Season 3 – Episode 023: With Paul Howley This week, Jimmy and James are joined by Paul Howley—a former radio astronomer turned corporate transformation expert—to dismantle the myth that technology is the answer to all organisational change. Here’s the truth: it’s not. With 36 years of experience across airlines, utilities, and financial services, Paul explains why most tech-driven transformations fail (70% of them, according to McKinsey) and how middle managers can deliver real change without a single line of code. The episode exposes the absurdity of chasing AI, new platforms, and digital tools as quick fixes. Instead, Paul shares a case study from financial services where a mortgage … [Read more...]
Strategy and Systems Thinking
This playlist explores the importance of adopting a holistic, systems-based approach to improve organisational performance and prevent unintended consequences.
Your System Is the Problem (Here’s How You Fix It)
Season 3 – Episode 20: With John Seddon Welcome to the 100th episode of A Job Done Well—where we celebrate the art of calling out corporate nonsense and replacing it with something that actually works. This week, we’re joined by John Seddon, a management thinker so influential he’s got his own Wikipedia page (unlike James, who may or may not have written his own). John’s spent decades proving that traditional management—targets, incentives, standardisation—doesn’t just fail to improve performance; it actively makes things worse. John’s approach is simple: stop incentivising the wrong things. Most organisations reward behaviours that undermine their own goals. Engineers rushed to fix … [Read more...]
Do You Really Need Process Improvement?
Season 3 – Episode 10 In the latest episode of "A Job Done Well," James Lawther and Jimmy Barber confront a polarising topic: Process Improvement. They tackle the central debate—is it essential for organisational health, or simply bureaucratic overhead? 1. The Core Conflict: Necessity vs. Bureaucracy Jimmy admits to a strong aversion to "process," associating it with endless documentation. James argues the opposite: that effective processes are the indispensable structures supporting successful businesses. The hosts explore the common resistance to process and why, despite its reputation, it remains fundamental to achieving results. 2. Actions for Better … [Read more...]
Unintended Consequences, and How to Avoid Them
Season 2 – Episode 38: Examples and Solutions From Snakes to Microwave Ovens In this episode, hosts James Lawther and Jimmy Barber study unintended consequences and how they affect you personally and in business. Their discussion ranges from Donald Trump’s tariffs to the introduction of Cane Toads in Australia and the invention of the microwave oven. They also share the unintended consequences that have impacted them personally (both positively and negatively). Most importantly, the hosts also explore why these things happen and how to avoid them from derailing your work. As a bonus, you can learn about the perils of gardening and the joy of realising that you have stopped … [Read more...]
DOGE – Is This Really the Answer to Cost Challenges?
Season 2 – Episode 27: We Explain to Elon How To Make Money. 'The wise learn not only from their own mistakes but also from the missteps of others.' In this episode, we discuss the challenges faced by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as it attempts to cut federal spending and modernise technology under President Trump's agenda. We discuss Elon Musk's cost-saving playbook, the risks of the approach, and most importantly, some suggestions on better ways of saving cost - by focusing on purpose, finding the right opportunities and listening to employees. Could we do a better job than Elon? Have a listen and you decide! Plus, you'll discover James's latest … [Read more...]