THE CORE 4
A Leader's Operating Framework for Philosophy, Profit, Cash, and Sustainable Growth
You've tried Lean. You've tried Six Sigma. You have KPIs, huddles, and visual boards. Yet results don't stick. This book shows you why—and gives you the one piece that's almost always missing.
Why Change Efforts Fail
You've Been Here Before
Maybe not with a napkin. But with a process that isn't working. A team that isn't aligned. A constraint you can feel but can't name. A schedule that creates chaos instead of cash. A system that depends on heroes instead of structure.
You know something needs to change. You can see the first step, maybe the second. But step seven is dark. And not knowing what's on step seven keeps you from moving.
That's the change problem.
Not the tools. Not the training. Not the resources. The problem is standing at the bottom of a dark stairwell, flashlight in hand, unable to see the whole path—and waiting for clarity that only comes from climbing.
Five Failures. One Pattern.
- The Identity Problem: Lean remains optional—a program instead of an operating principle
- Forest vs. Leaves: We chase whatever's burning. The loudest voice wins.
- Tribal Knowledge: At work, knowledge is power. Standardization threatens that.
- The Certification Trap: One expert can't fix what only an aligned organization can solve.
- The Flashlight: The courage to move before you can see the whole path.
🔦 The Flashlight & The Dark Stairwell
You have a small flashlight—one that only holds a single AAA battery—and you open the door to a stairwell going up. The light illuminates the first two steps before fading into darkness.
This is where every leader stands when facing change.
Here's what most leaders miss:
The CORE 4 Framework
Every business, regardless of industry, size, or geography, must answer four fundamental questions. Most companies have something for questions two, three, and four. What almost none of them have is an answer to question one.
Operating Philosophy
What do we believe?How do decisions get made when leadership isn't in the room? What principles guide behavior when the pressure is on and the path isn't clear?
This is the piece that's almost always missing.
- Belief before behavior
- Shared language across the organization
- Principles that cascade without distortion
- Escalation as support, not failure
Profit
How do we generate margin?Where does margin actually come from? What determines the pace at which we convert demand into delivered value?
The constraint is your profit clock.
- Identify and protect the constraint
- Throughput over efficiency
- $/constraint-hour as priority filter
- Exploit before you elevate
Cash Flow
How do we convert profit to cash?When does money actually arrive? What controls the time between committed cost and collected revenue?
Scheduling is the #1 cash lever.
- The Gap: pay vs. get paid
- Schedule to cash events
- Dynamic hierarchy for visibility
- Control the inputs
Operating Systems
How do we sustain and scale?What systems ensure consistency? How do we grow without the wheels coming off?
People + Performance + Process = Product
- 4-Tier accountability structure
- Leader Standard Work
- Daily tier meetings
- Visual management & Gemba
The Sequence Is Causal
Belief enables profit. Profit enables cash. Cash enables systems. Skip a step, and the one that follows becomes unstable.
Who This Book Is For
📊 CEOs & Business Owners
You need the full sequence—Philosophy → Profit → Cash → Systems. The book is structured causally for a reason.
🏭 Operations Leaders
Start with Parts II-IV (Philosophy, Profit, Cash Flow). You need the constraint and scheduling mindset before building systems.
💰 Finance & Strategy Leaders
Start with Part III (Profit) and Part IV (Cash Flow) to see how throughput and scheduling drive the numbers.
🔧 CI & Lean Leaders
Start with Part II (Operating Philosophy) and Part V (Operating Systems). These are the pieces most Lean implementations miss.
You'll Recognize Yourself If...
"You've identified waste. You have CI departments. But the needle doesn't move. Teams are capable. Leaders are committed. And yet frustration persists."
What You'll Learn
10 chapters across 5 parts. Each CORE is taught in two chapters—one to explain why it matters, one to show how leaders make it real.
Part I
The Case for Change
Part II
Operating Philosophy
Part III
Profit
Part IV
Cash Flow
Part V
Operating Systems
Josh Patterson
Free Resources
When you buy the book, you get access to these bonus materials to help you implement the CORE 4.
CORE 4 Self-Assessment
31 diagnostic questions to identify which pillar needs attention first in your organization.
Implementation Workbook
Chapter-by-chapter exercises to apply the CORE 4 framework to your specific situation.
The Gap Calculator
Excel tool to map your cash gap and identify which deliverables will accelerate cash flow.
📖 Get Chapter 1 Free
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Ready to Start Climbing?
Step #7 reveals itself after you've climbed steps #1-6. Make a decision today based on the knowledge you have today.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
If the CORE 4 doesn't change how you think about operations, contact me directly.
Frequently Asked
Most books give you more tools. The CORE 4 shows you why tools fail without Operating Philosophy—the one piece almost every organization is missing. It's not about what to implement; it's about what must be believed before implementation works.
Yes. While examples draw from manufacturing, the framework applies wherever work flows: professional services, healthcare, technology, construction, government. If your organization has a process that determines pace—and every organization does—this applies.
The sequence is causal—Philosophy enables Profit, Profit enables Cash, Cash enables Systems. That said, the book includes reading recommendations by role (CEO, Operations Leader, Finance, CI Leader, Supervisor) so you can start where it's most relevant.
Josh offers speaking, consulting, and training engagements to help organizations implement the CORE 4. Learn more about working together →