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News, articles, books, podcasts, and videos about how to make the workplace better.
Operational Excellence, Improvement, and Innovation
What Would A Hospital Staffed By Toyota Employees Look Like?
Toyota City in Tokyo has its own hospital, Toyota Memorial Hospital, where doctors and nurses are employed by Toyota. So does this mean the care teams use the same practices that the shop floor uses to drive improvement? Evidently so. Look inside the Toyota Memorial Hospital to find care teams empowered to solve problems the Toyota way.
Reviving American Manufacturing: Lessons from the 1980s
Discussing the “reshoring” of manufacturing as merely a matter of incentives is overly simplistic. North American manufacturing began to decline long ago, largely due to a focus on short-term gains and a lack of emphasis on fostering innovative cultures at all levels. While the principles of operational excellence still hold true today, the crucial question remains: Are American manufacturers ready to truly embrace these principles this time around? Understanding how America lost its manufacturing prowess in the 1980s can shed light on this challenge.
Brewing Success: Will Starbucks' Shift from Automation to Human Touch Revive Customer Service?
Similar to the earlier story about the manufacturing industry's shift to automation in the 1980s, which did not meet the expectations of CEOs, Starbucks has tried to cut costs by focusing on automation and reducing its workforce. However, Brian Niccol, Starbucks' CEO and the fourth leader in just three years, is now testing a new approach that emphasizes relying more on staff instead of automation to enhance customer service, which has been declining. Will this strategy succeed? Only time will reveal if it boosts revenue, but for now, the company's financial performance remains a concern.
Recognizing the Inflection Point for Productivity Success
Convincing leaders that enhancing productivity is essential can be challenging, and perhaps they have a point. There are specific conditions that create pivotal moments when investing in engineering productivity at scale becomes more appealing. Ultimately, recognizing and acting on these inflection points could be the key to driving sustained success and growth.
Wine Not? Mastering Operational Excellence in the Art of Winemaking
How do you get operational excellence out of every drop of the wine-making process? Learn how Latin American vineyards are squeezing excellence from the grape to the glass.
Creating a Culture of Improvement
Managers Struggling as Employee Engagement Takes a Nose Dive
Gallup's State of the Global Workplace Report reveals a concerning trend: global employee engagement has declined for the second consecutive year, a first since 2009, resulting in a staggering cost to the global economy–trillions of dollars. The biggest drop in engagement was among managers, who are feeling the pressure from all directions as they juggle a growing list of responsibilities in an increasingly complex environment. If we believe that cultures of improvement must be championed by leaders, the future appears grim. Perhaps it's time to shift our focus towards enhancing conditions for those who support value-added functions.
Playing To Win – Tiffani Bova with Roger Martin
Two of my favorites, Tiffani Bova and Roger Martin, are hosting a series of webinars that break down the Play To Win strategy into practical insights for leaders. I highly recommend this for anyone involved in strategic development.
Playing to Win – Practitioners Insights [Show 1]
Playing to Win – Choice Cascade [Show 2]
Playing To Win Strategy vs Planning [Show 3]
Playing To Win Great Strategist [Show 4]
Still Waiting for the Management Revolution to Brew
Are we witnessing a revolution in management? One where a ‘network of competence' surpasses the traditional ‘hierarchy of authority'? Steve Denning believes that companies focused on delivering value to customers and empowering their employees are the ones that will thrive. I've been anticipating this change for over 20 years — and I'm still waiting.
Coaching – Developing Self & Others
Stop Saying “No”, “But”, and “However”
Try this out next week: keep a tally of how often your colleagues respond with “no”, but”, and “however”. It may surprise you how often we respond with these words – only to shut down the opportunity for quality conversation while driving interpersonal resentment. Instead ask yourself, “Is my comment going to improve this person's commitment or make this person more committed?” – if it's no, it's probably not worth saying.
Mastering Energy Over Time
We all have two precious and limited resources: time and energy. For the past two decades, the business and self-help book industry has primarily centered on time management. However, energy management is equally important. Maximizing your time is pointless if it leads to burnout. Instead of just chasing after time, it's time to focus on managing your energy effectively.
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