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Effective strategies for coaching and developing your employees
Performance coaching is not about disciplinary action, nor is it about accountability (although it may promote accountability in the long term). It is really about leadership development - teaching your team of supervisors, managers and leaders the skills and behaviors that are necessary to perform their
Manufacturing improvement and the Rolling Stones
If you’re like me, you’ve listened to the Rolling Stones over the years. Their contemporaries, the Beatles, became more artistic and lyrical as they evolved. (”Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” as Jerry Seinfeld would say.) But for driving party music, the Stones,
Effective communication: Turn this weakness into a strength
Corporate leaders are trained in economics, strategy and a variety of other business skills. Few are trained in communication, yet experts agree that communication is one of the most important skills leaders should have on their list of competencies. To ensure successful communications within your
Are you a leader or are a manager? Do you know the difference?
Leaders who lead by example are mentors and role models, building business results through relationships and integrity. Before delving into the topic of Leadership Example, it is helpful to define leaders and leadership. Beginning with the root word of lead, Webster’s Dictionary defines lead as
How are you dealing with increasing complexity of automation movement?
To be more competitive, efficient and cost-effective, more and more companies are implementing automation and remote condition monitoring systems, sensors, alarms, PLCs, accelerometers, human-machine interface panels, etc. Now many are implementing wireless networks to monitor equipment globally at remote
Change is painful, difficult, a bother and (oh, by the way) a necessity
This blog article will cover the element of Change from the VOICE (Vision, Organization, Involvement, Change and Example) model. Great organizations are always changing. I don’t mean change for the sake of change; I mean planned, structured, progressive change that enables organizations to grow,
Creating culture of involvement is challenging, but so worth it
In my previous blog article, we discussed the leader’s vision and how to compellingly and passionately communicate the vision in order to motivate and inspire people to take action. We also discussed the importance of structuring your organization for success and including, as part of that structure,
What our plants have failed to learn in 25 years
Twenty-five years ago, I left the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine program. As I gained experience in civilian industry, I began to appreciate the Navy’s aplomb for reliable engineering, exceptional training and consistent operations. Their penchant for comprehensive preventive maintenance programs
The rise of autonomous operator maintenance and work redesign
My blog entry on the “White Glove Story” got close to the idea of operator maintenance. My study on the coal gasification generating plant was about the ultimate vision of the one employee who has the skills and ability to do whatever is necessary to keep the process operating effectively. What
Great leaders speak with a resounding VOICE!
You have probably heard the saying, “People don’t leave jobs, they leave leaders.” So, what does it take to be a leader (person in charge [PIC], supervisor, manager, executive) for whom people love to work? What are the things that they do, the skills and behaviors that they demonstrate,
