About this Presentation
How do you successfully apply TOC principles and tools in a public sector environment? A government organization has many internal and external realities that set it apart from its private sector counterparts. While many TOC principles are effective in government, the overall body of knowledge does not adequately address many conceptual differences. The TOC community has an opportunity like never before to influence the public sector—as decreasing budgets have put government on notice that it must find ways to provide services at lower costs. By applying TOC principles, Kristen Cox has substantially improved the performance of a large government agency. Her presentation focuses on adaptations of basic TOC tools such as strategy and tactics (S&T) trees, as well as lessons learned to highlight applications in the public sector. The goal of this presentation is to encourage the TOC community to broaden the field of knowledge into government operations. Key learning points include: 1. An understanding of the current opportunity to influence government efforts to increased performance; 2. Insight into the challenges of applying TOC principles in a government setting; 3. Through lessons learned, adaptations of TOC tools that have created significant bottom-line results.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
Instructor(s)
Kristen Cox
Kristen Cox is a visionary leader, author, and expert in systems thinking and constraints management, specializing in helping governments and nonprofits cut through complexity and achieve breakthrough results. Best known for orchestrating a 35% measurable improvement in the State of Utah’s $20 billion executive branch, Kristen has a proven track record of transforming large-scale operations by focusing on what truly matters.
As the Founder & CEO of Epiphany Associates, LLC, Kristen brings her expertise to organizations worldwide, guiding leaders to eliminate inefficiencies, maximize impact, and drive sustainable change. She has served as an Executive Director, university instructor, Senior Fellow, advisory board member, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant. She co-founded The Fulcrum and created Utah’s SUCCESS Framework and the Quality Throughput over Operating Expense (QT/OE) metric, both of which have been widely recognized for driving government effectiveness.
Kristen is also the co-author of Stop Decorating the Fish, a powerful business fable that exposes ineffective problem-solving strategies often used in government and business. The book, co-written with TOC expert Yishai Ashlag, helps leaders recognize and avoid misleading solutions that create the illusion of progress but fail to address core issues.
Beyond her professional expertise, Kristen’s personal journey as a blind leader adds depth to her work. She weaves together inspirational lessons on resilience, innovation, and clarity of thought, helping others develop the discipline to focus on real solutions that drive meaningful impact.