Know Thyself

Abstract: Project-centric improvement (PCI) and culture-centric improvement (CCI) are two approaches an organization can use when seeking improvement. PCI is specific and focuses on project activities, whereas CCI is more comprehensive and system-focused. Once thought to ha…

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Great article. While the data in the article is not an earth-shattering revelation, the author has framed the issue extremely well. I have seen many organizations fail in their efforts to launch a sustainable process excellence program, and the main reason is exactly as stated: Executives have a short term focus (project-centric).
--Vin Capasso, 05-05-2009

A timely and well-written article that closely aligns, yet improves upon, concepts from Hersey, Blanchard and Johnson's work on organizational behavior from the 1990's. I heartily encourage Mr. Warda to expand this article into a book. Having been through a number of quality improvement initiatives where staff functioned as nails and senior management served as hammers, I have first-hand experience suffering through project-centric quality program improvement initiatives without considering or assessing the situation or maturity of the prevailing culture.

I strongly agree, and have supporting information, that project-centered quality improvement without consideration of the supporting culture is best described as the firecracker approach. There's a lot of sizzle, sparkle, then "bang" there's the program, only for it to turn into a cloud of smoke, bits of paper in the air, and the lingering fumes of gunpowder. A great piece of work - hats off to Mr. Warda.
--Michael R. Engblom-Bradley, 04-17-2009
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