Intro -- Jan Lelie LO3126

Jan Lelie (100730.1213@compuserve.com)
10 Oct 95 08:10:51 EDT

Introducing Jan Lelie

I'm called Jan Lelie. I'm in the process of reformulating my own ideas,
concepts, predispositions, experiences and what have you on logistical
improvements using the terminology of the Learning Organization/The Fifth
Discipline.

I think that the evolution or development of people is our sensible goal;
It happens even if we don't consciously want that. I see processes
(described using for instance the System Thinking language) as inter- and
counteracting each other. This dynamic equilibrium tends to organize
itself in ever complex, though meta-stable, forms. This holds also for
"artifacts" like organizations. As we are able to recognize the patterns
and structures of these processes, development goes much faster.
Leadership, meaning the ability to formulate these patterns (define
reality) and support people to act to this (saying thank you in the end)
helps. Team-learning, getting into a dialogue on our common
misunderstandings, also helps.

Progress however goes in leaps and bounds. Whenever the environment
changes, systems adapt. These adaptations change their environment. But
systems will also try to counter-act change, to reduce the impact of the
environment. In this way a system, or organization, may become critical.
And suddenly the change occurs or ... the impact subsides and everything
remains as it was until the next environmental change. As a small system,
an organization is part of its environment. But as the organization is
successful, it grows. Until it changes its environment. Then the
environmental issue is also part of the system. This will severe the
effects of adaptations. The more because the ideas, the mental models of
the constituents have grown with the organization and not with the impact
on the environment. Self-reference plays a role. Time also plays a role,
but I have not figured out a good description.

In my view logistical systems/organizations work in the same way: small
improvements are easy. Implement better planningsystems. Just reduce
lead-time, start planning on bottle-necks and implement teamwork. Measured
in (Inventory) Turns and/or a kind of Return-On-Investment initial gains
are easy. But they trigger also the stabilizing mechanisms, slowly
stopping continuous improvement. Then the organizations snaps to a next
stage or it slowly returns to its previous equilibrium. An implementation
of Just-In-Time, or Theory-of Constraints, or Total-Quality or
The-Latest-Fads means more than superficially changing the
working-procedures. It requires another way of thinking, feeling and
acting. Using Systems Thinking and the other ideas from the Learning
Organization, I'm developing a better understanding of the processes,
concepts and principles that govern our behavior. In doing this I have
found the enemies of change: they are us. I would like to share these
ideas with the growing community of Learning Organization practitioners.

I'm currently self-employed (under the name LOGISENS, I try to become a
"sparring partner" for my customers: helping them to reflect on their
ideas, concepts and principles, supporting them in making choices,
dialogueing) and co-operate closely with people from another small
consulting firm on business and logistical improvement called CIMAX
International. I've worked for eight years with the Dutch/European
daughter of a big American organization in variuos roles and in a number
of (international) improvement projects. During these projects we
developed our approach, also called "learning" or "developing" or
"evoluting". As it happened, Peter Senge wrote the book I had in mind and
it boosted our efforts. And the back-lash from the management: the team
was dissolved and I was fired. I've become grateful for these learning
experiences.

I've a degree (drs) in Physics (Bio-physics to be precise) from Leiden
University, a Dutch version of a MBA (drs) from de precessor of the
Rotterdam School of Management (IIB) and I've been Certified In Production
and Inventory Management (CPIM) by The American Production and Inventory
Control Society (APICS).

We were married in 1981 and have two children. We live in a nice house in
a quiet street in Den Haag (The Hague) a city on the coast of The
Netherlands, between Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

--
Jan Lelie
100730.1213@COMPUSERVE.COM