The pace of change in 2000 and beyond has brought about fundamental shifts that cross-cut virtually all business disciplines. The key to sustaining competitive advantage is to recognize contributions across the organization that create a compelling self-interest in acting for the good of the firm.

Our short courses and seminars cover a wide range of interests and topics relevant to everyday life. With our exclusive ThinDime™ pricing option, qualifying individuals can register for a half- or full-day seminar, with follow-ups, for less than the price of a midrange blouse or pair of shoes. Our short programs integrate such topics as excellence, relationships, effectiveness, money and performance.

Lifelong Enrichment: The Challenge of Change is the foundation for all other programs we offer. It provides participants transformational leadership skills, an exponential improvement in their ability to relate to life with new freedom and power. For smaller firms (less than 250 staff per division), ask how to qualify for our ThinDime™ sliding fee scale. Complete the Contact Form or write for details.

Why is Systems Thinking Vital?

Organizations that think strategically keep the overall design in focus as they deal with the details of day-to-day operations. Systems Thinking is both personally and professionally vital because it’s only when an organization collectively masters what our Collaboration Coaches have codified in this three-phase, nine-element set of skills that long-term business planning can consistently enhance the bottom line.

Trust cannot be bought and personal experience, by definition, comes after the fact. To make sure there is a next time, effective organizations recognize they must first invest in their employees and then leverage that investment into market leadership. Anything less is a waste of corporate assets and individual potentials. Systems Thinking is the integrating link for organizational learning. It is the natural progression for organizations that are maturing in project management. Only two things separate the business leader from others: those with whom they associate and the way they think. Make a choice to build success in all areas of your life, and your organization. The Challenge of Change Systems Thinking Curriculum is an excellent opportunity for you to develop skills with immediate application while you build a personalized plan for an optimum future.

Systems Thinking Augments Mentorship

Your Seminar Leader

• took an Energy multiprogram contractor from leading all-DOE in vehicle accident rates to an accident-free year.
• In the afloat environment, his efforts aboard USS Halsey produced a weapons-system uptime that was third overall in the Pacific Fleet.
• In warehousing, leading a labor-management team, together they cut cost-of-reporting by 354%!
• In publishing, they tripled books in press annually!

About The Rock Eel Café

Mosaic Management

The single most important aspect of communication

The counterintuitive nature of long-term success

How—and why—to submit to “The tyranny of the triumphant”

The Monotony of Mastery

“Flow”: what it is, how to put it to use

Leverage

Forms of Leverage

   One-on-one

Communication: How “ augmentation” can multiply your effectiveness

Pattern Languages: what they mean for your organization

Reinforcing the belief that “people are the solution.”

Organizational Examples

Everyday Economics

Background and Boundaries

The Sky is Falling: Overhead Myths & Mysteries

Reaching beyond language differences

What to do about the shift in financial reporting emphasis

Why staying in touch is a must

Developing Number Sense

A personal budget that really works!

Part Two:

Ennova

What constitutes innovation

Finding your “aha!s”

Why “sideways learning” is a must-have skill

Cooperation: not just nice, a business necessity—surprising research results

What’s That Smell!” or, Lessons from a Skunkworks

Rise & Dial to boost results and reduce costs

Exercises

Information: East & West

Background and Boundaries

Graphic sins to avoid

Timeless lessons from Oriental masters:
A Book of Five Rings and The Art of War

Information Management:  reading and typing speed enhancements
for those times “when you’re it”

On-line advances: corporate savings & competitiveness;
personal mobility and entrepreneurship

Econergnomics™

An ergonomic primer

Life-cycle-costing redux

Creating a win-win by negotiating your environment

Exercises

Interlude: The Power of Play

Recognizing the power of play

Part Three

Here I am—Now What?

Is here where you want to be?

Corporate vs. Personal Needs: Why the Conflict?

The Positive Power of Myths: Are You Living One?

Industry Comparisons


Don’t Guess, Know!:  The Power of Being a Personal Resource
Benchmarking the news

The timebank: make your deposits before you attempt to withdraw

The basis of business decisions

Seminar Synthesis: Details of the follow-through process


Peak Performance Without Heartburn

We can offer you and your firm a way to think smarter. Our hope is that after reading what we offer on the site, you'll look at your team, project, or company in a new light and see if there is perhaps a better way to address the complexity we all face. Contact us to schedule a review of your current business process through the Fabric of Facts Strategic Business Focus.

Brief History of the Systems Thinking Movement  More Food for Thought from the Rock Eel Café