Becoming Sherlock The first thing you did not learn was: 1) How to look for contrast. Contrast is always a problem solver’s best friend! If you are able to find significant contrast between your problematic parts or processes vs. the good ones, you have almost everything you need to solve the problem! 6 Sigma training…
Cultural Transformation in Your Company Today’s topic is cultural transformation. If you want to transform the entire culture of your company, the first thing you need is a clear vision. If you don’t have a vision others can follow or a mission statement, your company’s culture will not automatically change for the better. Or if…
Engineer’s First Day on the Job Today, I want to talk to the young up-and-comers, excited to get started in their careers, and also any managers who are hiring them. Follow me through a typical day on the job of lightning problem solving for a little on-the-spot training! So, you got a job in manufacturing,…
Got Water? How to Tackle A Pesky Water Leak Thanks for joining and get ready to hang on for the wild whitewater rafting ride as we talk about Leaks. Water leaks are extremely simple if you see the entire path. “Water leaks are extremely simple if you see the entire path.” Click To Tweet The instructions…
You’re HIRED! The Secret to Hiring GOOD Problem Solvers Hiring good employees can be a difficult task. I’m asked frequently, “Tom, how can I find a good problem solver? And how can I tell GOOD problem solvers from BAD ones?” Oftentimes, I’m already busy on a project and ANOTHER company comes asking me desperately where…
Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees… Part 3: Ongoing Three Questions Today we’re going to talk about the 3 most valuable questions to ask your employees on an ongoing basis. This is the conclusion of my 3-part series called “Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees.” If you somehow missed Parts 1 and 2,…
Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees Part 2: The 30 Day Challenge Hey guys! Welcome back to Part Two of my 3-Part Series on Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees. I hope you’re up for a challenge! Today we’re going to talk about an awesome 30-day experiment guaranteed to kick it up a…
Motivation, Motivation, Motivation!! I’m sure you’ve heard the popular real estate agent mantra – the most important thing in buying and selling homes is LOCATION. Running your company smoothly begins with a similar word and it’s Motivation. This is the first installment of a 3- part series on Questions Managers Should Ask Their Employees designed…
What Makes a Noise? Noise problems are always the result of: Contact and Movement YOUR JOB is to find where the contact is and what is moving. Are You Sure that’s IT? Sounds so Simple! Here are a few quick pointers on things to observe while you dig for the culprit. First, compare the non-noisy…
How to Solve Warranty Problems Today First horse out of the gate: REDESIGN. Or is it? To start with, I need to remind you to be extremely careful not to automatically think “Redesign,” when you start having warranty problems. “You can always redesign, but redesigns are not only expensive, they also introduce new problems.” Click…