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In part one of this series, we discussed the importance of providing formal skills training and having open communication. Without further ado, here are two more workforce tips, one about cross-training, and the other about employee engagement.
Implement cross-training initiatives
Cross-training…
As I was preparing this column, one of my resources referred to chapter 48 of the 2,500-year-old Tao te Ching (quoted below), which, as some of you know, is one of my favorite sources of wisdom. It really tied today’s message together, and I hope you can apply its wisdom to your improvement…
(Control Micro Systems: Orlando, FL) -- Control Micro Systems Inc. recently expanded the capabilities of its laser applications lab to include shorter pulse widths, higher peak power, more wavelengths, and more diversified lasers.
The applications lab develops laser solutions for a wide variety of…
As a physicist who explores ways to measure light more accurately, it should come as no surprise that I’m fascinated by even common optical phenomena that we see all around us (e.g., rainbows or oil slicks on butterfly wings).
Rainbows occur because light travels through water and air at…
Before 2015, many of us rode one of the largest waves of success in the history of the oil and gas industry. Everything was booming—companies, salaries, bonuses, cities, services, etc. Then 2015 came and crashed the party, leaving us all a bit uncertain.
Now, entering 2016, you may have some your…
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he negotiation phase of my client’s merger with a larger organization was drawing to a close. This consolidation was going to be big news, and everyone was looking forward to getting it done. I sat with my client through a long week of agreeing to terms, and then it happened: The other CEO’s…
It amazes me how seemingly disparate ideas, when considered together, can create new ways of seeing the world. Bear with me for a minute, and I’ll share an insight I’ve received lately based on two seemingly unrelated ideas.
Here’s the first idea: New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler…
(APQC: Houston) -– APQC, the benchmarking and best practices authority, introduces its new cloud-based business process tool, MosaiQ. The MosaiQ tool simplifies the adoption and long-term use of process frameworks, specifically APQC’s Process Classification Framework, including working with…
As process improvement practitioners, we get hired to drive waste and variation out of our clients’ businesses. But what if we hired ourselves, provided frank advice, and then listened to it to drive waste out of our own business or process?
Could we then drive down the cost of organizational …
For many people, January is the time of the year to set and pursue new goals. As the years go on, this yearly goal-setting becomes routine. Even though you have new goals you’re passionate about pursuing each year, your faith in your ability to accomplish them or your awareness about why you’re…
For more than a century, Salt River Project (SRP) has produced power and delivered water to meet the needs of its customers in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Today, as one of the nation’s largest public power utilities, SRP provides reliable electricity and water to more than 1 million…
(SAE: Warrendale, PA) -- SAE International announces the publication of its book, No Fault Found: The Search for the Root Cause.
Today, people are strongly dependent on the correct functioning of technical systems. Disruptions due to degradation or anomalous behavior can negatively impact safety…
The baseball thudded into the dirt at the batter’s feet causing a dusty orange cloud as the dry powdery clay splashed over home plate. “Ball four!” cried the umpire, and the batter took off for first base.
The coach signaled a timeout to the ump and walked toward the pitcher’s mound. When he…
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t’s no longer a secret that most companies struggle with strategy execution. McKinsey research tells us, for example, that 70 percent of change efforts fall short of desired results. The financial losses implied by statistics like these are massive, and corporate leaders have taken notice.…
Taking a cue from Toyota, the newly published book Lean Culture Change Using a Daily Management System (Align Kaizen, 2015) by lean transformation coach and author Steven Leuschel applies decades of organizational transformation knowledge deeply rooted in the Toyota Production System and in Toyota…
A question for devotees of the Baldrige Excellence Framework: Do people who passionately promote continuous improvement within organizations also tend to make New Year’s resolutions to improve their own well-being?
Seriously, I’m wondering if those who fully appreciate the framework’s value in…
We all have problems in life, in business, everywhere. Many of us have “solving problems” as the key component of our daily roles. Management and any form of supervision only exist in order to help solve problems. If problems disappeared, a great many of the structures within our businesses and…
This is an article inspired by the glut of recent football weekends. Lou Holtz, the legendary college and pro football coach, offers the following advice to coaches everywhere: “I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.”
Top managers often lament their employees’…
When people at your company think about “customer loyalty,” are they thinking about your customers’ likelihood to recommend, likelihood to repurchase, or likelihood to purchase additional products? How does your company define customer loyalty?
Recently I experienced a situation that caused me to…
(ANSI: Washington, DC) -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), coordinator of the U.S. voluntary standards and conformity assessment system, has released a revised version of the “United States Standards Strategy” (USSS), available online in digital format. The USSS describes the…
In this third and final article reflecting on the FDA’s work to protect and promote public health during 2015, we’ll take a look at our achievements in food, antimicrobial resistance, and tobacco product regulation. In part one I shared the FDA’s 2015 accomplishments in medical product innovation…
Wherever you stand, be the Soul of that place. —Rumi
I was blessed last week to spend two glorious days with my wife, Carole, our daughter, Lisa, and Lisa’s consulting partner, Rox. Those two days were a model for how we could be in every one of our workplaces... and the world would be a better…
(Mark-10: Copiague, NY) -- In an effort to reduce the incidence of accidental gun discharge, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has been modifying its standard, off-the-shelf firearms to require a greater amount of force to activate the trigger.
Following any shooting incident, the weapon…
When a consumer goes to purchase a new car, the first thing they’ll notice is the vehicle’s make. Yes, the car may say “Toyota” or “Ford” on the outside, but what’s on the inside? In reality, the car’s components—from the tires to the transmission—are typically manufactured by third-party vendors…
In my first look back on the FDA’s 2015 accomplishments, I focused on our achievements in medical product innovation and our constant drive to make available safe, effective, and innovative products. Because the FDA’s responsibility covers the entire life cycle of products, in the second part of…
