What are some tips for developing high-performing Teams?
Most the work we do pertains to project-based process improvement initiatives. Basically, we facilitate problem solving rapid improvement Events (RIE) aka “Kaizens” using client Teams. I see lots of different team interactions from the Executives that bring us in, and I believe understanding basic guiding principles can help in completing successful projects while developing high-performing […]
Is “know-how” important for my employees?
This may seem like a silly question, but bear with me. As managers we need our people to know how to do the tasks we have hired them to do. We may feel that know-how is the most important driver for success of our employees and the company, but there is something more. Where know-how […]
My Employees Have a Bad Attitude… What Do I Do?
Believe it or not, this may be a good thing. What this really may be is frustration. I always say, “Frustration is simply passion backed into a corner.” If your employees are frustrated, then they still care, and care deeply. We can work with that. If they are indifferent and have checked out, then that […]
We owned it! – PBT Management Consulting List
The best way to make the Pittsburgh Business Times Management Consulting List? It certainly takes the guesswork out of it.
Why doesn’t anything work … at work?
Have you ever been frustrated when things just don’t seem to “go” properly at work? Maybe you are just trying to complete a simple, day-to-day task and for some reason it is just way harder than it needs to be. Sound familiar? Computers and information systems are supposed to help, but guess what – they […]
How Can Standard Work Instructions Help Our Business Processes?
At a minimum we must capture the current best practice in a document. Why? It serves to provide a base understanding of the process. It operationalizes “tribal knowledge”. It can be used as a training document. It removes speculation and sets the expectation for process execution. It removes variation from the process inputs and outputs. […]
What Is Your Single Best Advice For Problem Solvers?
I get asked this question quite often and feel there is no trouble in sharing one of my top “secrets” to successful problem solving. My answer is this: “Challenge every assumption!” Without a doubt the most common oversight I see is that people that are tasked with solving problems in organizations believe that the employees […]
How to Select the Right Project for Improvement?
Whatever business you may be in, there is a constant pressure to improve, and rightly so. How to go about it is the difficult part. First, understand what value you bring to your customers and any competitive advantage you lack or would try to build. Think in simple terms such as time-based and quality-based improvements. […]