About this Presentation
One of the last key pieces of knowledge that Dr. Eli Goldratt shared with us was the Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Process. The six steps of the process are explained in this presentation. Part of this explanation includes some history of Dr. Ferguson's time working with Dr. Goldratt on the paper titled 'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants ' (SOSG). For example, Level 1 of the S & T tree contains the strategy is the common objective (A) of the core conflict of the organization or the huge pot of gold: the parallel assumptions (PAs) (include one or more of the following: facts to lead us to conclude what the tactic must be in order to achieve the strategy/goal of the organization; The needs of the organization in the core conflict (B and C); The assumption(s) challenged underlying the core conflict (under B-D, C-D’ and/or D-D’ arrows); A statement providing hope (leading to the direction of the solution); The tactic is the one statement of the injection that challenges one or more of the assumptions underlying the core conflict or how the organization intends to achieve its strategy/goal; SA(s) is/are commonly about the power of focus (i.e. the constraint). the purpose and level of detail of each level in the S & T tree are provided. The content of the strategy, parallel assumptions, tactics, necessity assumptions and sufficiency assumptions is discussed. This presentation offers several examples of applications of this process in order to facilitate a better understanding of the six steps. Dr. Ferguson explains how to apply the six steps to achieving excellent health of individuals.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
The Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Process was introduced by Dr. Eliyahu M. Goldratt as a way to build on the work of 'giants' in a field and expand the knowledge further.
The process involves identifying a 'giant', understanding their work better than they did, identifying the areas not addressed by the giant, and conducting a full analysis to determine the core problem and solution.
Dr. Lisa Ferguson applies this process to the healthcare industry, with TOC and Dr. Goldratt as the 'giants'.
Instructor(s)
Lisa Anne Ferguson
Dr. Lisa Ferguson's goal in life is to illuminate the way to utopia for individuals, organizations, and the rest of society. Our strategies and tactics are based on using the Theory of Constraints (TOC), combined with other best practices to dramatically improve strategic planning and execution, retail, education, healthcare and the health/happiness/success of individuals with a holistic approach. TOC was founded by Dr. Eli Goldratt to achieve his goal in life of teaching the world to think. For a decade, Dr. Ferguson was a full-time professor of operations management before resigning to teach for The Goldratt Group full-time training consultants (both TOC experts and Supply Chain Logistics implementers). Next, Dr. Lisa Ferguson spent a year (2007 – 2008) working as the apprentice to best-selling author and business guru, Eliyahu M. Goldratt as he trained her to become an even more successful writer and speaker, while further developing her TOC expertise. Her service on the TOCICO Board of Directors in an elected, unpaid position is from 2008 – 2011 and 2020 – 2021. Professor Ferguson is the author of the chapter on Strategy and Tactic Trees in The Theory of Constraints Handbook. Dr. Ferguson began teaching online classes for Illuminutopia in 2010. She is a published author (as well as an editor) and consultant with experience guiding Fortune 100 companies down through small businesses.
Ms Alka Wadhwa
Alka Wadhwa is an experienced consultant and process improvement expert with over 24 years of expertise in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean Six Sigma, and organizational performance optimization. She has successfully led projects in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, driving significant improvements such as a 67% boost in hospital operations and a 140% increase in outpatient visits.
Previously, Alka Wadhwa spent 17+ years at GE Global Research Center, where she led initiatives to enhance various GE businesses through advanced technologies, process redesign, and system optimization. Founder of Better Solutions Consulting, LLC, she specializes in using TOC, Six Sigma, and data analytics to streamline operations and build high-performance teams.
Her work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Empire State Award of Excellence in healthcare.
Dr Gary Wadhwa
Dr. Gary Wadhwa is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive experience in the field. He completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery training at Montefiore Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and has served as an Attending at prestigious institutions like St. Peters Hospitals, Ellis Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital in NY. With a career spanning over two decades, he was the former CEO and President of a group specialty practice in NY from 1994 to 2015. Dr. Wadhwa holds an MBA from UT at Knoxville, TN, and has undergone additional training in System Dynamics at MIT, Health System Management at Harvard Business School, and Entrepreneurship and healthcare innovations at Columbia Business School. Committed to expanding access to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery care, he is currently engaged in a meaningful project to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in inner city and rural areas through non-profit Community Health Centers.