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Effective coaching is a skill that requires an understanding of human motivation and behavior. It also requires plenty of practice. To coach, according to most dictionaries, means to “tutor, train, give hints to, or prime with facts.”
The role of a supervisor or leader as a coach is to stimulate…
Six Sigma was originally created by Bob Gavin at Motorola during the 1980s; however, it could be argued that a comparable methodology was in use as early as the 1850s. Florence Nightingale is known for founding the field of nursing, but few people outside of the field of mathematics appreciate her…
You’re in a meeting when a colleague brings up an idea that you think (or even know) is not so great. For many of us, our first instinct is to shoot the idea down immediately, one way or another, before it gains traction. How often have you suffered through this challenging situation?
When it…
The United States spends $2.5 trillion for healthcare. Healthcare spending is expected to reach $4.5 trillion by the end of the decade. With Obamacare becoming a reality, we need to find a way cut the cost of healthcare to help pay for these increasing costs. The Institute of Medicine (IOM)…
Portable 3D measuring devices have revolutionized the world of metrology since their invention some 30 years ago. They have brought the world of inspection right down to the production line, allowing measurements to be done much quicker and easier.
However, some devices, including portable…
With new treatments for disease, test suites that safeguard computers, and even expertise to rescue miners trapped thousands of feet underground, federal laboratories have a wealth of technologies and know-how that can give U.S. companies a competitive edge and improve quality of life.
These…
At hospital shift changes, doctors and nurses exchange crucial information about the patients they’re handing over—or at least they strive to. In reality, they might not spend enough time talking about the toughest cases, according to a study led by the University of Michigan.
These quick but…
A couple of decades ago, visitors to the quiet city of Zaragoza, Spain, had no reason to think it would become a capital of world trade. But in 2000, the city opened Europe’s largest logistics hub, called PLAZA, and now Zaragoza is a global shipping link, connecting manufacturers, suppliers, and…
Brian had been running his machine shop as a third-tier supplier to the aerospace industry for more than 15 years, and it had been successful as a small shop. Over the years he had learned the importance of ongoing training and continuous improvement. He contracted with trainers and encouraged his…
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- It’s been said that the one of the most prestigious qualifications a professional can have is to say that he or she was part of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners. To say you served as a Baldrige examiner and were part of building American…
Overlapping personal passion with technical expertise can often spawn a successful business. Chris Kelley, president of California Cycleworks, exemplifies the small business owner who envisioned opportunity and took a leap of faith.
While Kelley was working at CA Cycleworks as a college student,…
Last week I visited with JVS, a terrific Boston-area organization whose mission is “to empower individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers, and to partner with employers to hire, develop, and retain productive workforces.”
I was reminded of my first experience with…
Firearm manufacturing has come a long way from the days when a room full of gunsmiths was needed to ensure accurate, quality weapons. Nonetheless, manufacturing firearm parts still requires a deep understanding of how the many small parts work together to create a successful weapon.
With the rapid…
Firearm manufacturing has come a long way from the days when a room full of gunsmiths was needed to ensure accurate, quality weapons. Nonetheless, manufacturing firearm parts still requires a deep understanding of how the many small parts work together to create a successful weapon.
With the rapid…
It’s no secret that in the world of statistics, the individuals chart and X-bar chart are pretty much the popular kids in school. But have you ever met their cousin EWMA? He’s all about exponentially weighted moving averages (EWMA). That’s him in the middle of the class, wearing the clothes that…
(Pivot Management Consultants: Upland, CA) -- TRIZ (pronounced “treez”) is an innovative problem-solving method based on logic and data analysis that accelerates your ability to solve difficult problems creatively. TRIZ provides repeatability, predictability, and reliability due to its structure…
The Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions and a designated UNESCO Geo Park. O'Brien’s Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic cliffs, at the top of which you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara. The cliffs take their name…
Confucius, also known as Kong Zi, was an ancient Chinese philosopher who believed that trust—or shin—enables people to contribute to society. He believed that, for a leader, earning trust was essential. In addition, according to Confucius, to consider the concerns and interests of another person…
(Juran Institute: Southbury, CT) -- Juran Institute has announced the launch of the new Juran.com website. The new site provides visitors with a description of Juran’s expertise and solutions, a history of Juran, videos of client results, as well as other useful tools that professionals use to…
Every manufacturer must conform to some level of product safety and quality, whether driven by consumer desires, competitive pressures, or government regulations. To this end, quality practices have become a business imperative for all industries.
Whether your company is certified to ISO 9001, the…
(The Pyzdek Institute: Tucson, AZ) -- For 50 years, the go-to method of improving call center performance has been monitoring and coaching. Yet measures of performance like disclosure compliance, call resolution, cross/upsell rates, and handle time are not continuously improving and in fact have…
(Innovmetric: Quebec, Canada) -- InnovMetric Software has released Phase II of DirectReplay, a new Play Inspection tool that automatically builds a guided, step-by-step sequence to capture 3D datasets of a new piece. The new tool is built into v. 12.1 of PolyWorks.
Phase I of DirectReplay, which…
The terms “black swan” and “perfect storm” have become common for describing disasters ranging from the 2008 financial meltdown to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But according to Elisabeth Paté-Cornell, a Stanford professor of management science and engineering, people in government and…
My Tuesday evenings have recently been filled thanks to the entertainment provided by the very nice people at the History channel. I’ve been thoroughly entranced by the show, The Men Who Built America. Production quality aside, it’s really an incredible feat, on reflection, how a TV channel could…
Thanksgiving is my favorite celebration. Unlike other holidays, there is no pretentiousness. One just arrives at the host home dressed in an everyday wardrobe and not encumbered with loads of presents.
Now, that is not to say that as a guest you can’t bring a tasty food dish or a bottle of wine…
