In this Deep Dives into TOC episode, we trace Dr. Eli Goldratt’s fascinating journey from creating finite-capacity scheduling software (OPT), becoming one of the 6 fastest growing companies in the USA, to writing the bestselling novel The Goal, being fired from his own company, and founding the Goldratt Institute.

It explains how his Theory of Constraints and the five focusing steps transformed factories, why superior tools alone didn’t drive adoption, and how he used stories, games, and training to teach procedural change.

The episode also highlights Goldratt’s key insights on the 5 causes of resistance to change and how to overcome each layer when implementing change. And the practical lesson that knowing the best answer to the right question is only the start—overcoming resistance is where change actually happens.