Critical Chain

“Not that they had been complacent. Embarking on new technologies, new tools, even new management methods is the norm in their company. You cannot be among the leaders otherwise. Nevertheless, Levy insisted on bringing in experts from the outside. ‘There must be many things that we take for granted,’ he had claimed. ‘Things that only outsiders are able to see.’”

Though Levy makes a good point, that some issues can only be seen from the outside, part of the flaw in his thinking is that outsiders are worth both the money and time required to acquire and implement their insights. The need for better technology, management, and tools is common to all industries to remain competitive, and a team of people within a company are most likely to have the motivation and insight needed to make valuable change. In a sense, the failure of the consulting option affirms the need for change within the team, rather than for more outside perspectives.

“‘I chose you because of your unique style of teaching,’ he surprises me. ‘Teaching through open discussion?’ I’m astonished. ‘Yes,’ he says categorically. ‘For this program I’m more and more convinced that that is the only prudent way. The students have the relevant day-to-day experience. Open debate, steering a group of people to develop the know-how themselves, is how we should teach them.’”

The concept of open discussion is applicable both in and out of the classroom, and Richard’s importance in the novel is uncovered in this passage. Combining the experiences and knowledge bases of multiple professionals and academics is a great way to broaden the scope of a discussion, and it gives each individual participant the chance to voice concerns and contribute to the concerns of others. Richard’s technique will be applied to the project management class, but the premise of open communication is relevant in all forms of business and academia.