The Knowledge Work Factory: Turning the Productivity Paradox into Value for Your Business

INTRODUCTION

JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE

The following story might sound familiar. The details won’t be—like all the illustrative examples in this book, it’s a composite—but most of today’s businesspeople will relate to the general theme.

There’s a reason I want to start this journey with a simple story about good people dealing with avoidable problems. I’ll explain in a minute. But for now, let’s consider the story of Josh and his attempt to write something as seemingly simple as a management report for call center operations.

Josh is a smart guy. He’s got an MBA from a top school. He’s the very picture of the modern knowledge worker, or “white-collar worker” in somewhat older parlance. And when this story unfolds, he is an important player ...