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Are the Risks of Global Supply Chains Starting to Outweigh the Rewards?

Historically the focus of supply-chain managers has been sourcing: managing the flow of materials and resources as they move through value-adding stages until they become finished products and services all the way to the point of delivery to customers. But the multitude of shocks caused by the... Continue Reading

The Move from Old-School Manufacturing to Smart Manufacturing

The goal of smart manufacturing is to help the manufacturing industry become a driving force in the economy once again. That said, smart manufacturing is completely different from old-school manufacturing and has completely changed the manufacturing landscape. In order to understand how smart... Continue Reading

Optimism Fuels Manufacturing Industry’s Leadership

The manufacturing industry in the United States is optimistic, our fundamentals are strong and we know exactly what’s needed to mitigate our vulnerabilities. In my positions as CEO of Greenerd Press & Machine Company and a member of the board of directors of the National Association... Continue Reading

Bluster Buster: How to Bring Your Values to Life and Strengthen Your Culture

Years ago, we helped an international mining company transform its safety culture from good to outstanding. Their 65% reduction in injuries over a three-year period vaulted them to become a benchmark company in their industry. A delegation of senior leaders and safety professionals from another... Continue Reading

Makers of Basic Necessities Face 'Tradeoff' Supplying Russia with Cookies, Soap

Makers of everyday staples from Pampers diapers to Dove soap are walking a fine line by continuing to sell their products in Russia, as pressure grows on multinational companies to take a stand against Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine. McDonald's Corp. said on Tuesday it was closing its... Continue Reading

Does the War in Ukraine Increase the Risk of Russian Cyberattacks?

Will Russian state-sponsored cybercrime, already a tremendous problem for American companies, get worse? In January, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a CISA alert, co-written with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency, reiterating the... Continue Reading

A Secret Ingredient for Competitive Advantage? Good Jobs

Call it a great resignation, a great inspiration, or a great rethinking, it’s clear that with respect to work life for many people things are never going to be the same as in the ‘before times’. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because far too many jobs were awful then,... Continue Reading

How to Prep for Increased Russia-Based Cyberattacks

As governments warn about more cyber threats due to the Ukraine crisis, it's time to follow published guidance and take common-sense precautions. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently issued a Shields Up advisory in response to the evolving Russia-Ukraine... Continue Reading

Want to Prepare Future Heat Treat Leaders? Don’t

Across dozens of industries and hundreds of interviews, I hear a recurring theme: “We’ve done a crappy job preparing our junior leaders for success.” When leaders of heat treatment plants ask what they should be doing to train their junior employees to step into leadership... Continue Reading

Why Team Members are the Biggest Obstacle to Success in our Heat Treatment Facilities

He didn’t have the ability to heat metal to thousands of degrees Fahrenheit, but Henry Ford understood a challenge every heat treatment business faces. He famously said when giving advice to leaders, obstacles are the frightful things seen when we take our eyes off a goal. That advice is... Continue Reading

U.S. Business Activity Accelerates in February - IHS Markit Survey

U.S. business activity regained speed in February as the drag from the winter surge in COVID-19 infections diminished, but higher prices for inputs remained a burden amid lingering supply constraints. Data firm IHS Markit said on Tuesday its flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the... Continue Reading

Why Tokens are the Wrong Incentive for Workplace Problems

I’m enthralled with a high-tech meditation headband that measures five different brainwaves while I meditate — providing me with real-time biofeedback on the effectiveness of my effort. The accompanying app plays a raging storm with wind gusts and pelting rain. The more deeply I... Continue Reading