:root {
–wt-primary-color: #030712;
–wt-text-on-primary-color: #F9FAFB;

–wt-secondary-color: #F9FAFB;
–wt-text-on-secondary-color: #030712;

–wt-tertiary-color: #FFFFFF;
–wt-text-on-tertiary-color: #222222;

–wt-background-color: #FFFFFF;
–wt-text-on-background-color: #030712;

–wt-subscribe-background-color: #FFFFFF;
–wt-text-on-subscribe-background-color: #030712;

–wt-header-font: “Inter”, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,”Helvetica Neue”, Arial, “Noto Sans”, sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”, “Noto Color Emoji”;
–wt-body-font: “Inter”, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto, “Helvetica Neue”, Arial, “Noto Sans”, sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”, “Noto Color Emoji”;
–wt-button-font: “Inter”, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto, “Helvetica Neue”, Arial, “Noto Sans”, sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”, “Noto Color Emoji”;

–wt-border-radius: 8px
}

.bg-wt-primary { background-color: var(–wt-primary-color); }
.text-wt-primary { color: var(–wt-primary-color); }
.border-wt-primary { border-color: var(–wt-primary-color); }

.bg-wt-text-on-primary { background-color: var(–wt-text-on-primary-color); }
.text-wt-text-on-primary { color: var(–wt-text-on-primary-color); }
.border-wt-text-on-primary { border-color: var(–wt-text-on-primary-color); }

.bg-wt-secondary { background-color: var(–wt-secondary-color); }
.text-wt-secondary { color: var(–wt-secondary-color); }
.border-wt-secondary { border-color: var(–wt-secondary-color); }

.bg-wt-text-on-secondary { background-color: var(–wt-text-on-secondary-color); }
.text-wt-text-on-secondary { color: var(–wt-text-on-secondary-color); }
.border-wt-text-on-secondary { border-color: var(–wt-text-on-secondary-color); }

.bg-wt-tertiary { background-color: var(–wt-tertiary-color); }
.text-wt-tertiary { color: var(–wt-tertiary-color); }
.border-wt-tertiary { border-color: var(–wt-tertiary-color); }

.bg-wt-text-on-tertiary { background-color: var(–wt-text-on-tertiary-color); }
.text-wt-text-on-tertiary { color: var(–wt-text-on-tertiary-color); }
.border-wt-text-on-tertiary { border-color: var(–wt-text-on-tertiary-color); }

.bg-wt-background { background-color: var(–wt-background-color); }
.text-wt-background { color: var(–wt-background-color); }
.border-wt-background { border-color: var(–wt-background-color); }

.bg-wt-text-on-background { background-color: var(–wt-text-on-background-color); }
.text-wt-text-on-background { color: var(–wt-text-on-background-color); }
.border-wt-text-on-background { border-color: var(–wt-text-on-background-color); }

.bg-wt-subscribe-background { background-color: var(–wt-subscribe-background-color); }
.text-wt-subscribe-background { color: var(–wt-subscribe-background-color); }
.border-wt-subscribe-background { border-color: var(–wt-subscribe-background-color); }

.bg-wt-text-on-subscribe-background { background-color: var(–wt-text-on-subscribe-background-color); }
.text-wt-text-on-subscribe-background { color: var(–wt-text-on-subscribe-background-color); }
.border-wt-text-on-subscribe-background { border-color: var(–wt-text-on-subscribe-background-color); }

.rounded-wt { border-radius: var(–wt-border-radius); }

.wt-header-font { font-family: var(–wt-header-font); }
.wt-body-font { font-family: var(–wt-body-font); }
.wt-button-font { font-family: var(–wt-button-font); }

input:focus { –tw-ring-color: transparent !important; }

li a { word-break: break-word; }

@media only screen and (max-width:667px) {
.mob-stack {
display: block !important;
width: 100% !important;
}

.mob-w-full {
width: 100% !important;
}
}

.table-base, .table-c, .table-h { border: 1px solid #C0C0C0; }
.table-c { padding:5px; background-color:#FFFFFF; }
.table-c p { color: #2D2D2D; font-family:’Helvetica’,Arial,sans-serif !important; overflow-wrap: break-word; }
.table-h { padding:5px; background-color:#F1F1F1; }
.table-h p { color: #2A2A2A; font-family:’Trebuchet MS’,’Lucida Grande’,Tahoma,sans-serif !important; overflow-wrap: break-word; }

.bh__byline_wrapper {
font-size: .875rem;
line-height: 1.25rem;
vertical-align: middle;
justify-content: space-between;
display: block;
}

.bh__byline_social_wrapper {
display: flex;
margin-top: 0.5rem;
align-items: center;
}

.bh__byline_social_wrapper > * + * {
margin-left: 1rem;
}

@media (min-width: 768px) {
.bh__byline_wrapper {
display: flex;
}

.bh__byline_social_wrapper {
margin-top: 0rem;
}
}

Stop Chasing Your Tail

Do you think you and your team can change?

Beau Groover
July 18, 2024

Stop Chasing Your Tail

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Humility by Doc McIntyre

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I tried to write a post on humility, but all roads led me back to the topic of insecurity.

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If you’re insecure…

• it’s damn hard to be humble

• it’s hard to be a good listener

• it’s hard to accept feedback and coaching

• it’s hard to avoid being defensive

• it’s hard to take ownership over things

• it’s hard to be calm and cool in the heat of battle

  So I offer this humility quote, knowing that battling insecurity is the first step:

❝

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. –CS Lewis

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In many manufacturing plants, performance meetings often feel like a game of whack-a-mole. Each session brings a new set of issues—inventory delays, machine breakdowns, absenteeism, setup times, and quality problems. The list goes on.

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After one such meeting, a plant manager expressed his frustration: “Do you see why we brought you in? We’re constantly moving from one crisis to the next. Can you help us?”

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I responded, “I think I can. Do you think you and your team can change?”

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The issue is a common one in manufacturing. Plants often fall into a pattern of chasing problems without a clear plan or the right skill set. Each week, the plant manager points out the latest issues, and the team works to address them until the next problem arises. This cycle continues endlessly, focusing on symptoms rather than root causes.

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Imagine having a clogged artery causing chest pains. Instead of treating the clog, you take painkillers. This is what happens in many operations. The symptoms of downtime need to be systematically addressed and eliminated, not just reduced. However, breaking out of the daily grind to tackle these root causes is challenging.

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Plant personnel are under constant pressure to meet production goals and address immediate issues. This cycle leaves little room for addressing the root causes of problems. For example, one client had 97 active projects, most with little progress. It was essentially a wish list of tasks.

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If you find yourself in this situation, here are three steps to take:

• Gather Your Team: Bring together front-line leaders, supervisors, and managers. Ask them what they are working on in addition to daily production.

• Evaluate Projects: Assess each project based on its impact and effort. How hard is it to complete, and how much will it help if done?

• Prioritize: Eliminate all but the top five projects. Focus on these until they are completed and then move on to the next set.

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By concentrating on fewer projects, you’ll accomplish more, reduce stress, and improve performance metrics. It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of constant firefighting. Leaders must choose not only what to work on but also what to set aside.

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If this resonates with you, give us a call. We’d love to help. If you prefer to handle it yourself, invest time to break issues into smaller parts, eliminate the biggest problems first, and use data to validate your results. Stay focused and don’t let daily problems divert your attention.

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Did you like this insight into manufacturing and leadership? Check out my book, Building a Kick-Ass Culture. Buy ithere