The Weirdest Interview Questions
Are you asking the right questions to determine fit and competency? Have you ever walked out of a job interview and wondered what the point of some of the questions were? During one interview, I was asked what book I was reading. I thought to myself which answer...
How Do You Pick the Ideal Candidate?
With the election season over (finally), I was thinking about how we pick our elected officials. Do we pick them because they are like us? Do we pick them because we respect them? Do we pick them because they are qualified to do the job? Or do we pick them because...
Tips for Using Social Media to Attract Employees
HINT: IT IS A 2-WAY STREET Social media is very much a part of our society. We use this platform to connect with our friends, share our viewpoints and expand our professional connections. But, how is social media impacting the work place? I have heard of an...
The True Definition of Leadership
Last week, the Investment Casting Institute hosted the 63rd Annual Technical Conference and Expo. The key note speaker was Keni Thomas, a former Army Ranger who was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge from the United States Army. ...
Robots, Super Heroes and Process Improvement
GIVING YOUR EMPLOYEES THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DRIVE IMPROVEMENT After writing my article titled, “Don't Rely on Super Heroes to Achieve Your Business Objectives”, I received numerous comments about not wanting to have too strict of a process that it stifles operator...
Don’t Rely on Super Heroes to Achieve Your Business Objectives
Addressing the Gaps in Your Systems Your plant has highly detailed procedures on how to do each job. The operators are trained not to deviate from the procedures. But, what happens when a conscientious operator notices as problem with a part. In order to properly...
And The Tie Goes To…
The Best Way to Improve Your Bottom Line I recently met with a managing partner of a professional services firm. His philosophy on how to approach his clients was simply stated, “when the ball falls on the line, the client gets the point.” He believes the customer...
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?...