Be Good to Yourself in 2021
It goes without saying that we are all looking forward to a better year in 2021. This past year has proven to be one of the most challenging in recent history. With vaccines on the way, we all hope a[...] Continue Reading
Reflections on a Career in Specialty Metals
As I approach the final days of my working life and must now contemplate life in retirement, I find myself reflecting on my forty-three year career in the specialty metals industry. It goes without[...] Continue Reading
Thoughts on Quality and Precision Ground Bars
How can we know what quality is if we cannot define it? Continue Reading
Traveling Salesman – BOOM, Not Anymore
Traveling is second nature to me. I am (was) on the road more than at home during any given year. Three weeks out of every month consist of flights, rental cars and lodging. You try to develop a[...] Continue Reading
Transforming Business to Deliver “Instant Gratification” to Customers
The Challenge Let’s admit it. As consumers, we’re conditioned to expect “Instant Gratification.” We go online and can purchase, usually in seconds, almost anything without talking to anyone. We know[...] Continue Reading
Customer Service: Taking It to the Next Level
I am sure we can all agree that we have experienced varying levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction as customers. The adage that the customer is always right is true if you want the customer to[...] Continue Reading
Reshaping the COVID-19 Work Environment Through Technology
Water cooler conversations, staff meetings, company gatherings, group trainings, just to name a few regular business occurrences pre COVID-19, have all but stopped as we knew them. However, this does[...] Continue Reading
Gratitude
In late May, I read The Management Tip of the Day from the Harvard Business Review entitled “Reframe Challenges to Cope with Uncertainty.” One of the suggested reframes was “Gratitude: Recognize[...] Continue Reading
Lean on the Little Mouse
As a Shingo Prize recipient, we often host Lean benchmarking tours. These tours are always a good opportunity to showcase what we do and exchange some great ideas with our visitors. Recently we had a[...] Continue Reading
Leading Through Chaos
Well that escalated quickly…. Just a few short months ago, we were operating in an environment of relative calm, and then, in the blink of an eye, the clouds rolled in, the winds picked up, and[...] Continue Reading