In a complex setting, I always have a problem with words like maximize, minimize, or optimize in any material, especially marketing bumph.
How do you maximize revenue? e.g. "Simple Strategies to Maximize Profit."
How do you minimize costs? e.g. "The best ways to minimize cost overruns?"
How do you optimize performance? e.g. "How to Optimize Employee Performance."
How do you ever know if you've maximized, minimized, or optimized anything or not?
You don't.
All you can do is measure whether things have increased or decreased. Significantly or otherwise.
Furthermore, in a complex environment, at what cost? What are the unintended but not so readily apparent consequences of your actions?
If you are interested in Knowledge Management, the
Knowledge Café
or the role of conversation in organizational life then you my be interested in this online book I am writing on
Conversational Leadership
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