Beyond Leadership: Balancing Economics, Ethics and Ecology, Revised Edition

The “X” Template: The Most Natural Forms and Flows for the Critical Functions

Scripting and Charting the Job-to-be-Done “From Alpha to Omega”

On the X Template every variable that influences the job to be done is included in the work flow. It extends far beyond the shop floor and traditional company limits to include initial suppliers of information and raw materials at one end, the ultimate satisfaction of customers on task completion at the other end. The X Template has no fixed boundaries, either inside the company or between the company and its environment.

The Streams process lays out the specifications for constructing the X Template. When finished, X traces the optimal shape that has been chosen for the entity and locates the specific pieces needed to get the work done under the circumstances. Like the computer-guided fabric cutters in a clothing factory, it seeks to minimize waste, maximize utility, and tailor to meet the needs of the particular customer.

To be successful, every piece of the organization must be involved at the beginning. Traditionally, layout decisions of this nature have either been made by “the authorities” or “those experts” and handed off for implementation. Maybe others at lower echelons were invited to fine-tune, make adjustments, or look for ways to reduce costs, but they were not involved in pattern making at the start. One of the revelations in the participatory management upsurge has been that those who plan the party have the best time.

In Second ...