When people criticize negative feedback, they often misunderstand what it means to be an effective leader. We are surrounded by books and articles advising leaders to inspire. 

Flexible Concepts Inc. is a large automotive supplier based in Elkhart, Indiana, USA. It set itself the challenge of being able to offer customers guaranteed machining capability, as part of a strategic decision to use innovative engineering to progressively increase the size of its business.

I was at the Delta customer service counter at LAX a couple years ago, dealing with yet another air travel fiasco from my life on the road.

Before a recent boxing match, a trainer had his fighter repeat “I’m the man! I’m a tiger! I’m a beast! I’m invincible!” That motivation was effective until shortly after the bell. About two minutes after the match began, the fighter was KO’d by his opponent who actually knew how to box!

It’s rare that managers, or even most quality auditors, discuss how closely tied the findings of manufacturing audits are to the long-term ability of their companies to compete in this highly competitive market.

As Dennis Arter (ASQ Fellow member and 2014 Distinguished Service Medalist) stated in a 2014 interview, “Many organizations make the mistake of lumping policies and procedures together as ‘policiesandprocedures.’” The five years since Arter’s proclamation haven’t changed organizations’ view of the two terms.

I learned a long time ago that quality standards, issues and performance are goals people can rally around, unlike other goals like cost reduction or productivity improvement.

Changeovers in manufacturing can be tricky…and they can cost your company a lot when they don’t go right. Manufacturing Quality Intelligence software can help your shop floor personnel manage the process more smoothly.

Manufacturers focus on reducing their operating costs, but cannot afford buying more productive machinery.

Team is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as “joint action by a group of people in which individual interests are subordinated to group unity and efficiency.” When reading this, I am reminded of the comments from a member of one of our early teams about the challenges the team has experienced.