Rock Around the Block - The Blog of Rock LaManna

Budgeting for lean operations is about more than just creating a quality control department and adding another line item to the budget.  You’re about to find out why it requires more than cash – especially if you want to help your business development.

Where should you put more emphasis:  On recruiting new employees or retaining your current staff?  Most owners will say “both,” but the smart money should be on retaining your staff.  In the end, you’ll see how it not only builds your current company but also helps your recruiting efforts down the road.  

Why do we love magicians?  Is it because we like bunnies coming out of top hats?  No, it’s because the magic man makes the impossible possible.  Now, can a magician make a million-dollar sales producer magically appear for your business?  I say yes, and it won’t take magic.  

Intellectual property disputes can be painful ordeals, involving lawyers, legal fees, and lots of headaches.  That pain is magnified a thousand fold when the dispute involves a family business.  Fear not - you can solve the problem:  The key is to act before conflict arises.

If there’s one thing I gleaned from the recent International Converting Expo (ICE) in Orlando, it’s that there are a lot of regional players in the converting global market.  And these regional players have a lot of potential – but only if they understand how to take advantage of it.

Everyone talks about improving the quality of their operation.  But have you ever thought about how much “poor quality” is actually costing you?  You can find out, using a lean operations technique that helps you establish the Cost of Poor Quality.   

Why would you want to determine the Cost of Poor Quality?  It has to do with your Return on Investment for undertaking lean operations.  By establishing ROI, you overcome the two typical objections people have to improving quality:

1. I don’t have enough time.

I’ve been talking to bankers a lot lately about how to help their clients and improve their portfolios in the process.  The problem is a “I-Win, You-Lose” mindset that I see permeating not only the lending industry, but the business world as a whole.

If you are part of a family business, then turmoil in the family means turmoil with the business.  Most of these conflicts are emotional, which is why you can often turn to a business solution to restore harmony to your organization.

The LaManna Alliance just returned from the AWA Mergers and Acquisitions Executive Forum in Chicago, where we picked up some important nuggets if you’re a mid-sized packaging business.

My recent post explaining Patrick Lencioni’s difference between a healthy company and a smart company got a lot of views.  His message touched a nerve with many printing owners.  Now I’d like to further explore his thinking on how to become a healthy organization.