All Features
Donald J. Wheeler
All improvement efforts require a framework. No matter what we’re doing, we all need some way to align our efforts and focus on a specific objective. During my 50 years in this business, I’ve seen people use many different improvement frameworks. Most of these have been variations on either PDSA (…
Steve Ilmrud
As we approach 2025, one of the most pressing challenges manufacturers face is a growing labor shortage. Research anticipates that 1.9 million jobs will go unfilled during the next decade. This issue, compounded by the retirement of experienced workers and the lack of interest from younger…
Mike Figliuolo
This ain’t your daddy’s or mommy’s business world anymore. I’m sure you’ve figured that out already. First of all, people use cell phones. I keep reminding my father.
“Dad, turn on your cell phone when you’re not home.”
“Why? Then it will ring. I’m retired, and I don’t want to be bothered by…
William A. Levinson
The Associated Press, reporting on the strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association, noted, “Local ILA president Boise Butler said workers want a fair contract that doesn’t allow automation of their jobs.” The report added, “The union had message boards on the side of a truck reading, ‘…
Sachin Waiker
‘Clinician burnout is a critical issue to understand and address,” says Mohsen Bayati, a professor of operations, information, and technology at Stanford Graduate School of Business. The condition is thought to affect nearly half of all U.S. doctors, at a cost of about $4.6 billion annually due to…
James Chan
Asset maintenance isn’t just about fixing things when they break. It’s a complex mix of strategies, both proactive and reactive. Finding the most cost-effective blend makes all the difference in the success of your maintenance program and your business as a whole.
Whether your team is scrambling…
ISO
Cybersecurity has become increasingly critical in the digital age as organizations across all sectors face growing threats from cybercriminals.
Imagine that hackers breached a small healthcare practice through “phishing”—sending a scam email and gaining access to sensitive patient data, including…
John Tschohl
I’ve been speaking and writing about customer service since January 1980, and there is only a handful of companies that have been relentless and kept their focus on incredible customer service. The pandemic gave most firms an excuse to say, “To hell with the customer.”
Costco is one of the few…
Sara Harrison
Two job seekers apply to be a sales representative. They have similar names, educations, skills, and levels of experience. But one of them adds a little extra to his resume: “I have a proven track record of turning caffeine input into productivity output,” he writes. “The more coffee you can…
Julie Gowthorpe
Management goals commonly include maintaining harmonious work environments that make employees happy and motivated. But how do you achieve this when people don’t get along? “Sort it out on your own” is no longer an option when employees are in conflict. As teams grow and experience turnover, a…
Chip Bell
The Madison, a historic hotel overlooking the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tennessee, was rebranded into a modern hotel. It was, in some ways, a sad event. Memphis is the birthplace of the blues, and the Madison was my introduction to the powerful music of helping customers co-create their own…
Mike Figliuolo
Interviewing for a new job is an exercise in humiliation, fear, and confusion. Whether you’re interviewing for a job at a new company or just changing roles at your present employer, the process is nauseating.
You do everything you can to put your best foot forward. You get your suit pressed. You…
John Tschohl
‘The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world.”
That quote of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, underscores the importance of putting together a team of people who will drive your business to heights you would never believe possible. If you…
Harry Hertz
It’s been two years since I last examined the challenges facing CEOs and other senior leaders. I developed my thoughts on the current challenges without checking my insights from two years ago. Once I had this year’s themes identified, I looked back to see what I’d written before. To my surprise, I…
Gleb Tsipursky
Amazon’s recent decision to require corporate employees to return to the office five days a week is generating significant controversy. In a memo to employees, CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the benefits of in-person work, such as increased collaboration, innovation, and cultural connection.
Yet, this…
George Schuetz
When we think about making a simple measurement, such as an outside diameter, many methods can be used. These would include calipers, micrometers, mechanical snap gauges, air snaps, CMMs, and special fixture gauges, just to mention a few.
The problem with all these methods is that, while each is…
Susan Robertson
Periodically, the popular press raises the idea that group brainstorming isn’t effective at generating creative solutions. That assertion is erroneous for a variety of reasons. Groups can—and do—successfully brainstorm creative and useful solutions.
But research does show that effective…
FABTECH
With FABTECH 2024 in Orlando, Florida, fast approaching (Oct. 15–17), many in the steel industry are expected to attend. Some will be part of the manufacturing side of the iron and steel sector, some will be involved in fabrication, and others part of steel service centers.
So, how is the industry…
ISO
ISO and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have unveiled the world’s first international guidelines to help businesses and organizations expedite their contributions to the U.N.’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).
New guidelines for urgent action
The ISO/UNDP guidelines for…
Creaform
Reaume Bros. Racing is an American professional stock-car racing team that competes full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Owned by Josh Reaume, the team fields the No. 22 Ford F-150 full time for multiple drivers, the No. 27 part time for Keith McGee, and the No. 33 full time for Lawless…
Stephanie Ojeda
How can a quality manager secure stakeholder engagement and hold individuals accountable for the quality of their work throughout the corrective and preventive action (CAPA) cycle?
With the burden of quality and compliance on their shoulders, it can be tempting for a quality manager to gather…
Laura Velásquez Herrera
With its roots in compassion and humanity, the healthcare sector might seem an unlikely place for artificial intelligence (AI) to play a big role. Yet as we look deeper into the complex processes that build our medical systems, we uncover a multitude of ways that AI could revolutionize patient care…
Mike Figliuolo
For many of us, screwing up is in our DNA. It happens. Blame Murphy if you like, but it happens. However, when this happens to someone on your team and you’re in a leadership role, the implications of a mistake can be far-reaching.
The most important aspect of these kinds of events, however, isn’t…
Bruce Hamilton
I once attended a presentation that Eli Goldratt gave for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. We were seated in an auditorium, listening as Goldratt paced back and forth on the stage, puffing on his cigar, gesturing for effect, and occasionally cursing for emphasis. The author of The Goal (…
Ram Charan
In the near future, significant and unpredictable external factors may combine to challenge the global business landscape in unprecedented ways. Responding effectively to those challenges will require adaptability. Although many leaders acknowledge its importance, even successful companies can…
