Did You Learn Anything Valuable Today?
It is back to school time. I remember when I was younger, I was thinking about what to wear for the first day of school, making sure I had the perfect outfit for the school yearbook. But, as I got older, my focus turned to the subjects that I was going to be...
7 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Employee Training
CAN ANYONE SAY CAFFEINE? Last week, I had the pleasure of being an instructor for the Investment Casting Institute’s Process Control Seminar. We had students from all over North America come together at Western Michigan University to learn how to apply process...
The Long Route to Get the Right Answer
A Long Term Strategy for Employee Motivation I remember one of my first supervisory training classes I attended as a young engineer fresh out of college. One of the questions from the instructor was what do you do when your team is performing at the level you desire?...
Is Your Style Changing with the Times?
ENHANCING YOUR TEAM'S EFFECTIVENESS Recently I was reading about the Miracle on Ice when the US Men’s Hockey Team beat the Russians in the 1980 Winter Olympics. What I learned about this team was that the coach, Herb Brooks had to change his entire coaching...
Motivational Quotes from our Olympic Athletes
APPLYING WHAT ATHLETE'S KNOW INTO EVERY DAY LIFE The 2016 Summer Olympics are almost here! I have such respect for the hard work, determination and sacrifices that these athletes make on a daily basis. So, in honor of the Summer Olympics, I thought I’d share some...
LESSONS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HOW NOT TO WORK AS A TEAM Regardless of which side of the political aisle you sit on, I think we can agree that our government is a classic example of how not to work together. They engage in finger pointing, yelling, game playing and focus on the individual goals...
Creating a Healthy Work Environment: Tips from a Novice Gardener
My big project for this spring was to build a new garden. Research told me that the key to a thriving garden is sunlight, fertilizer and water. So, I spent quite a bit of time picking the perfect location, building raised beds and moving over 5 yards of dirt into...
Technology – Boom or Bust?
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS A member of my family recently purchased a new car with all the bells and whistles. This car came with a navigation system, internet access, adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning. Learning all...
Is It Time for YOU to Re-Fuel?
A SUCCESSFUL TEAM NEEDS AN ENERGIZED LEADER Over the past week, I’ve been watching the Olympic trials. This is Michael Phelp’s fifth Olympic games and he has really transformed himself, especially over the past four years. After qualifying in the 100M Butterfly,...