Tom Paterson Process for Productivity in Business

 

This blog post/article is a re-print of an awesome person that has attended the same church as I do (Bethany Presbyterian). My reason is not to plagiarize, but to place in front of others to learn from his incredible insights that have been put in place my many well known companies.
As well, long before I have read or heard of the Paterson Process, I too have attempted to implement many of his points only to be rebuffed at a previous employer that was run by a few very clueless investors/persons as to how to deal with human resources, so reading of the Paterson Process and how many major businesses have employed it has been a reaffirmation to me.

Here are a few of Tom Paterson's productivity accomplishments

• Bringing Northrop Corporation back from near bankruptcy as a financial analyst, and creating the "Paterson Process" and the "cross functional team” concept.


• Establishing THE foundational discoveries that allowed the entire world to hear, "HOUSTON, WE HAVE LANDED!"... The decision for a human controlled lunar landing by Apollo 11 was Tom's sole decision.


• Introducing secret technology to Roy Disney that resulted in the invitation for Tom to design all of the electronics for Disney World, including Space Mountain. Roy actually dedicated Space Mountain to Tom Paterson


• Created the US Presidential Study on Productivity in America for the Carter Administration.


• Tom Paterson was a member of President Reagan’s trade mission to the People’s Republic of China in which Tom was the designer of China’s “pink economy" – a unique mix of communism and capitalism – enabling 1,000,000,000+ people to have food and shelter today.

PATERSON PROCESS

Our greatest productivity loss is invisible so it is not measured. Tom Paterson achieved a MBA from Pepperdine University that was sixty percent behavioral based. After sixty-five years of experience, he came to realize that this hidden factor of production loss is due to INSECURITY, a reality that is sadly epidemic.

Characteristics of the really pathologically insecure, include:

· Cannot praise or affirm others – The truth is that all of us NEED APPLAUSE.
(This is where so many businesses such as BiMart or the investors of Carys of Oregon seem to be so totally clueless!)

· Are gossips – the pathologically insecure feel it is important to show they are in the know.

· Often speak loudly – to draw attention to the wisdom they are imparting to others.

· As Managers, they often build on weakness – they cannot make themselves bring someone on their staff that is (or appears to be) stronger than them.

· Are controllers who drop those they cannot control in their “kingdom” and their control techniques will be subtle.

· Do not take intelligent necessary risks. They play it safe…which is very unsafe when change is needed.

· Do not hold regular staff meetings – they prefer to meet one on one so they will be the only one that has the complete picture.

· Always need more budget in their piece of their budget world. This is apart of their play it safe mentality.

· Do not bring products in on schedule and at cost. They cannot drive a project due to their need to be popular.

· Cannot speak up in meetings of entire staff due to fear that their ideas may not be well regarded. Often they have great ideas that are only captured offline in one on one sessions.

Learnings for Leaders:

· Always recruit strength

· Recruit strong potential

· Do psychological testing

· Review your staff

· If you have staff who’s Thinking Wavelength is does not fit their assignments, don’t try to change them. Assist them to relocate to a job they can do.

· Be an affirmer – There is no Hall of Fame for Critics.

· Celebrate successful efforts and results.

· Let your team challenge themselves.

· Raise the bar for their performance.

· Reward outstanding results and effort.

· Get the thoughts of your silent ones offline

· Don’t try to force group participation – it will not work.

· Screen people carefully for management of major projects – make sure major projects are led by drivers.

· Place people who are silent in meetings in positions where they do not have to manage staff themselves.

Here are a couple Books by Tom Paterson

*Deeper, Richer, Fuller

*Living the Life You Were Meant to Live

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COMMENTARY (By Carl S.)

While I may have attempted to institute many of these points during my many years in management, reading these as Tom Patterson presents these points helps me realize where I can improve too.
As well understanding how to identify the "pathologically insecure" among employees is something I had not given too much thought to until I read his "process".

In my aquarium/pond maintenance business, and now my online research and article writing endeavor I can see how valid these points are, including my failings.

Here are a couple of my professional, researched aquarium/pond care articles:

*The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

*Aquarium Chemistry:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

Here are a couple of my professional, tested products that I feel through hands on use and research are the very best in their genre:

*TMC Pond UV Sterilizers:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html

*Aquarium & Pond UV Replacement Bulbs:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/UVCReplacementLamp.html

Heath Care Reform, Period/ Interim Life Expectancy, etc.

 

Heath Care Reform, Period/ Interim Life Expectancy,
Democrats such as Pelosi, Republicans such as Greg Walden, Suggestion/Ideas, more


The debate on heath care reform in full swing, with Obama, Reid and Pelosi leading the way with lies to try and push through reforms with little disclosure of what is contained within the different proposals.
Do not get me wrong, I think something needs to be done (this includes reform of the insurance industry), as often many self employed persons have been given the shaft by dishonest insurance companies with such statements as “pre-existing conditions” (that often are not even based on correct medical reports!)
However a takeover by the economy by the US government is far from the answer!

Let me address some corrections to pundits and some thoughts I have about this problem.

• I heard a comment by a caller to the Sean Hannity show state in response to Hannity’s point to look at the USPS and its inefficiency; “Fedex and UPS managed to compete with USPS dominance, why shouldn’t insurance companies with a Federal insurance plan”.

First of all the deck was not stacked against Fedex or UPS the way the insurance companies as the Health Reform plans would be.

Second as an international retail shipper, I know that USPS (along with foreign postal services) does have the deck stacked against Fedex/UPS by allowing much lower costs and more importantly requiring harmonized codes, long forms, custom brokers, etc. that increase costs (including the cost of time).
The result is shipping via USPS is almost the only way we or our customers can afford, except for a few that are so frustrated with postal service destruction of packages, lack of tracking, etc that they will pay the much higher fees.

The bottom line is when the playing field is even, fine, but this is not the case with the Senate and congressional proposals that will likely lead to businesses bailing out of private insurers, as well as IRS enforcement of extreme penalties for non participation (and FEW INTELLIGENT persons can argue the EXTREME corruption within the IRS)

• Life expectancy based on age; this is where some pundits on the right side of the aisle have argued to look at comparisons between the US and the UK (Great Britain; which has socialized medicine).
Using male expectancy at birth the UK (77.16) leads the USA (74.81), HOWEVER when you look at a male at age 60 (whom has made it past other factors that include accidents, homicide, etc.), the gap is almost non existent.
The adjusted life expectancy from age 60 for a USA male is 80.42 while a UK male is 81.06.
What this indicates is that the better medical care in the USA closes this gap.

Please reference these US and UK government websites for further information (based on 2005):
*Interim life tables; UK
*Period Life Table; USA

• I also should note that from my perspective, rarely does the governments get it right, even with good intentions.
My own dealing with DHS/DCS (Department of Children’s Services), shows an agency that may have good intentions, but is so corrupt with an anti family agenda that they “rarely can get it right”.
Reference: Oregon DHS, Department of Children’s Services, Abuse of Authority

• That said, the Republicans with their arrogance towards many of their constituents does not bode well for trust of many of them to get it right either.
Greg Walden of Oregon is a good example of a republican I would never vote for, he and his staff would rather condescend to person such as myself about understanding accounting (I never got less than an A in accounting in either high school or college), rather than correct major flaws in another corrupt government run organization; “the Food Stamps Program” which is skewed against anyone self employed.
Reference: Greg Walden; Republican Integrity or lack there of

Suggestions

• Allow insurance agencies to compete across state lines

• Do not allow insurance companies to only insure the “cream”. In other words if insurance companies want to play they MUST insure all or give up rights to insure ANY (and this includes all forms of insurance such as auto, home so that if they want to stay in business they cannot play the games that they so often do at others expense).
This is not to say they must charge equal charges any more than a driver with multiple accidents should get the same rate someone with a perfect rate does. However this is not a perfect analogy since poor driving is a choice, in many cases contracting a disease is not (although not in all cases here either)

• Tort Reform; correct the many problems with outrageous lawsuits that drive up medical costs (& not just for doctors, but medical manufacturers).
This reform should include hospitals that cannot even manage to diagnose the most basic of conditions and then fail to bill the insurance companies and then sue the patient later to make up for their incompetance.
This actually happens, such as with the poorly managed Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach Oregon.

There needs to be a public binding arbitration to manage these low quality medical providers.

• Allow both a government backed tax free medical saving plan combined with government subsidies possibly with a 1% employee and 1% employer FDIC increase (this is where I actually would support a tax increase). This would be used to allow self employed, uninsured, persons with so-called “pre-existing conditions” a chance to by real health insurance.

This “Government Aid/Subsidy” would NOT be a government option, rather simply a way of providing someone who has lost their job, is self employed (yet below the poverty level via real accounting methods unlike the dishonest food stamp program), etc. aid with purchasing/keeping existing insurance plans.

• Full portability of insurance, this should include a similar grace period (like the 6 months of unemployment) regardless of reason of discharge from an employer (except for a crime).
This would improve many lives and allow those stuck in cr## jobs the ability to leave as MANY persons remain in jobs only to keep insurance. This not only can degrade health via constant stress, but also keeps potential great employees out of the job market or even entrepreneurship that can lead to a better economy only because a person fears to “move on” and thus loose health insurance coverage (often moving on means leaving for a small company without health insurance, but with a lot of personal growth potential).

In my opinion, losing a job or being self employed should not mean lack of ability to seek medical care.
In fact a small business going out of business for medical bankruptcy hurts everyone, including those employed by this company (including potential future employees and tax revenue lost).
My personal business link:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

In Summary; these are just a few humble suggestions from a very small voice crying in the wilderness that unfortunately likely never to be heard from those in power, either on the left or the right side of the aisle (politically speaking). Sadly their agendas are too much for them to take an honest look at these suggestions.
I might also add that in my circle of business and friend contacts that these suggestions are not mine alone, but those of a very large silent group of Americans that have been left behind by their government representatives and the extremely corrupt media.
Media Corruption articles from this website:
Dishonesty of the Media; Truth, Lies, & Distortions
List of Media Lies/Dishonesty & Failures