Learn how a 'gut check' meeting helped a consumer packaged goods company navigate legal and patent issues during product development. Discover the significance and dangers of using a gut check, and the importance of holding such meetings only when necessary. Explore how gut checks can bring teams together, address issues, and prioritize tasks in strategy discussions and project meetings. This thought-provoking discussion also covers navigating changes, communication strategies, rectifying expectations, and focusing on the future.

“Make sure you're comfortable learning and describing the things you don't know rather than trying to articulate what you do know and finding a way to verify only what you do know. There is no such thing as a completely red line or a completely green line.”In today's Circuit Breaker episode, Bob and Greg delve into the "green line" vs. the "red line." This reflects contrasting approaches to product development. Bob will recount his research on this topic in Japan when he was a member of the Ford team. You'll understand the mindset difference in product development between the US and Japan.They'll talk about one of Taguchi's methods, Design of Experiments. You'll discover the "green line" and the "red line" main takeaways. This includes, among other things, determining the cause of a product failure rather than bearing personal responsibility and not settling for the unknowns. You'll also learn why redline projects have more going on as they get closer to launch than greenline projects, which have more going on at the beginning. Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion on "green line" and "red line" development. Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:What are the "red line" and "green line," and why is it important?How to discover the unknown.The importance of continuous learning.How do you know if you're on the "green line" or the "red line?"How do you get from the red line to the green line?And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

If I were to change anything, it would be to make sure that students understand why they're there and what progress they're trying to make. That will actually help set the curriculum in the right way for how much and what they should be learning.In today's Circuit Breaker episode, Bob and Greg explore an interesting topic from an audience member: How would the curriculum in business schools change if JTBD was more widely understood? You'll learn what changes they'd propose to integrate the JTBD context into business school.Bob will explain why JTBD should be introduced as a supplement to the curriculum rather than being the core of it. You'll learn about the downsides of full learning and the impact of Bob's book Choosing College. You'll also learn why Bob abhors the term "best practices."Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion on JTBD in business school. Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:Why the case-based approach is the best teaching style.Understanding who, when, where, and why can transform the way you process information.The key thing JTBD teaches us. Why it’s your responsibility as a student to understand the different contexts. And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group WebsiteChoosing College: How to Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life

Most of the time the process assumes linearity, like step one, step two, step three, step four, but in reality sometimes there is iteration. And there are phases of work as opposed to steps of work.In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg address a current trend they've noticed in their interactions with customers, balancing the pendulum between process-driven product development and practice. Learn more about process-driven product development.This topic traces back to some of Bob's early work in Japan. You'll discover the Japanese perspective on process and how it has been implemented differently in the US. Making the pendulum straight in the middle is no guarantee of success either. They will discuss how to find the "sweet spot" that allows flexibility between process and practice. You'll identify what kind of manager is needed to balance process and practice.They'll dissect Edwards Deming's notion, that says, "If you can't describe what you do as a process, you don't know what you're doing"Join Bob and Greg for this stimulating discussion on the boundaries of practice and process.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:The pendulum between process-driven product development and practice.Why the process alone is no guarantee of success.The implications of becoming overly rigorous with the process or practice too rigorously.Capacity and capability in the process.What makes execution difficult?Process and practice go hand in hand.And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

Listening is about actually understanding where people are going and what they are trying to do. You need to listen very carefully not only to what they are saying, but how they are saying it.On today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg address one of their guiding principles, listening, particularly in the context of JTBD. You'll learn about the orientation of the language as they expound more about listening for intent.Bob will discuss why he is not the biggest fan of small talk. They often argue with their office lawyer over whether words or intent is more important. You'll find out why Greg believes intent precedes words. They will share different office scenarios to demonstrate how they apply their listening skills.You will discover why they have multiple people listen when theyconduct interviews and what they mean by hypothesis-building research as opposed to hypothesis-proving research. Bob will also tie in Dr. Taguchi's concept of the signal-to-noise ratio.Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion about listening and words vs intent.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:How to hone your listening skills.Why active listening is a two-way street.The importance of being aware of one's own biases.Why companies hire them to conduct interviews.  And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

It's a tool that you have to respect. But you need to realize that ChatGPT can only give you so much. It's only going to regurgitate what's already there; it's not going to help you actually come up with new thoughts.In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg will delve into Chat GPT and express their concerns and fears about it. You'll understand the intricacies of using Chat GPT for a JTBD interview or book summary. Bob will explain Clayton Christensen's theory of disruption as Greg shares how he distorted the context of that theory. You'll discover situations where Chat GPT can be helpful. Is Chat GPT a shortcut, or do we actually create more work with it? Bob will discuss why Chat GPT is a great tool for prototyping to learn but not for JTBD.Greg will talk about considering using Chat GPT to write his mother's obituary after she recently passed away. Also, someone uploaded their interview on Chat GPT; you'll learn why this could be misleading and take information out of context.Join Bob and Greg for this thought-provoking discussion about ChatGPT.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:How to use Chat GPT.The theory of disruptive innovation.What they like about Chat GPT.The danger of using Chat GPT to outsource thinking.And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

Demand is demand, and supply is your supply. And you must match the two. Only when both sides match can you make a product. In today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg unpack the milkshake story, or what their competitors call "the milkshake marketing myth." They'll explore how the fast food restaurant was able to increase sales of milkshakes and review the entire process. Fun fact: This happened almost 30 years ago. You'll learn why switching the milkshake from ice cream to yogurt increased sales.This is the most recognizable application of the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) theory. You'll discover why this is the case as you get an introduction to Clayton Christensen's concept of "disruptive innovation." Bob and Greg will talk about the tests and interviews they conducted and why the franchisees rejected the project. They will also explain why it's the job of people in innovation to design their supply to fit the demand. Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:The first step in JTBD.Why do you need to match both the demand and supply side? What creates demand?The importance of having a third party in your company. Similar examples to the milkshake story.And so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

Progress is when an F1 and an F2 are greater than an F3 and an F4. So push and pull are greater than habits and anxieties. In today's Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg discuss why New Year's resolutions or new habits are hard to maintain as well as their frameworks for achieving and maintaining them. As a first step, they address the forces of progress before moving on to effective strategies. These include making the change smaller, matching it to your motivation and building a time wall. You'll will be introduced to the concept of "outcome vs. output"Bob will share his weight loss journey, his two key metrics and how these strategies have worked for him. You'll understand why these strategies don't work for everyone and why you need to find out for yourself which one is right for you, depending on your personality. Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:Aspirational goals versus progressThe force of progress is not stagnant; it’s dynamic.How to make your goals more attainable The importance of building a time wallAnd so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website

Bob and Greg discuss the challenges of selling new ideas and the importance of understanding context. They share a case where convincing failed and explain the tactical steps for selling a new idea. They emphasize the need for alignment between marketing, sales, and customer success. Greg highlights the importance of treating every conversation as an interview and understanding others' motivations.

Empathetic perspective and trade-offs kind of go hand in hand. In today's episode of the Circuit Breaker Show, Bob and Greg continue their discussion of Bob's book, focusing specifically on trade-offs. You'll learn how empathetic perspective and trade-offs intertwine, for example, by understanding and emulating consumer trade-offs when designing a product.Greg will explain why you need to understand both the demand and supply sides as well as your technical capabilities to gain sufficient perspective on the trade-offs you need to make. You'll understand how JTBD helps with trade-offs and why it's important to be flexible even if you have built a time wall.Bob will share his different reference points for measuring progress. You'll also learn about the milkshake analogy, which illustrates the importance of open communication between developers and managers so that developers can formulate the trade-offs for executives. They will disclose when it is best and worst to consider trade-offs during the product development process. They will also discuss how the other four building blocks - an empathetic perspective, uncovering demand, causal structures, and prototyping to learn - make it easier to make trade-offs.Join us for this thought-provoking discussion.Enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:The definition of trade-offsHow empathetic perspective and trade-offs intertwineThe importance of setting realistic expectations and benchmarks on your time wallIntegrating the four building blocks to make trade-offsThe evolution of Bob's and Greg's 20-year partnershipAnd so much more...Resources:The Rewired Group Website