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Grow Profitability by Leveraging Operational Excellence
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I fell in love with manufacturing when I first joined that world in the mid-70's. The creativity, the choreography of information and product, the amazing things that people can accomplish when we reduce and eliminate the barriers to great performance. It's not an easy world in which to thrive, much less survive, but I have a unique set of skills and way of thinking that has helped many manufacturers since I joined the ranks. After 14 years in the "big company" world, I started my own busine ...
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Most of us hire people to fill a slot — a given role. That happens all too often because we hire in a reactionary mode, to someone leaving or to sales growth. We talk about cross training, but often don’t provide it for a number of reasons: no time, will have to pay person more, or not sure what we will need are just a few. If your company talks ab…
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Most of us hire people to fill a slot -- a given role. That happens all too often because we hire in a reactionary mode, to someone leaving or to sales growth. We talk about cross training, but often don't provide it for a number of reasons: no time, will have to pay person more, or not sure what we will need are just a few. If your company talks a…
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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 it was 100% focused on the assumption of a zero sum game, where whatever the other “side” got came directly from you. Win-lose. Since then companies have come to understand that successful …
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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 it was 100% focused on the assumption of a zero sum game, where whatever the other "side" got came directly from you. Win-lose. Since then companies have come to understand that successful …
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Phil Spector was a very successful music producer and songwriter, who was also convicted of murder and serving a long sentence when he died in prison. Talented people can be bad people. Talented bad people can also do good things. Phil Spector produced the famous Ike and Tina Turner song “River Deep – Mountain High.” He knew how controlling Ike was…
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Phil Spector was a very successful music producer and songwriter, who was also convicted of murder and serving a long sentence when he died in prison. Talented people can be bad people. Talented bad people can also do good things. Phil Spector produced the famous Ike and Tina Turner song "River Deep - Mountain High." He knew how controlling Ike was…
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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 own talent and thinking skills would not be intimidated by others having the same abilities. Someone committed to team success would ensure knowledge is public — that is, known and available to many — and …
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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 own talent and thinking skills would not be intimidated by others having the same abilities. Someone committed to team success would ensure knowledge is public -- that is, known and available to many -- an…
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A few years ago I volunteered to support the Continental Cup activities in Cleveland. This is an international sporting event that included 2500 youngsters from ages 8 to 18 from 12 countries competing in a variety of sports. My first day, I was an electronic scorekeeper / clock operator for basketball games, seated next to a young man who was to k…
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A few years ago I volunteered to support the Continental Cup activities in Cleveland. This is an international sporting event that included 2500 youngsters from ages 8 to 18 from 12 countries competing in a variety of sports. My first day, I was an electronic scorekeeper / clock operator for basketball games, seated next to a young man who was to k…
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A majority of adult Americans do not vote in our elections. Why is that? Simply because they don’t believe their vote matters. They believe nothing will change anyway. Voting within your company happens. Any idea what the participation rates are? They are 100%, regardless. Some votes are simply more visible than others. Why do some not vote in othe…
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A majority of adult Americans do not vote in our elections. Why is that? Simply because they don't believe their vote matters. They believe nothing will change anyway. Voting within your company happens. Any idea what the participation rates are? They are 100%, regardless. Some votes are simply more visible than others. Why do some not vote in othe…
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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 environment should be prevented, but it may happen anyway. How many times and for how long do you find that operational stress acceptable? How many times and for how long do your employees tolerate it?…
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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 environment should be prevented, but it may happen anyway. How many times and for how long do you find that operational stress acceptable? How many times and for how long do your employees tolerate it?…
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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 trip to Greece, Türkiye, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. What shook me out of my “I don’t want to contract Covid” inaction was a friend’s story that he had recently returned from the Polish-Ukranian borde…
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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 trip to Greece, Türkiye, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. What shook me out of my "I don't want to contract Covid" inaction was a friend's story that he had recently returned from the Polish-Ukranian borde…
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Excerpted From: © 2021 Manufacturing Mastery: The Path to Building Successful and Enduring Manufacturing Businesses; Taylor & Francis, Author: Rebecca Morgan “I have long advised clients that together we will identify and implement new strategic capabilities as quickly as they can handle. One of those strategic capabilities is always the ability to…
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Excerpted From: © 2021 Manufacturing Mastery: The Path to Building Successful and Enduring Manufacturing Businesses; Taylor & Francis, Author: Rebecca Morgan "I have long advised clients that together we will identify and implement new strategic capabilities as quickly as they can handle. One of those strategic capabilities is always the ability to…
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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 a good job really means? Usually the weakness in that is a lack of sequenced priorities from leadership. How do they even know if they’re working on something that matters? Employees cannot make good decisions if management…
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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 a good job really means? Usually the weakness in that is a lack of sequenced priorities from leadership. How do they even know if they're working on something that matters? Employees cannot make good decisions if management…
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While the worst of the supply chain fiasco of 2020-2022 is behind us, elements certainly continue to challenge us daily. What we should have done then and what we can do now is communicate the truth among our supply matrix. We call it a supply chain, but the reality is all players in it service other customers and many of them serve other markets. …
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While the worst of the supply chain fiasco of 2020-2022 is behind us, elements certainly continue to challenge us daily. What we should have done then and what we can do now is communicate the truth among our supply matrix. We call it a supply chain, but the reality is all players in it service other customers and many of them serve other markets. …
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Wouldn’t you love to see an organization that was fully aligned across all functional arenas? We talk about specific excellence, like Nordstrom and service or Amazon and speed, but do you know of any organizations in which every single person in every corner of the company is aligned on organizational priorities and strategies? Do you think Nordstr…
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Wouldn't you love to see an organization that was fully aligned across all functional arenas? We talk about specific excellence, like Nordstrom and service or Amazon and speed, but do you know of any organizations in which every single person in every corner of the company is aligned on organizational priorities and strategies? Do you think Nordstr…
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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 of computers. Mr. Gates gave his new company the mission of “every desk, every home” while Mr. Olson said there was no reason for a home to ever have a computer. How could two leaders o…
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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 of computers. Mr. Gates gave his new company the mission of "every desk, every home" while Mr. Olson said there was no reason for a home to ever have a computer. How could two leaders o…
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In my lifetime the US economy has experienced bank and savings and loan failures, inflation and full employment, a 20% prime rate and a Fed Funds rate of 0.0%, multiple recessions, and wild political swings in tariffs, tax rates, and regulations. In my lifetime, my country has participated in many wars, eradicated some diseases, had a pandemic, and…
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In my lifetime the US economy has experienced bank and savings and loan failures, inflation and full employment, a 20% prime rate and a Fed Funds rate of 0.0%, multiple recessions, and wild political swings in tariffs, tax rates, and regulations. In my lifetime, my country has participated in many wars, eradicated some diseases, had a pandemic, and…
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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 important that you not let the world pass you by, it is also valuable to leverage some tried-and-true tools. TWI (Training Within Industry) and the Coaching and Improvement Katas are behavioral tools that can increase the …
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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 important that you not let the world pass you by, it is also valuable to leverage some tried-and-true tools. TWI (Training Within Industry) and the Coaching and Improvement Katas are behavioral tools that can increase the …
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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. My writings and podcasts have long focused on the strategic aspects of operations, specifically how to build a manufacturing business that endures. This episode reminds the list…
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You've all heard that great strategy with poor execution is no better than poor strategy with great execution. Operational effectiveness requires excellence in both levels. My writings and podcasts have long focused on the strategic aspects of operations, specifically how to build a manufacturing business that endures. This episode reminds the list…
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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 company unilaterally change the terms of the contract? Well, no. But then few espoused partnerships are true partnerships. The larger company always has more money for lawyers, if it comes to that. The money they…
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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 company unilaterally change the terms of the contract? Well, no. But then few espoused partnerships are true partnerships. The larger company always has more money for lawyers, if it comes to that. The money they…
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I’ve invested the vast majority of my long career in operations. I find it fascinating. Regardless of industry, operations includes the technologies, processes, materials, and procedures that delivering value on each order involves. Many would look at those words and see no similarities between making mac and cheese for millions of consumers and ma…
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I've invested the vast majority of my long career in operations. I find it fascinating. Regardless of industry, operations includes the technologies, processes, materials, and procedures that delivering value on each order involves. Many would look at those words and see no similarities between making mac and cheese for millions of consumers and ma…
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We manufacturers know that we are responsible for the outputs of cost, quality, product performance and delivery; we also know that many others in our organization impact those as much as we do. Being outstanding in those four outputs is necessary but not sufficient for our futures. In recent years we’ve come to realize that the definition of outst…
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We manufacturers know that we are responsible for the outputs of cost, quality, product performance and delivery; we also know that many others in our organization impact those as much as we do. Being outstanding in those four outputs is necessary but not sufficient for our futures. In recent years we've come to realize that the definition of outst…
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continue reading
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Seven Levers to Shape Your Manufacturing Business
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Why are some manufacturing businesses a hot mess, while others are a great place to work as you provide exciting value to the market? A business is a living organism, and as such, understanding what makes them healthy and what makes them sick is instrumental to success. Here are seven levers that apply within all manufacturers; each is addressed as…
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Why are some manufacturing businesses a hot mess, while others are a great place to work as you provide exciting value to the market? A business is a living organism, and as such, understanding what makes them healthy and what makes them sick is instrumental to success. Here are seven levers that apply within all manufacturers; each is addressed as…
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continue reading
Manufacturing has played a major role over time in advancing automation, computerization, digitization, and more. Our industries are amazingly different now than they were 15 years ago, much less 30. In December of 2022 the company OpenAI released an online product called ChatGPT. Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve at least heard of it. You …
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Manufacturing has played a major role over time in advancing automation, computerization, digitization, and more. Our industries are amazingly different now than they were 15 years ago, much less 30. In December of 2022 the company OpenAI released an online product called ChatGPT. Unless you're living under a rock, you've at least heard of it. You …
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There are business buzzwords, and then there are important business concepts you cannot afford to ignore. Resilience is one of the latter. Resilience emanates from effective risk management. If you don’t have a viable and ongoing risk management process, start there. In risk management, the first steps are always to identify the majority of risks, …
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There are business buzzwords, and then there are important business concepts you cannot afford to ignore. Resilience is one of the latter. Resilience emanates from effective risk management. If you don't have a viable and ongoing risk management process, start there. In risk management, the first steps are always to identify the majority of risks, …
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It was not that long ago that most manufacturers and distributors carried entirely too much inventory. The drag on cash flow was never offset by lower costs or higher performance. When we figured that out, we began to lower inventories. By adding some technology, whether RFID or barcodes or enhanced ERP software, we made it easier to reduce invento…
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It was not that long ago that most manufacturers and distributors carried entirely too much inventory. The drag on cash flow was never offset by lower costs or higher performance. When we figured that out, we began to lower inventories. By adding some technology, whether RFID or barcodes or enhanced ERP software, we made it easier to reduce invento…
…
continue reading
Strategy is one of those important business concepts that many cannot recognize, develop or implement, yet businesses that endure have mastered. “Growth” is not a strategy, nor is “increase profits.” Those are goals or objectives. Strategy describes the boundaries, priorities and activities within which those will be achieved. For example, a growth…
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Strategy is one of those important business concepts that many cannot recognize, develop or implement, yet businesses that endure have mastered. "Growth" is not a strategy, nor is "increase profits." Those are goals or objectives. Strategy describes the boundaries, priorities and activities within which those will be achieved. For example, a growth…
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The business model in manufacturing and distribution has long been own it, sell it, get paid for it. For most of those companies, it still is. But our world is changing. The concept of ownership has a very different place in our thinking, as does the concept of value. The potential enabled by rapidly advancing technology is integral in changing thi…
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The business model in manufacturing and distribution has long been own it, sell it, get paid for it. For most of those companies, it still is. But our world is changing. The concept of ownership has a very different place in our thinking, as does the concept of value. The potential enabled by rapidly advancing technology is integral in changing thi…
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continue reading
