Performance Design Lab

Dr. Geary A. Rummler was the founding Partner of the Performance Design Lab (PDL), where he was continuing his life-long work on organizational performance improvement in complex systems until his death on October 29, 2008. Prior to founding the Performance Design Lab, Geary was the founding partner of The Rummler-Brache Group, an organization that became a leader in the business process improvement and management business in the 1980"s and 1980"s. Prior to that, Geary was President of the Kepner-Tregoe Strategy Group, specialists in strategic decision making; co-founder (with Thomas F. Gilbert) and president of Praxis Corporation, an innovator in the analysis and improvement of human performance; co-founder (with George S. Odiorne) and director of the University of Michigan's Center for Programmed Learning for Business.

Geary was a pioneer in the application of instructional and performance technologies to organizations and brings this experience to the issue of organization effectiveness. His clients in the private sector included the sales, service and manufacturing functions of the aircraft, automobile, steel, food, rubber, office equipment, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, chemical and petroleum industries; as well as the retail banking, and airline industries. He also worked with such federal agencies as IRS, SSA, HUD, GAO and DOT. Dr. Rummler's research and consulting took him to Europe, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, China and Mexico.

In addition to consulting, teaching and presenting at conferences, Geary published a steady stream of articles and a variety of books ranging from labor relations to the development of instructional systems and his articles appeared in numerous professional and management journals and handbooks. In 1988, he co-authored Training and Development: A Guide for Professionals, with George S. Odiorne. In 1990, he co-authored Improving Performance, How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart with Alan P. Brache. Geary received his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and served as:

The national president of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI);
A member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD)
A member of the Editorial Board of Training Magazine.

Geary"s professional accomplishments include:

Induction into the Human Resource Development Hall of Fame in 1986
The Distinguished Professional Achievement Award from ISPI in 1992
The Enterprise Reengineering Excellence Award from Enterprise Reengineering Magazine in 1996
The Distinguished Contribution Award for Workplace Learning and Performance from ASTD in 1999
The Life Time Achievement Award from the Organization Behavior Management Network in 1999

Memories

Margo Murray (11/11/2008 7:10:29 PM)
Our world is a dimmer place without the wisdom and wit of Geary. From 1965 when Geary, and his colleagues at the Center for Programmed Learning for Business, came to San Francisco to help me develop a staff of fledgling performance improvement professionals in Pacific Telephone, to now, my work has been enriched by Geary's innovations. His legacy of his clear and valuable contributions, is now for us to pass on. Margo

Stephan Sutter (11/12/2008 5:45:32 AM)
The columns on bptrends and his view on business process of the rummler-brache approached helped me to understand the different views on processes in an organization and their relation to the performance of each member of the organization.

Joe Sasson (11/12/2008 1:16:01 PM)
Geary's work changed the way I viewed the world. He influenced my dissertation, my career path, and the lives (and readings) of my students and my clients. His impact on the lives of those he touched through word or voice has been profound. He was great to read and better to know. His enthusiasm for the field was contagious and his knowledge expansive. Every interaction with Geary made me realize the limits I set in the scope of my own projects and his perspective and commentary always helped me to break through those limits. I enjoyed every conversation, every joke, every bit of wit and wisdom, and every truly heart felt thing he has ever said to me. He was a role model to me in many ways, and I will miss his presence in our community and in my personal life.

Kathryn Kasdorf (11/12/2008 1:19:07 PM)
Several years back, I had a fabulous opportunity to work with Geary on a Performance Analysis for my organization and learned so very much from him. Whenever I am dealing with a complex organizational problem, I inevitably go back to his teachings. Even though I am now in OD, I still laugh when I think of him referring to OD as "Performance Consulting in drag." His brilliance will be missed.

Joseph Krall (11/12/2008 2:44:00 PM)
i first ran into Geary and his work while he was at Kepner-Tregoe. Having had the good fortune of meeting with him many times and attending his workshops over the years, I have been profoundly influenced by his ideas and work. I have no doubt a portion of my personal success is due to what Geary taught me.

Jan Cook (11/12/2008 2:49:27 PM)
I had only known Geary for a year in which time he unselfishly shared his expertise with me through phone calls and emails. I finally met him in person at the fall ISPI conference and he greeted me like an old friend. I was touched by his willingness to share his ideas. His guidance was razor sharp and cut right through the fluff to the critical issues. I look forward to the publication of the books he was working on at the time of his passing so I can share time with him again through his words.

Arnoud Vermei (11/12/2008 3:23:00 PM)
When we first read 'the white space' it was a blow: this was the genius we had been waiting for so long. We 'live' Geary's work for over 10 years now and apply it in virtually everything we do. We applied it to a swimming team and succeeded to win Olympic medals. In Vancouver we had the privilige to have Geary in our midst when we presented the Olympic case. Geary was thrilled, he labeled the application as 'a bomb'. Hearing the sad news, we only had one thought: the loss of Geary is 'a bomb' for us. We will seriously miss him. Our hearts are with Margaret, his family and all the others who loved him. Arnoud Vermei & Michiel Bloem, WEB Performance The Netherlands

Pat Hughes (11/12/2008 3:48:56 PM)
In my professional life, I have had two people I considered "my heroes." One was Dr. Deming who provided me the philosophical background on systems and treating people properly. The more important, to me, was Geary Rummler who provided me with the mechanics toolset to achieve Deming's vision. I have learned more and applied more from Geary than from any other person whom I have read. He will be sorely missed by all!

Richard Fethers (11/12/2008 4:15:51 PM)
A truly great mind and person to go with it. I have many fond memories of Geary through time at both Dupont and LP. His approach was foundational and apply to so many areas of Business Process Performance improvement...particularly the "how to". We have a significant gap in "thought leadership" with the recent losses of both Geary and Michael Hammer. Rick, Sherie and others at PDL have a great legacy to build from.

Dawn Papaila (11/12/2008 4:54:29 PM)
I first met Geary in Berlin a few years ago at an ISPI-EU conference. He attended my session and, needless to say, I was pleased to see him yet intimidated by the presence of such a "heavy hitter." A day or two later, we all went on a river cruise. He thanked me for the session and said that he had learned a lot. I was floored. Geary served as a professional role model. He modeled respect, the ability to listen, patience, humor and kindness. He was dedicated to his craft and his professional community. Most of all, he was a terrific human being and I'll miss him.

Darrell Damron (11/12/2008 5:08:06 PM)
I will remember Geary's smile . . . his willingness, eagerness to share his tools, insights, and advice. I will always remember that it's about results. I will never forget that it was Geary (personally in his workshops and directly through is writings) who gave me my first set of tools for doing serious performance consulting. While it is perhaps too easy to forget the myriad people we meet in life, it is simply impossible to forget the few who directly contributed to who we are both personally and professionally -- Geary is one of the few. I will never forget him.

Guy William Wallace (11/12/2008 6:11:50 PM)
I learned of Geary in the fall of 1979 while working with 2 of his disciples and then for his brother-in-law at Wickes Lumber - and then I met him at the NSPI Conference in Dallas, 1980. I moved to Motorola's Training & Education Center in 1981 where I had a chance to work with Geary on several projects. He was an unofficial mentor beginning before I met him. And he was always generous with me with his time later when I'd see him at NSPI/ISPI or elsewhere. I always got my booster shot from his presentations, or just a simple talk about the business. I especially liked the evening drinks and talk. And the lunches at The Office followed by afternoon walks around the block - back in Union NJ so long ago. Thank you Geary for all that you have contributed to me and to others! Thank you for sharing!

Antonio Fernandes (11/12/2008 6:13:27 PM)
So sorry the news, and my heartfelt condolences go to his family.

Bob Powers (11/13/2008 5:10:42 AM)
Geary taught me about performance analysis and I was able to take that information, translate it into "street talk" and build a wonderful and successful career as a result. I will never forget him or his influence on me. He will be greatly missed, but thank god his contributions will live on and on and on. Bob Powers

Carl Binder (11/13/2008 9:14:51 AM)
Geary's professional contributions were monumental and profound. There is no question about that, and his work has influenced and will influence thousands of professionals for a very long time. But what I keep coming back to in my memory of Geary is his character, his presence, the clarity of his perspective, his humanity, the twinkle in his eyes, his inquisitiveness and ability to pay attention. I spent some time with him at the fall ISPI conference a few weeks before he died and, as always, I simply enjoyed talking and laughing with him. I will miss him very much.

John Swinney (11/13/2008 4:14:29 PM)
I have too many fond memories of Geary to possibly share in a paragraph or two, but I can honestly say he was the one individual who has had the most positive impact on my career for the past thirty or so years. He has been an occasional mentor, coach and always a friend. His quick wit was contagious and his ability quickly size up what was working � or not working � in an organization was incredible. I will miss him very much.

Timm Esque (11/14/2008 10:27:46 AM)
In a profession of relatively approachable field leaders, Geary may have been the most approachable of all. The first time I approached him early in my career the advice he gave me had a fatherly quality. I took it to heart. The next time I approached him I was about to begin my consulting business and I got an invitation to visit him in his Tucson home. In that setting, what struck me even more than his natural teaching and leadership ability, was his never-ending desire to learn (with rigor).

Mary Vellequette (11/14/2008 2:16:19 PM)
Geary's highly practical and brilliant ideas have had impact and influence far beyond the niche of Business Process Improvement. His unique gift was his knack for putting PEOPLE - their role, their job, their responsibilities, their decision-making, their incentives (all of it...) - at the **heart** of any discussion about how successful process redesign really gets done. I will miss his wry humor, sincere interest, and incisive advice. Abraham Lincoln once said "He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help." I think Geary was the perfect person to critique how oganizations work, because he had such a huge heart to help.

Richard Holman, CPT (11/17/2008 12:56:50 PM)
I had the good fortune to meet Geary at a crossroads in my efforts to become the best performance technologist that I could be. I was stymied by the focus on safety in many organizations and wanted to put more into practice than what was available. I contracted with Geary to come to my institution and to provide insights into what opportunities existed to broaden our perspective. He instructed over 30 people in his methods. Through this effort Geary and I became friends and he provided me many insights and ideas that I will carry with me throughout the remainder of my career and my life. Indeed, Geary changed my life and my views of human-system interaction. But most of all he was a respected colleague and friend. I will miss him as will we all.

Andrew Spanyi (11/19/2008 8:45:22 AM)
I first met Geary Rummler in 1992. The occasion was a one day workshop on 'Introduction to Process Improvement and Management.' I have admired Geary Rummler�s insight into the dynamics of organizations and people, his quiet confidence, and his dry sense of humor. I worked closely with Geary Rummler from 1992 through 1996. The fundamental principles that Geary developed and taught in the 90�s continue to form the foundation of my own work. And he has influenced countless of others who care about organizational performance. In addition to his many publications, he has left a permanent imprint on anyone who is interested in improving business performance. He coined the phrase 'white space' and he invented and popularized the now common 'swim lane' diagrams or process maps. While I will miss him, I am confident that his influence will survive.

Charlie Bishop (11/19/2008 2:24:46 PM)
I am saddened to hear of Geary's passing; at the same time, feel very fortunate to have known him professionally and personally. No matter where I was...Kepner-Tregoe...and my travels after that in companies such as Federal Express (in the early start-up days), Baxter, International; Bank of America. Quaker Oats, ADT in their turnaround...I was always 'smart enough' to get Geary involved early. A keen intellect, he always had the capacity to make the complex, simple and user-friendly. I learned so much from him, experienced his kindness and am so pleased to call him a friend of mine. Geary made a difference in so many ways. I will miss him, as will all of us. Charlie Bishop

Roger Scott (11/21/2008 1:04:56 AM)
Early in my graduate work at the University of Michigan I began hearing stories about Geary. He was rumored to stash his cigar in the bushes before entering the Ed School building. He supposedly got the Business School’s approval to start the Programmed Learning workshops as long as there would be no cost to the School. He took this as license to order promo materials embossed with the University Seal. He made sure workshop staff flew first class, yet another violation of University rules. Of course, all of this made him a legend in his own time. In 1967 I was thrilled to become a member of the Programmed Learning Workshop team. The monthly workshops were terrific learning events for the staff as well as the participants. One of the highlights of my graduate school experience was helping Geary run a workshop for American Airlines stewardess trainers in Dallas-Fort Worth. Geary was blessed with entrepreneurial fire, deep knowledge about performance technology, and an uncommon amount of common sense. The bonus: he was fun to be around. Shortly before I left Ann Arbor, Geary insisted that I borrow one of his favorite LPs – Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow. What a guy!

Norm Hozak (11/22/2008 5:43:24 PM)
I first met Geary in 1957 when we were both married students in the University of Michigan School of Engineering. We alternately changed positions on the list of poorest students on campus. Years later during my career with The Dow Chemical Company, I became aware of Geary's outstanding leadership in performance improvement. My last two years with Dow were heavily influenced by Geary's outstanding text regarding "managing the white space" in the organizational chart. I loved Geary's dry sense of humor as shown by his response to a beggar on a street corner in Tucson while on our way to a baseball game. The beggar's sign said "I need a cold beer" and Geary promptly put some bills in the beggar's hand ... and said to me, "I love honesty!"

Karen Kennedy (11/25/2008 3:02:31 PM)
I was first introduced to Geary's work at BC-BS of Michigan when Rick joined the organization. I believe it was in the early 70's? From that point forward, my life changed. Not only was my career firmly rooted in Geary's work, but I found, after reading every parenting book on the market, that the 6 cell matrix was the perfect method to use to raise a child. All I added was love. Thank you Geary for my wonderful career and my wonderful daughter.

Paul Ferguson (11/25/2008 4:54:09 PM)
I first came across his ideas whilst reading Performance Improvement on holiday in Spain. It had a profound impact in terms of understanding the importance of soft systems modelling. I am based in the UK and contacted him by phone and he agreed to meet me at an ISPI conference in the USA. He spent a couple of hours listening to my ideas and helping me understand how I could take his model forward in the UK - I also travelled over the pond to attend one of his workshops in Washington. I loved his dry sardonic nature and willingness to accept new ideas no matter how naive the source. He was a great model of how age does not have to dim your creativity, energy and drive. This aspect of his nature will live with me always.

Lukasz Tartanus (12/23/2008 8:41:34 AM)
"Improving Performance, How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart" is like a bible to me and to be honest it was a trigger for me to choose my current career path. I hope that Mr Rummler is still having opportunity to share his brilliant ideas in the place that he belongs right now.

Hector Preciado (2/12/2009 8:03:15 PM)
Donde quiera que este, siempre sera lider

Victor M. Dacasa (3/11/2009 4:41:24 PM)
I met Geary in Mexico City in 1981 during a Kepner-Tregoe's PL meeting and he impressed me to the point that I took charge of translating into spanish his original ideas about Managing the Performance System. But what really made me his admirer was not his deep knowledge and "technical savvy" but his passion and kindness, thank you, I will miss you

Darryl Sabo (4/9/2010 7:21:15 PM)
I just discovered today this brilliant man I admired and followed the teachings of is now no longer. With having had the pleasure of hearing Geary speak 'live' a few times as well as meeting with him one-on-one, I tapped into his wisdom, knowledge, and thoughtful approach at managing business performance - and am richer because I now have his stuff in my toolkit. With his material so sensible and simple for the lay person to grasp, it has been easy to share with others. As I now have committed much of his and Alan Brache's teachings to the heart of my work, he will live on for many years through mine, and the work of many others.