Holland Resource

08/25/2026

Before you improve it, automate it, or invest in it, ask a simpler question: Do we really need this?

I learned that lesson early in my career.

Businesses sometimes become so focused on improving a process that nobody stops to ask whether every step in that process still needs to exist. That's particularly important today.

Technology can help us perform work faster than ever. But making unnecessary work faster doesn't make it necessary.

My newest Holland Resource article, “Do We Really Need This?”, looks at a lesson from a distribution-center reengineering project that I've carried with me for years.

Sometimes the best improvement is surprisingly simple.

Customer / Operational Problem-Solving Do We Really Need This? ByDan Holland August 24, 2026 I learned early in my career that one of the first questions to ask about any process was remarkably simple: Do we really need this? I remember sitting in product reviews as we evaluated new product lines, w...

08/18/2026

Over the years, I have learned that the problem someone asks me to solve is not always the real problem.

The visible issue may be rising costs, missed deadlines, insufficient staffing, or the need for a new system. But when we slow down and look more carefully, we may find that the real issue is something else entirely.

That is why I believe good consulting begins with listening—not immediately recommending a solution.

I recently launched the new Holland Resource website as a home for my consulting work and writing. One of the first articles is about this lesson:
“The Problem Isn’t Always the Problem.”

You can read it here:
https://hollandresource.com/the-problem-isnt-always-the-problem/

I would be interested to know whether you have encountered this in your own work or organization.

Customer / Operational Problem-Solving The Problem Isn’t Always the Problem ByDan Holland August 14, 2026August 15, 2026 One of the first things you learn in consulting is that the problem you’re asked to solve isn’t necessarily the problem that needs to be solved. A client may say, “We need...

06/13/2014

5 Productivity Tips from Incredibly Busy People

02/26/2014

The real benefit of strategic planning is found in the planning process - not the finished plan.

Smart leaders know the benefits of a strategic plan. Exceptional leaders know that the real benefits come mainly through the strategic planning process. The actual plan is a bonus, the icing on the cake.

04/14/2012

Vision week at Holland Resource.

02/02/2011

If you break 100, watch your golf. If you break 80, watch your business. ~ Joey Adams

01/25/2011

Studies show that people who set goals have a higher level of income.

01/24/2011

Check out our new eBook, Surviving Success, now available for free download. Click on the link below for the download page. Be sure to post your feedback. Let us know your comments, your experiences, your tips to create a true sense of urgency, and more.
http://www.hollandresource.com/news-and-articles/ebooks.html.

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