Blog
It's Time For Us To Do Better
It’s time for us to do better at connecting people with opportunities. Let me share some recent examples with you to get that amazing brain of yours going! Friday, October 7 was #ManufacturingDay, but it was also the Ribbon Cutting for the new Alliance For Working Together (AWT) Foundation’s Transformation Center in Mentor, OH. I've known the great folks at AWT for years, through my roles at Swagelok, NTMA and the Precision Metalforming Association as well as my personal volunteer work for the Junior Robobots competition and many #manufacturing / #workforcedevelopment-related interest groups. It made my DAY to see the amazing and beautiful space filled with brand-new manual and CNC machines, quality and inspection equipment, classrooms, and all sorts of technology and ways to engage with students of all ages and backgrounds. Every library, community center, K-12 school, community, vo-tech and higher education institution needs to know about this venue – AND be actively making connections. Every community NEEDS to find folks that are PASSIONATE about in-demand industries like manufacturing, healthcare and IT – and fund their big ideas like this! On Thursday, October 27, I started the morning with Team NEO at their Aligning Opportunities Launch. I LOVED the panel discussions and the ENERGY and IDEAS! Can we encourage kids to add a "minor" in a credenti
Leaders: Take Heed.
The past few months I’ve been trying something different. Each month, I always send a newsletter with an article, some microlearning videos, inspirational quotes and selected upcoming programs to everyone on my The Institute for Management Studies distribution list. That’s not new. What IS new: I started to explicitly offer myself as a resource to each of these amazing people, whether it's talking through their own leadership development, identifying a great thought leader for a customized program for their team, or sharing best practices gained from other IMS members. I included a link to schedule a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with me. I was absolutely FLOORED by the positive response! As a bit of an introvert, I haven’t really minded working from home for the past few years, but the chance to connect with, and learn from, amazing local professionals and leaders is literally THE BEST part of my work. I wanted to share some of the big themes from these conversations, because I think they really highlight what EVERY LEADER should be aware of and more importantly, actively working to address with each of their team members: 1. People do NOT feel that they have all the internal support they need to be successful in their roles. 2. People are HUNGRY for opportunities to grow their skills through REAL-LIFE examples and practice, alongside peers from diff
Let's be a force for good this year
Have you read Josh Bersin’s HR Predictions for 2022 report? "This year’s report touches on 15 predictions encompassing all areas of HR against the backdrop of an historically tight labor market, empowered workforces, and continued pandemic uncertainties." Fill out the short information form here: https://joshbersin.com/hr-predictions-for-2022/ and download your copy. I promise it's worth it, no matter what your official job title or function is. My key takeaways are: The labor shortage isn’t going away. Continue to get creative around hiring requirements – does a role really need a specific degree? Are there ways to assess incoming skills and/or partner with a 3rd party to provide ‘on-ramps’ for basic training instead of rejecting a candidate? No matter what your current product or service offering is, it’s going to become more service-focused over time. That means that more of your organization needs timely, actionable training around customer service skills. To help with that, you may also want to consider reviewing / updating the metrics you use around service encounters. The technology that’s prevalent in many of our personal lives is more and more expected in the workplace. Cue the “metaverse,” VR, AR, immersive training experiences, etc. But, it’s not just technology for technology’s sake – it’s critical to start with an organizational assessment, d
My Wish For You As We Wind Down 2021
When I think about what I’m on this Earth to do, it all starts to make sense again. The outside chatter shuts off. The comparison game goes on pause. I will never be everything to everyone, and I know that to try to be… is a recipe for disappointment. I’ve done a lot of crazy, foolish and tough things, and my number one goal is to help others skip over those pain points, or at least help them move through them with grace. Going out on my own has taught me a lot. That there’s a loneliness within me. That even though I consider myself more of an introvert that extrovert, I need human connection – and it’s harder than ever to get that with the ongoing pandemic. That now every moment of every day is a potential revenue-generating opportunity – and that choices I used to make about how to spend my time when I was earning a salary are way different than they are now. That it’s way too easy to get lost in the tactical and make excuses not to focus on the strategic side of running a business. That it’s OK to mute someone, unfollow someone, or whatever it takes to get away from toxicity. That your ‘tribe’ is key – and that it’s OK to have it change over time, and that it might often be made up of folks you’ve never met in person. That people may ask too much of you, and that it’s not your responsibility to explain yourself or your actions to those that are on the ‘take’ vs. the
What's Your Dream?
“If you don't build your dream someone else will hire you to help build theirs.” -Tony A. Gaskins Jr. I painted the back of my front door with chalkboard paint and that quote is the FIRST thing I wrote once the paint dried. What does it mean, though? What exactly is a dream? Is it a physical thing you want to acquire? Is it a place you want to live? Is it an award you want to win? …. Or is it a WAY of living? …. My dream is to provide a comfortable lifestyle for myself and my family by doing good for others. Your dream can be whatever you want – but I would encourage you to think about it sooner rather than later. Time really does fly. I read somewhere that the clock starts feeling like it speeds up once you hit age 23. Yikes. So how do you discern your dream? I think some of my key takeaways from the 2021 Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT earlier in October might resonate: Build your personal board of directors – the expert, the truth teller, the innovator, the sponsor, the vault. These people might not know each other, but they all should know you well. For my entrepreneurial friends – this one is even more important for you. Remember that people want to work with people, NOT companies. What makes you, well YOU? That’s your secret sauce. That’s your certain something. Embrace it, hone it, embody it. Ask for what you want. The candid feedback on what you’re awesome at and what you’re no
Let's Talk Calibration
Not the technical kind (sorry I got you excited, my manufacturing friends!!) but the kind where you're working on yourself and the bigger picture of your business instead of focusing on the day-to-day tactical side of your work and your business. I’m a business owner. I’m self-employed. I’ve had some amazing clients and projects – some of which are ongoing, and some of which were project-based. I’ve also had clients leave – including one that I had previously accepted a re-negotiated contract with that was in their favor as a show of my commitment to their success. Outside of my independent consulting work, I manage a region for The Institute for Management Studies as a contractor. That role is 100% commission-based – there is no “floor” or base salary. I am also your normal adult. I have a mortgage. I have recurring bills. I have people and animals that depend on me. Things happen – I get sick, the fur kids have an emergency, parents or friends need help, the HVAC system breaks, you get the picture. I operate with a lot of risk. By the virtue of hard work, an amazing network and a lot of faith and trust I made it this far. It’s felt like a whirlwind. Only in the past month have I had the headspace to reflect and consider. To calibrate. I’m sharing the questions I’m asking myself in case A) they’re helpful to you and B) you have other ones that you think should be adde
Go Hug An Engineer
I'm a materials science engineer and my better half is a civil engineer. It's no surprise that the disaster in Florida has been a topic of conversation. It's horrific - and it reminded both of us of things we've learned during our #engineering programs. For him, he clearly remembers a professor saying "the difference between an engineer and a doctor is that when a doctor makes a mistake, one person can die - while when an engineer makes a mistake, hundreds or more can die." For me, I remember horrifying pictures and videos of Galloping Gertie and the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse. Engineering NEEDS #ethics. STEM disciplines NEED #heart and #soul. This is not an article saying anything was done specifically right or wrong in this case, but a loud and clear call to action for colleges and universities, families, communities and workplaces. It's NOT enough to just teach the technical aspects of the work. The forces, the material properties, the specifications. For every decision that can impact more than just the person making the decision - let's remember what (and who) is at stake. There IS time for that second review. There IS time for the challenging opinion. There IS time to change course. It's never too late to do the right thing. And if you've got an engineer or STEM professional in your life, go give them a fist bump, a hug or a thank you. We're out there trying to do what's right, be
My MBA application, 12 years later
I had a crucible moment in 2009. I was a batch & furnace engineer for Owens Corning, in a development program. I had worked there since graduating college - it was my first "adult" job, and I was learning A LOT. But... I felt forced to take a role on the other side of the country, far away from family and friends, in a location that I felt wasn't safe. So I quit. I delivered phone books out of the back of my Honda Fit. I relied on friends to share meals and drinks with me. I freaked out. Then, with a push from my father, I decided to apply WAAAAY late to The Ohio State University's full-time MBA program. The application process included taking the GMAT, interviewing in-person, and completing several essays. I was cleaning up my external hard drive recently, and came across those essays. Reading them brought the emotions of that time right back to surface. In fact, writing about this, right now, is bringing them back as well. I share this essay question and response with you in case it helps you in some way. Maybe it just helps you feel more connected to me. Maybe it sparks a reflection for you. Maybe it leads to reaching out to a family member, friend or mentor to say Thank You for the role they played in your life. I would love to hear your thoughts. Discovering You: As a Fisher MBA student you get the best of both worlds: the up close and personal feel of a small program combined with the resources and opportunities offered by a major research unive
It's Always About People.
I have a few sayings that you may have heard if you’ve ever worked with me for a while. “People may be part of the problem, but they’re ALWAYS part of the solution." and “Closed mouths don’t get fed." Both of these relate to communication and interpersonal dealings. They both came to mind this morning because of a recent email. Do you ever open an email and feel your heart rate increase? Get that pinched feeling? As a self-employed business owner, I work with a lot of individuals that have different needs, varied personalities and unique communication styles. I pride myself in being flexible and versatile. BUT. There's one that unintentionally pushes my buttons. The desire for perfection comes across as nit-picky. The lack of interest in learning collaborative technologies leads to rework. The brusque manner feels cold and judgmental. The emails sound... not nice. Do you have anyone like that in your life? How do you work with them? Even though I’ve been tutoring and teaching and coaching others in some capacity since 2001, I’m no where near done learning. In fact, I really believe in that Einstein quote, “once you stop learning, you start dying.” So here’s what I’m going to work on – and I’d love to hear your input too – whether it’s advice for me, or your own story that you’d like to share so we can hold each other accounta
You’re Not Going to Be Everyone’s Cup of Tea, and That’s OK
Or, as I often say “everyone has their own flavor of crazy, and you’ve got to find the ones you like!” Being an entrepreneur can feel lonely. The physical isolation brought on by the global pandemic hasn’t made it any easier. But being a leader – whether formally or informally, for an entire company or your individual destiny – comes with a lot of perks. You can set your own schedule. You can decide which customers to ‘hire’ and occasionally… which to ‘fire’ or never bring on in the first place. You can try new things – like FaceBook live (harder than it looks!), BombBomb video emails (love them!), videos and graphics that may be ‘outside’ your typical brand, really personalized messages or broad ones, social media campaigns, partnerships with 3rd parties or bringing work back in-house. You can work as much or as little as you want (and as your expenses allow). You can collaborate openly, stay more insular or operate anywhere in between. Your inner drive is truly your only limit. As I reflect on my 10+ years in manufacturing, I realize that’s just how I’m wired. To drive, to push forward, to learn, grow and adapt. And if you’re reading this article, I bet you are too! Sometimes people get threatened by people like us. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming or even pointless to keep moving ahead and innovating. But, I promise you it’s worth it. Everyone’s differ
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