would be that Alcoa gave up depending on designing perfect processes and committed itself to discovering them instead.”
10. Explains how to view problems. “All this resulted from deciding that problems were not a never-ending plague to be endured but a never-ending guide to improvement.”
11. The very interesting case study of the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Propulsion Program.
12. The story of how Toyota raced from behind to win. “In short, Toyota was discovering how to do ever more work, more quickly and more reliably, without using more labor or more machinery—and this process of discovery kept going decade after decade.”
13. Provides plenty of business application involving problem-solving discipline. “Problem solving is done in a disciplined fashion. Assumptions about cause and effect are made explicit and are stated clearly, then they are tested in a rigorous fashion so improvement efforts both make processes better and deepen process knowledge.”
14. Explains how lessons discovered through local problem solving and make them useful throughout the organization. “The object of jishuken is to move knowledge from those who have it to others who can put it to good use.”
15. The importance of the scientific method. “This emphasized the importance of using the scientific method to (a) solve problems, (b) build deeper process knowledge, and (c) spread what was learned by showing the discovery process, not just the solution.”
16. A case study of crisis recovery.
17. Creating high-velocity health-care organizations. “At MGH’s Back Bay primary-care practice, the clinical staff members took Mrs. Grant’s experience to heart and committed themselves to a simple doctrine: no ambiguity in work design and no workarounds of problems when they are seen.”
18. The importance of feedback. “And in general, work should be designed with a built-in test that immediately tells the worker when and where a problem occurs (part of Capability 1), so as to unleash the creative dynamic of problem solving (Capability 2) and knowledge sharing (Capability 3).”
19. Formal bibliography included.
20. Comprehensive notes with links included.
Negatives:
1. A bit verbose and repetitive beyond the necessary.
2. The book’s 2nd edition was published in 2010 so perhaps an update is warranted.
3. Some may consider this book nothing more than a rehash of other popular business philosophies such as: Total Quality Management (TQM) and Lean Six Sigma.
4. I would have liked to have seen a table of the companies using these techniques besides the ones mentioned in the book.
In summary, this high-velocity edge is a compelling book on how to beat the competition by following the four core capabilities of high-velocity edge. The book defines and provides plenty of examples of these core capabilities put into practice and their effects. A bit verbose and repetitive and in need of an update but overall the principles are timeless and practical. I recommend it!
Further recommendations: “Toyota Kata” by Mike Rother, “The Toyota Way” by Jeffrey Liker, “Lean Six Sigma for Service” by Michael L. George, “Out of the Crisis” by W. Edwards Deming, “Turn the Ship Around” by L. David Marquet, “Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard” by Chip Heath, “The Southwest Airlines Way” by Jody Hoffer Gittell, “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande, “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek, and “The Process Improvement Book” by Tristan Boutros.
“The High-Velocity Edge” is an optimistic book that offers straightforward principles, and ample real-life examples that leaders employ to outperform the competition. Author Steven J. Spear with a doctorate from Harvard Business School, a master’s in engineering and in management from MIT, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton certainly has the expertise and experience to provide his wisdom on best business practices. This practical 432-page book includes the following twelve chapters: 1. Getting to the Front of the Pack, 2. Complexity: The Good News and the Bad News, 3. How Complex Systems Fail, 4. How Complex Systems Succeed, 5. High Velocity Under the Sea, In the Air, and on the Web, 6. Capability 1:System Design and Operation, 7. Capability 2:Problem Solving and Improvement, 8. Capability 3:Knowledge Sharing, 9. Capability 4:Developing High-Velocity Skills in Others, 10. High-Velocity Crisis Recovery, 11. Creating High-Velocity Health-Care Organizations, 12. Conclusion.
Positives:
1. An accessible and well-researched book. Excellent resource for professionals in the field.
2. The interesting topic of how to beat the competition by following sound business practices.
3. A well-organized book. The book follows the four capabilities of the high-velocity edge.
4. A good use of charts and diagrams to complement the narrative.
5. The book is driven by not only the four capabilities but by a variety of business applications. Examples after examples.
6. The foundation of this business edge. “As different as these organizations are in many respects, they have one thing in common: They are adept at designing, developing, and operating exceptionally complex systems to achieve exemplary and constantly improving performance in the design, production, and delivery of complex goods or services.”
7. Explains how complex systems fail and provides case studies “In short, low-velocity organizations, unlike the high-velocity leaders, are slow learners, slow improvers, slow innovators, and ultimately sluggish competitors.”
8. Provides many philosophical principles to abide by. “The argument of The High-Velocity Edge is that the way complex work systems are managed has direct and predictable ramifications for performance.”
9. Alcoa is highlighted as one of those complex-system companies that have succeeded. “If you had to depend on a single explanation for Alcoa’s success, it would be that Alcoa gave up depending on designing perfect processes and committed itself to discovering them instead.”
10. Explains how to view problems. “All this resulted from deciding that problems were not a never-ending plague to be endured but a never-ending guide to improvement.”
11. The very interesting case study of the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Propulsion Program.
12. The story of how Toyota raced from behind to win. “In short, Toyota was discovering how to do ever more work, more quickly and more reliably, without using more labor or more machinery—and this process of discovery kept going decade after decade.”
13. Provides plenty of business application involving problem-solving discipline. “Problem solving is done in a disciplined fashion. Assumptions about cause and effect are made explicit and are stated clearly, then they are tested in a rigorous fashion so improvement efforts both make processes better and deepen process knowledge.”
14. Explains how lessons discovered through local problem solving and make them useful throughout the organization. “The object of jishuken is to move knowledge from those who have it to others who can put it to good use.”
15. The importance of the scientific method. “This emphasized the importance of using the scientific method to (a) solve problems, (b) build deeper process knowledge, and (c) spread what was learned by showing the discovery process, not just the solution.”
16. A case study of crisis recovery.
17. Creating high-velocity health-care organizations. “At MGH’s Back Bay primary-care practice, the clinical staff members took Mrs. Grant’s experience to heart and committed themselves to a simple doctrine: no ambiguity in work design and no workarounds of problems when they are seen.”
18. The importance of feedback. “And in general, work should be designed with a built-in test that immediately tells the worker when and where a problem occurs (part of Capability 1), so as to unleash the creative dynamic of problem solving (Capability 2) and knowledge sharing (Capability 3).”
19. Formal bibliography included.
20. Comprehensive notes with links included.
Negatives:
1. A bit verbose and repetitive beyond the necessary.
2. The book’s 2nd edition was published in 2010 so perhaps an update is warranted.
3. Some may consider this book nothing more than a rehash of other popular business philosophies such as: Total Quality Management (TQM) and Lean Six Sigma.
4. I would have liked to have seen a table of the companies using these techniques besides the ones mentioned in the book.
In summary, this high-velocity edge is a compelling book on how to beat the competition by following the four core capabilities of high-velocity edge. The book defines and provides plenty of examples of these core capabilities put into practice and their effects. A bit verbose and repetitive and in need of an update but overall the principles are timeless and practical. I recommend it!
Further recommendations: “Toyota Kata” by Mike Rother, “The Toyota Way” by Jeffrey Liker, “Lean Six Sigma for Service” by Michael L. George, “Out of the Crisis” by W. Edwards Deming, “Turn the Ship Around” by L. David Marquet, “Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard” by Chip Heath, “The Southwest Airlines Way” by Jody Hoffer Gittell, “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande, “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek, and “The Process Improvement Book” by Tristan Boutros.
December 28, 2023
Steven Spear svojou knihou “Chasing the Rabbit: How Market Leaders Outdistance the Competition and How Great Companies Can Catch Up and Win” po piate získal cenu Shingo Prize v odvetví “Research and Professional Publication Award”. Knihu sa samozrejme oplatí prečítať, ale tým som nepovedal nič nové ani zaujímavé. Čo ale môžem zdieľať, sú osobný názor a tie veci v ktorých autor trochu prehnal.
Po rokoch štúdii autor prišiel na to že všetky komplexné systémy (ktorými moderné organizácie určite sú) trpia kvôli rovnakom príčinám:
1. Používajú nástroje, ale nepoznajú kontext v ktorom tieto nástroje boli vyvinuté. Toto sa dosť často deje keď sa nástroje slepo kopírujú ako “best practice“. Okrem toho do procesov a systémov nie sú zabudované prvky seba-diagnostiky. Čiže aj keď sa správne nástroje používajú nesprávne nikto o tom nevie.
2. Problémy sa neriešia efektívne ale sa nad nimi zatvárajú oči. Stáva sa z toho zvyk pre celú organizáciu a všetkých jej zamestnancov.
3. Organizácia nemá žiaden systematický proces zdieľania znalostí. Alebo sofistikovanejšie povedané – neaplikuje knowledge management.
4. Schopnosti zamestnancov nastavovať procesy, efektívne riešiť problémy a systematicky zdieľať znalosti sa nerozvíjajú. Čiže žiaden z bodov vyššie.
Lídri, alebo tie spoločnosti, ktoré autor nazýva zajačikmi, čo sú vždy popredu, a ktoré sa ostatné podniky iba snažia naháňať, majú diametrálne odlišné schopnosti. Oni sú:
1. Schopný navrhovať a nastavovať procesy. A to tak že presne definujú:
● očakávaný výstup,
● postupnosť krokov pre jeho dosiahnutie,
● prepojenia medzi krokmi a,
● popis práce pre každý krok.
● Okrem toho táto schopnosť predpokladá zabudovanú seba-diagnostiku. Nejaké indikátory, testy alebo informačné slučky, čo pomáhajú pochopiť či sa veci dejú ako bolo naplánované. A to v každom časovom momente.
2. Sú schopný efektívne riešiť problémy a zlepšovať procesy. A to tak že:
● Definujú problém ako odchýlku od ideálneho stavu.
● Sledujú procesy tam kde sa dejú a v čase kedy sa dejú. Autor nepoužíva slovíčka Gemba ani Genchi Gembutsu. Ale zjavne to nie je o digitalizácii či digitálnych dvojičkách, Industry4.0 alebo nádhernom dashboarde v PowerBI.
● Aplikujú praktický prístup k riešeniu problémov alebo to čo autor nazýva disciplínou riešenia problémov.
● Rýchlo overujú riešenia v praxi. Autor sa pýta:
● Či sa to dá namiesto zvárania spojiť skrutkami?
● Či sa dá namiesto skrutiek použiť lepiaca páska?
● Či sa dá namiesto lepiacej pásky držať dve súčiastky počas experimentu v rukách? Iba aby rýchlo overil či dané riešenie bude fungovať.
● Okrem toho táto schopnosť predpokladá riešenie problémov čo najbližšie k miestu vzniku a nie na úrovni vedenia spoločnosti.
3. Sú schopný rýchlo rozširovať znalosti. A to tak že:
● Ich zbierajú a systematizujú;
● Zdieľajú skúsenosti pri riešení problémov;
● Učia nových zamestnancov nie iba tomu aký postup je najlepší ale aj tomu ako na ten postup prišli;
● Jishuken.
4. Sú schopný rozvíjať svojich zamestnancov. Hlavná myšlienka spočíva v tom že lídri nemajú diktovať hotové riešenia ale podporovať rozvoj vyšších schopností u svojich podriadených. Môže sa zdať že sa týmto riešenie problémov iba naťahuje. Tomu autor neodporuje ale poukazuje na to, že z dlhodobého hľadiska rozvoj zamestnancov mení podnik na rýchleho zajačika, ktorý začína napredovať.
Body 1 až 4 zodpovedajú v knihe kapitolám 6-9 a všetky pod-body vyjadrujú niektoré myšlienky autora v mojom ponímaní. Pričom tieto myšlienky autor vyjadroval nie len v knihe “Chasing the Rabbit” ale aj v niektorých svojich prequeloch. Možno ste našli niečo podobné v článku HBR: “Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System”.
Týmto nechcem poukázať na to, že sa autor opakuje. Skôr sa chcem podeliť o niektoré momenty, čo sa mi nezdali ani vo vyššie spomínanom článku ani v knihe. Zdá sa mi, že niektoré veci autor trochu prehnal. Napríklad schopnosť číslo 1 – navrhovať a nastavovať procesy. Autor tvrdí že je potrebné definovať očakávaný výstup, postupnosť krokov pre jeho dosiahnutie, prepojenia medzi krokmi a popis práce pre každý krok. Na toto Steven Spear prišiel po rokoch štúdii úspešných a menej úspešných podnikov. Pričom úspešné podniky – zajačiky – dôkladne navrhujú a nastavujú procesy, a neúspešné – to tak dôkladne nerobia.
Autor tvrdí že moderná organizácia je komplexný systém. Ale čo je to systém? Jednoducho povedané je to kombinácia elementov a prepojení medzi nimi. T.j. autor po rokoch štúdii prišiel na to, že v úspešný systém má jasné elementy, ich postupnosť, prepojenia medzi nimi a jasný výstup? S tým by mal súhlasiť každý... ale roky štúdií... nevyplýva to z definície systému? Či je to až moc jednoduchý prístup?
V knihe je ešte veľa argumentov a odporúčaní, ktoré boli overené prostredím Harvardu. Sú ostré ako britva alebo chirurgický skalpel. Neviem čo je ostrejšie. Ale po prečítaní knihy si spomínam skôr na iných zajačikov. Tých čo sa pýtali múdrej sovy ako sa vyhnúť týraniu líšky. Sova povedala: “To je jednoduché – obráťte sa na ježkov”. Zajačiky sa začali tešiť ale potom sa spýtali: “Ako sa obrátime na ježkov?”. Múdra sova na to povedala: “Ja som múdra sova. Venujem sa stratégii. Taktiku riešte sami”. A prečo som si na to spomenul? Lebo po prečítaní knihy som pochopil stratégiu ale nemám taktické riešenia.
Toto ale neznižuje hodnotu knihy ani jej autora. Steven Spear spojil veľa rôznych disciplín a poukázal na to, že nie len JIT či Jidoka odlišuje Toyotu od ostatných spoločností. Vrelo odporúčam “Chasing the Rabbit”.
Či táto kniha pomáha pochopiť rozdiel medzi zajačikmi a tými kto za nimi nestíhajú? Rozhodne áno. Pomáha táto kniha nájsť odpoveď na otázku ako nakopnúť a transformovať priemerný podnik na zajačika? Som presvedčený že niektoré odpovede tam nájdete. Či sa po niekoľkých vydaniach tejto knihy transformovalo viacero spoločností na zajačikov? Možno v tom sestrička Gloria z poslednej kapitoly nie je jediná.
Po rokoch štúdii autor prišiel na to že všetky komplexné systémy (ktorými moderné organizácie určite sú) trpia kvôli rovnakom príčinám:
1. Používajú nástroje, ale nepoznajú kontext v ktorom tieto nástroje boli vyvinuté. Toto sa dosť často deje keď sa nástroje slepo kopírujú ako “best practice“. Okrem toho do procesov a systémov nie sú zabudované prvky seba-diagnostiky. Čiže aj keď sa správne nástroje používajú nesprávne nikto o tom nevie.
2. Problémy sa neriešia efektívne ale sa nad nimi zatvárajú oči. Stáva sa z toho zvyk pre celú organizáciu a všetkých jej zamestnancov.
3. Organizácia nemá žiaden systematický proces zdieľania znalostí. Alebo sofistikovanejšie povedané – neaplikuje knowledge management.
4. Schopnosti zamestnancov nastavovať procesy, efektívne riešiť problémy a systematicky zdieľať znalosti sa nerozvíjajú. Čiže žiaden z bodov vyššie.
Lídri, alebo tie spoločnosti, ktoré autor nazýva zajačikmi, čo sú vždy popredu, a ktoré sa ostatné podniky iba snažia naháňať, majú diametrálne odlišné schopnosti. Oni sú:
1. Schopný navrhovať a nastavovať procesy. A to tak že presne definujú:
● očakávaný výstup,
● postupnosť krokov pre jeho dosiahnutie,
● prepojenia medzi krokmi a,
● popis práce pre každý krok.
● Okrem toho táto schopnosť predpokladá zabudovanú seba-diagnostiku. Nejaké indikátory, testy alebo informačné slučky, čo pomáhajú pochopiť či sa veci dejú ako bolo naplánované. A to v každom časovom momente.
2. Sú schopný efektívne riešiť problémy a zlepšovať procesy. A to tak že:
● Definujú problém ako odchýlku od ideálneho stavu.
● Sledujú procesy tam kde sa dejú a v čase kedy sa dejú. Autor nepoužíva slovíčka Gemba ani Genchi Gembutsu. Ale zjavne to nie je o digitalizácii či digitálnych dvojičkách, Industry4.0 alebo nádhernom dashboarde v PowerBI.
● Aplikujú praktický prístup k riešeniu problémov alebo to čo autor nazýva disciplínou riešenia problémov.
● Rýchlo overujú riešenia v praxi. Autor sa pýta:
● Či sa to dá namiesto zvárania spojiť skrutkami?
● Či sa dá namiesto skrutiek použiť lepiaca páska?
● Či sa dá namiesto lepiacej pásky držať dve súčiastky počas experimentu v rukách? Iba aby rýchlo overil či dané riešenie bude fungovať.
● Okrem toho táto schopnosť predpokladá riešenie problémov čo najbližšie k miestu vzniku a nie na úrovni vedenia spoločnosti.
3. Sú schopný rýchlo rozširovať znalosti. A to tak že:
● Ich zbierajú a systematizujú;
● Zdieľajú skúsenosti pri riešení problémov;
● Učia nových zamestnancov nie iba tomu aký postup je najlepší ale aj tomu ako na ten postup prišli;
● Jishuken.
4. Sú schopný rozvíjať svojich zamestnancov. Hlavná myšlienka spočíva v tom že lídri nemajú diktovať hotové riešenia ale podporovať rozvoj vyšších schopností u svojich podriadených. Môže sa zdať že sa týmto riešenie problémov iba naťahuje. Tomu autor neodporuje ale poukazuje na to, že z dlhodobého hľadiska rozvoj zamestnancov mení podnik na rýchleho zajačika, ktorý začína napredovať.
Body 1 až 4 zodpovedajú v knihe kapitolám 6-9 a všetky pod-body vyjadrujú niektoré myšlienky autora v mojom ponímaní. Pričom tieto myšlienky autor vyjadroval nie len v knihe “Chasing the Rabbit” ale aj v niektorých svojich prequeloch. Možno ste našli niečo podobné v článku HBR: “Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System”.
Týmto nechcem poukázať na to, že sa autor opakuje. Skôr sa chcem podeliť o niektoré momenty, čo sa mi nezdali ani vo vyššie spomínanom článku ani v knihe. Zdá sa mi, že niektoré veci autor trochu prehnal. Napríklad schopnosť číslo 1 – navrhovať a nastavovať procesy. Autor tvrdí že je potrebné definovať očakávaný výstup, postupnosť krokov pre jeho dosiahnutie, prepojenia medzi krokmi a popis práce pre každý krok. Na toto Steven Spear prišiel po rokoch štúdii úspešných a menej úspešných podnikov. Pričom úspešné podniky – zajačiky – dôkladne navrhujú a nastavujú procesy, a neúspešné – to tak dôkladne nerobia.
Autor tvrdí že moderná organizácia je komplexný systém. Ale čo je to systém? Jednoducho povedané je to kombinácia elementov a prepojení medzi nimi. T.j. autor po rokoch štúdii prišiel na to, že v úspešný systém má jasné elementy, ich postupnosť, prepojenia medzi nimi a jasný výstup? S tým by mal súhlasiť každý... ale roky štúdií... nevyplýva to z definície systému? Či je to až moc jednoduchý prístup?
V knihe je ešte veľa argumentov a odporúčaní, ktoré boli overené prostredím Harvardu. Sú ostré ako britva alebo chirurgický skalpel. Neviem čo je ostrejšie. Ale po prečítaní knihy si spomínam skôr na iných zajačikov. Tých čo sa pýtali múdrej sovy ako sa vyhnúť týraniu líšky. Sova povedala: “To je jednoduché – obráťte sa na ježkov”. Zajačiky sa začali tešiť ale potom sa spýtali: “Ako sa obrátime na ježkov?”. Múdra sova na to povedala: “Ja som múdra sova. Venujem sa stratégii. Taktiku riešte sami”. A prečo som si na to spomenul? Lebo po prečítaní knihy som pochopil stratégiu ale nemám taktické riešenia.
Toto ale neznižuje hodnotu knihy ani jej autora. Steven Spear spojil veľa rôznych disciplín a poukázal na to, že nie len JIT či Jidoka odlišuje Toyotu od ostatných spoločností. Vrelo odporúčam “Chasing the Rabbit”.
Či táto kniha pomáha pochopiť rozdiel medzi zajačikmi a tými kto za nimi nestíhajú? Rozhodne áno. Pomáha táto kniha nájsť odpoveď na otázku ako nakopnúť a transformovať priemerný podnik na zajačika? Som presvedčený že niektoré odpovede tam nájdete. Či sa po niekoľkých vydaniach tejto knihy transformovalo viacero spoločností na zajačikov? Možno v tom sestrička Gloria z poslednej kapitoly nie je jediná.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2019
This book is long and academic, but I've quoted it and referenced the concepts so many times at work that I'm waiting for someone to tell me to stop. The author's ideas about planning with the expectation that nothing can be 100% planned, the huge value of shared learning instead of individuals learning the same lessons independently over and over again, and solving the root cause of an issue not the symptoms are very applicable for my group. I would like to rate it five stars but it's so long that I'm having a hard time convincing others to read it. Highly recommend!
November 20, 2024
Si eres líder en una empresa, esta lectura te ayudará a tener una perspectiva interesante respecto a cómo lograr mejoras significativas a través del enfoque sistémico y excelencia operativa.
En una lucha constante contra los "competidores", ¿qué es lo que hace que algunas empresas destaquen sobre las demás?
Interesante su punto de vista respecto a que más allá de lograr "Ganancias Marginales", se trata de desarrollar capacidades de aprendizaje continuo para responder de manera ágil a los desafíos cambiantes del mercado.
Si tienes la oportunidad de leer este libro, no la desaproveches.
En una lucha constante contra los "competidores", ¿qué es lo que hace que algunas empresas destaquen sobre las demás?
Interesante su punto de vista respecto a que más allá de lograr "Ganancias Marginales", se trata de desarrollar capacidades de aprendizaje continuo para responder de manera ágil a los desafíos cambiantes del mercado.
Si tienes la oportunidad de leer este libro, no la desaproveches.
May 2, 2021
The thesis of this book I found valuable. However, the book itself was repetitive and unorganized. The same points would be made over and over and the examples would be all over the place.
Also, the level of detail in some of the case studies/examples was too much for what I found valuable.
I would not recommend this book, but would recommend a blog post or HBR article outlining the same thesis.
Also, the level of detail in some of the case studies/examples was too much for what I found valuable.
I would not recommend this book, but would recommend a blog post or HBR article outlining the same thesis.
July 1, 2025
Wonderful book, I am a big fan of TOYOTA WAY... It is recommended to find the right balance between what is needed for your organization rather than blindly copying the "TOYOTA WAY". This is more about mindset change and looking things from different perspective. As mentioned in the conclusion session of the book, "you will never get free time to implement this"... You need to forcefully reflect and ask questions to change the way we look at things.
January 6, 2017
Great book - wraps up in a set of principles and examples why some companies accelerate away from their peers in a systematic view of organizations that discover and swarm problems, implement countermeasures, learn continuously and the active development of problem solving skills of others in the org.
November 10, 2021
I love the principles. I think the author--from his academic perspective--underestimates the challenges of applying them in American organizations, however. I'd like to see him follow an org through its transformation to high velocity instead of just looking back on orgs who've already incorporated the principles successfully...
September 10, 2024
I found the writing hard to read. Nothing was particularly complex, but even so, I had a lot of trouble digesting the information. Sometimes that happens when I just don't connect with the writing style. Anyway, it had good info, so despite the struggle to get through, I'm glad I did. I wish it hadn't felt like such a slog, though.
June 3, 2018
A terrific book with a compelling business story. I don't want to be pretentious. If you like business books and are in a position to help effect a change. You gotta read this book. I found it hard to put down.
November 6, 2018
The way forward
Why it's a mind change, and a cultural change, and not just a different set of rules to follow. If you're a follower, it's time for you to get out of the way. Go watch survivors or netflix. This book is not for you.
Why it's a mind change, and a cultural change, and not just a different set of rules to follow. If you're a follower, it's time for you to get out of the way. Go watch survivors or netflix. This book is not for you.
July 3, 2021
Steve is such an excitable guy and is always able to engage me, even if it's about topics I am not as excited about. Great way of thinking about lean management and how to improve quality of life for workers and the experience.
January 31, 2025
The High-Velocity Edge offers solid guidance on continuous learning and improvement, with plenty of real-world examples to back it up. It’s a good read for business leaders looking to build a culture of innovation and efficiency. Some parts felt a bit repetitive, but the core message is valuable.
February 9, 2020
great book
January 22, 2021
Fantastic Book! Spear dazzles!
January 21, 2024
It’s 4 stars for what it is - a business efficiency book. I particularly liked the section on the US Navy, and the practical descriptions.
July 10, 2023
Done with The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition by Steven J. Spear
November 21, 2017
We were assigned to read this book by our boss at work. I wasn’t expecting to get much out of this book, but I found it very enriching. I took in a lot of ideas in this book however, I have one gigantic matter that keeps me from really having faith that the practices in this book can work. That is the question of the Human Ego; especially the American Ego. While the practices the author describes in the book work for Japanese companies in Japan, the author fails to address the differences in culture that probably have a huge factor in the practices being successful. I was hoping he would dedicate a chapter to how the practices may need to be adapted to be embraced by American organizations. Overall, I think it is a good book, and worthy of a wide audience even if one isn’t in business/management. Any worker could benefit from the knowledge about how employees on the Toyota Japan assembly lines are trained until they master the skills they need to do their work. I would like to see more American workers seek and get that level of training and mastery across all career fields.
August 23, 2012
Steven has written an amazing book that anyone considering lean or simply involved in change initiatives should read. Also people working with knowledge management or similar will benefit. An amazing dissemination of the inner workings of Toyota and a sharp eye for detail on what makes TPS and lean work. Even a good starting point for understanding lean values and principles in their basic form which is essential for thinking about applying lean in other contexts than manufacturing. Highly recommended.
August 13, 2010
One the one hand, it's 'another Toyota story' book; however, this one is particularly interesting. In the first pages, one can see why programs and processes like lessons learned often do not produce the learning hoped for - why organizations often do not learn and tend toward repeating their experiences. If one has an interest in organizational or process improvement, then I do recommend this book.
November 3, 2015
It took me 5 months to read this book. Along the way it spawned a multi-year project if not an all-together new way of thinking.
The only downside is it's treatment of Toyota's recent recalls. It devotes only 1.5 pages in the end. I had hoped the author had further developed the issue, but found nothing on his website but a couple of broken links.
But the book should become a classic, nevertheless. Side-by-side with Goldratt's The Goal.
The only downside is it's treatment of Toyota's recent recalls. It devotes only 1.5 pages in the end. I had hoped the author had further developed the issue, but found nothing on his website but a couple of broken links.
But the book should become a classic, nevertheless. Side-by-side with Goldratt's The Goal.
October 14, 2020
I enjoyed the first half of this book - great high level picture of building complex, sustainable systems followed by powerful stories about NASA, auto companies, and the Navy's nuclear program.
My main issues:
1) The second half of the book was too deep in the workings of Toyota - lost interest here
2) While the stories helped enliven Spear's theories, they are not unique
3) A lot of this book could have been stated in a blog post or HBR article
My main issues:
1) The second half of the book was too deep in the workings of Toyota - lost interest here
2) While the stories helped enliven Spear's theories, they are not unique
3) A lot of this book could have been stated in a blog post or HBR article
February 27, 2019
This book was given to the attendees at the Lean Software & Systems Conference this year, as Steven Spear was one of the keynote speakers. Excellent description of his 4 key characteristics of these companies, and it fits nicely with my interests in knowledge management too.
Further thoughts on my blog. https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2012/...
Further thoughts on my blog. https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2012/...
July 12, 2015
Should be a requirement of all managers regardless of the industry they come from...using real companies and industries, we learn how not to just handle problems or create work arounds but learn the cause of problems, create a solution and continue to learn and develop. Simple rules, harder to put in action.
Well written, great examples and powerful charts & process documents.
Well written, great examples and powerful charts & process documents.
September 25, 2011
Spear uses case studies of both failed as well as succeeding organizations and details why some lead in competitive industries. He summarizes the business philosophy of seeking to be the best in an industry. Must read for Lean thinkers!
February 25, 2012
This has been one of the best books I have read on continuous improvement principle, distilled to a science. The approach in fact is generic to be applied to every aspect in life ...
One of the best books I have read till date and a eye opener to achieving excellence through continuous innovation
One of the best books I have read till date and a eye opener to achieving excellence through continuous innovation
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