[To read The Goal fast, and learn the Theory of Constraints even faster] [Video summary of Chapter 15]

Rogo chaperones the scouts and reflects on the lessons he can apply from hiker speeds to his plant. Read 13 and 15 together. Teamwork isn’t an explicit thread in The Goal – but this chapter shows how Goldratt approaches the topic.

The Goal of the team is to unburden the constraint. If a team doesn’t know the constraint, then finding it is the first task.

Highlight

“If we take some of the load off you, you’ll be able to do a better job at the front of the line.”

This is a team activity. Share the burden of the constraint to speed up the team.

Page by Page

P113 – “Inside a plant, when the departments get behind and work-in-process inventory starts building up, people are shifted around, they’re put on overtime, managers start to crack the whip, product moves out the door, and inventories slowly go down again.”

“I just thought I’d stay back here with you. This way I won’t hold anybody up.”

Herbie is a compassionate constraint. Most constraints are. Most constraints know that they are the constraint! Rather than let the constraint suffer, it should be embraced and encouraged.

P114 – “If this were my plant, it would be as if there were a never-ending supply of work—no idle time.”

Each pace is optimal. Each walker goes along without thinking of the others. There is no sense of a troop or a team. In a plant – there is no sense of a common business.

Rogo and Goldratt take the concept of team and alignment as a given. But here we see what happens when that is ignored – the troop spreads out on their hike. Each plant operation does its best, but doesn’t accomplish a common goal.

P115 – “In fact, whoever is moving the slowest in the troop is the one who will govern throughput.”

P116 – “Up front, you’ve got some kid who wants to set a speed record. and here you are stuck behind Fat Herbie, the slowest kid in the woods.”

That kid, or teammate, up front doesn’t understand the goal – for everyone to finish.

P117 – “Herbie, this thing weighs a ton,” I say. “What have you got in here?”

P118 – “If we take some of the load off you, you’ll be able to do a better job at the front of the line.”

This is a team activity. Share the burden of the constraint to speed up the team.

P119 – He says, “You know, Dad, I was really proud of you today.”

The praise from a son after a scout activity will melt the heart of any father.

The Wonder Pets is a kids tv show where the theme song is a love story to teamwork.