I'm a small business programmer. I love solving tough problems with Python and PHP. If you like what you're seeing, you should probably follow me here on dev.to and then checkout my blog.
Thanks for your comments, Ivan. You bring up some good questions.
Yes, always working on the constraint can be exhausting.
Thoughts on burnout:
knowing where the constraint is makes it easier to say no to a whole array of low-value activities. I don't feel so stressed about all the things on my to-do list because I know where to put my energy
you have to know your limits. Just because you know where the constraint is doesn't mean you can directly effect it. It could exist outside your organization, it could be a law or regulation, or it could be a person who just isn't interested in hearing from you. You can only control what you do. And you might have to face the reality that you are not in a position to elevate the constraint (right now).
you're right about that "problem area" being a problem area for a reason. If the constraint was simple to identify and elevate, someone would have fixed it already. You'll likely find all kinds of tangled issues that are way above your pay grade if you dig deep enough.
if the true constraint is beyond your influence, work on the next biggest constraint that you can influence. Yes, it's not a global maximum but it's still miles ahead of the average prioritization system most people use. You should still be able to make an outstanding contribution even if you can't change the constraint that much. And always express your willingness to work on the constraint if something changes and you find yourself in a position to do something about it or team up with someone else to tackle it.
don't work all the time and try not to think about work excessively when you're not on the clock.
remember that it's just a job. You can't control everything and you're not responsible for the entire company. I paid like $30 for my copy of "Goldratt's Theory of Constraints" and I got the rest of the information from the library and online. The information is widely available so your bosses and/or the owners of your company need to take a huge amount of responsibility for how the business is run. If you've told whoever you can about the constraint and they aren't interested, that's their business.
there's no getting around stupid meetings and email and other low-value activities. Just accept it. I work on the constraint when I can and I take comfort in knowing that I deliver value to the company that is many multiples of my salary.
final thought: there will always be a constraint by definition. So, there is no end to this process. Therefore, you must set a sustainable pace. In fact, that's the optimum strategy unless your company is in a life or death crisis.
Thoughts on applying the approach in a team setting:
this way of thinking isn't for everyone. Some people avoid structured/logical analysis. Others don't have the necessary business or domain knowledge to apply the concepts, even if they knew them. So, don't try to make everyone work this way.
introduce the idea informally and see if anyone is interested in learning more. Let people pull the ideas out of you (don't push them on people).
try to get an ally on your team. Talk through your business opportunities together. If you get to the thinking processes, make the diagrams together or review each other's diagrams.
many people don't care to understand how you figured out where the constraint is and what you should do about it. They just want to have clear direction and do work that's meaningful to them. So if you pitch a project to elevate the constraint, you might only have to explain that it's a really valuable project to get people on board.
the only person who truly needs to understand what's going on is the person who sets the work assignments/priorities. Everyone else can catch up over time and to the level they desire.
Thanks for the insights, Blaine. They are most appreciated.
A mistake I have been making in the past is to take for granted that my colleagues are on the same page (theory of constraints thinking) when working on the same project. However, this has mostly not been the case.
As I cannot unsee and ununderstand the points of the paradigm, I guess I have to work on my soft skills more trying to get people to acknowledge the benefits of the approach while not being too pushy or impatient.
Another facet of the problem is how to present constraints to those above your pay grade without putting them in too tough a spot and avoiding their resentment. Most people, and especially these at higher levels in an organization, would not appreciate a lower level colleague presenting them with difficult problems only they can handle. How would you do that?
I'm a small business programmer. I love solving tough problems with Python and PHP. If you like what you're seeing, you should probably follow me here on dev.to and then checkout my blog.
Thanks for your comments, Ivan. You bring up some good questions.
Yes, always working on the constraint can be exhausting.
Thoughts on burnout:
Thoughts on applying the approach in a team setting:
Cheers.
Thanks for the insights, Blaine. They are most appreciated.
A mistake I have been making in the past is to take for granted that my colleagues are on the same page (theory of constraints thinking) when working on the same project. However, this has mostly not been the case.
As I cannot unsee and ununderstand the points of the paradigm, I guess I have to work on my soft skills more trying to get people to acknowledge the benefits of the approach while not being too pushy or impatient.
Another facet of the problem is how to present constraints to those above your pay grade without putting them in too tough a spot and avoiding their resentment. Most people, and especially these at higher levels in an organization, would not appreciate a lower level colleague presenting them with difficult problems only they can handle. How would you do that?
You're welcome.
I wrote a whole series of posts on this topic. You might want to check them out.
Where to look for the constraint in your company and Build your influence in six steps answer some of your questions directly.
Reply here if you still have questions.
Cheers.