In sports, you will find athletes who mentally prepare themselves for competition. Politicians prep vigorously before big speeches, interviews, and debates. The same is true for entertainers, news anchors, teachers, community leaders, and others in business.

Imagine yourself seated in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center awaiting a concert by the New York Philharmonic. The orchestra’s musicians are on stage warming up, producing a cacophony of sound.

Missed opportunities for improvement represent a 20–60 percent chunk carved out of the bottom line. Scores of programs and projects that claim improvement but never materialize in the financials are a travesty.

(Minitab: State College, PA) -- Swiss-based Metalor Technologies, a global leader in precious metals and advanced materials, is a supplier to electronics companies and manufacturers of medical and electrical equipment.

(URAC: Washington) -- URAC, a leading health care accreditation and education organization, has released revisions to three products within its suite of Pharmacy Quality Management Accreditation programs.

(TÜV SÜD: Peabody, MA) -- International safety standards and regulations are complex and constantly evolving.

(Purdue University MEP: Indiana) -- Purdue University’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center will offer Six Sigma training programs around the state beginning in late January.

(Micro-Measurements: Raleigh, NC) -- Vishay Precision Group Inc. (VPG) has announced its Micro-Measurements Division’s U.S. training session schedule for the first half of 2011.

(3D Engineering Solutions: Cincinnati) — Cincinnati-based 3D Engineering Solutions (3DES), an engineering and metrology services provider, recently provided long-range laser scanning and 3-D laser mapping services for a Fortune 100