Writings
Reflections on the work.
Leadership, discipline, and what holds under pressure.
Week 1 Case Study: From Machinist to Leader
One of the machinists inside the first Threaded Leadership Accelerator said something during Week 1 that stuck with me: “I want to steward people well.” That sentence matters more than most people realize. Because most machinists never receive leadership training.
Living Like A Craftsman
A good machinist knows there's a lot more to making a part than hitting cycle start. There's planning. Programming. Material prep. Tooling. Workholding. Setup. What's interesting is how few of those same machinists apply that same thinking to their own lives.
Control Your Pace
A leader who stays steady when everything else speeds up becomes the one people trust to follow.
Lead With a Limp
I have had the opportunity to mentor and coach several young men over the last few years. One of the most common setbacks I run into is the belief that their past mistakes somehow disqualify them from moving forward.
Monday Morning Pace Check
Monday morning chaos can trip you up before you get started. Do a simple pace check before you decide to tackle the countless unread emails, quotes, staff problems, or anything else.
Finger Pointers vs Firefighters: Who Belongs in Your Inner Circle
Problems are easy to spot. Solutions are harder. Early in my management journey I would get frustrated with people who could point out everything that was wrong.
Quality Management Systems & Audit Readiness
A lot of QMS/BMS systems are designed in a way that makes it very difficult for production staff to pass an audit. They are often written to say what they think an auditor wants to hear.