Vanguard Method is Not Systems Thinking

Obsessing about the work situation.  Researching into the use of Vanguard Method shows that some (even on surface intelligent) people put an equal sign between Systems Thinking and Vanguard Method.  It is just me or someone else is out there that sees the obvious:

Vanguard is NOT Systems Thinking.

Vanguard "utilises analytical tools within a bounded deterministic system (activities) of work.  The approach contains no Systems Thinking concepts and ideas"

The invention of the "method" in 1985 and coining it now under the different label - is an excellent conman technique.  Selling the idea of the Freedom from command and control as opposed to the true Systems Thinking concept - changing the way people think.  

Systems Thinking is not a method it's a process of understanding on how things influencing one another within a whole. 

Vanguard Method under the watchful eye of John Seddon seems to forget that they have first were selling their very expensive consultancy under the lean process umbrella.  Not only it is laughable - it is even more amusing that the "converted" are using the following phrase to describe the outcome of one of the longest and very expensive projects in the following way: 

"Because the team went through the systems thinking lean process review ..... It takes longer to deal with the processes now" - makes me laugh every time I see this  

Seddon said his purpose in life is to "change management thinking" in March 2011 - guess what - "The Management" are using this "method" to command and control.  There is literally no understanding the in the organisation where a rigid structure underpins everything else it is impossible to be free of command and control. 

There are also the terms thrown around: "failure" demand, move away from the target driven culture, KPIs are evil and unnecessary.  All sounds excellent until you look at the definition of the targets and measures.  If you are looking at the target as and achievement of something and not measuring the days between the start of the process and getting to the closure of it- the Vanguard Method does not have a leg to stand on. 

In the culture where target is to achieve the most effective result - the Vanguard Method has no place.

World outside changed since 1985 - but it seems the Vanguard Method failed to follow their own mantra - "Check - Plan - Do".  Their ideology is a combination of "how the work works" + "how to change it" or so they sell it.   So the Systems Thinking +Intervention theory.  Except the Intervention Theory also looks at when it is desirable not to intervene and when it is appropriate to do so. 

So:

how the work works is not the only question - it is how the work works, what does work well and what does not, where it works well - can we use it to change the things that don’t work well.  But than if they admit that they managed to replace 

I liked this review of the Freedom from Command and Control: Rethinking Management for Lean Service book:

"Seddon trashing competing improvement methodologies (including Lean, which is ironic given the book's subtitle) and U.K. government policies, before making a sales pitch for the activities of his own consultancy"

It is becoming old and tired when the management consultants compete with one another - literally screaming - my way is the best way.  Where in fact it's what the best way for each individual organisation is - yes there are common problems but when you have Management that likes command and control there no sense to sell the idea of Freedom of command and control apart from sense of getting rich on a poor, directionless and often incompetent/ignorant.

Seddon trashing of the Call Centres, he does not like IiP, Charter Marks, CRM, TQM, BPR, EFQM or Six Sigma, and he especially does not like ISO 9000 - is an evidence how far removed he is from the reality he is.

In a company where the pseudo Systems Thinking project are thrown around as gospel word - the ISO 9000 is still being written into the job descriptions and  IiP accreditation is firmly on the companies front page.  It is an absolute farce.

I am sure Mr Seddon laughing all the way to the bank.