Most of us hire people to fill a slot — a given role. That happens all too often because we hire in a reactionary mode, …
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Cross Training for Capacity Management
Category Archives: Operational-Excellence
Maximizing Profits is a Strategic Mistake
When I worked for TRW in the 1980’s, the company required everyone with purchasing responsibilities to take the Chester Karrass negotiating course. At that time …
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Why Seasoned Employees Don’t Share
Why would a senior employee keep tricks of the trade secret from others? For one reason only: a lack of confidence. Someone who acknowledges his …
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Swamp Monster Got Your Tongue?
An effective operation may have bad days, but they are a rarity. When you walk through operations, is the angst palpable? Clearly that swamp monster …
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No More Excuses
Even the best of us can benefit from cold water to the face occasionally. In mid-2022 I finally quit making excuses and enjoyed a 3-week …
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Staying Busy is NOT the Objective
Your people are no doubt working hard to do a good job. The question is: Have you given enough structure for them to know what …
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Are Drones The Answer?
In the late 1970s, Ken Olson, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, had very different predictions for the future …
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Instead of Innovation
As fast as the world turns these days, it is not easy to stay abreast of the latest concepts and management trends. While it is …
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Two Levels of Operational Effectiveness
You’ve all heard that great strategy with poor execution is no better than poor strategy with great execution. Operational effectiveness requires excellence at both levels. …
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Partnerships and Unilateral Changes
Partner. Relationship business. It all sounds so good. But then reality slaps you up the side of the head. In a true partnership, can one …
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