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Authored by Carl Livesay, General Manager, Mercury Plastics

At Mercury Plastics, members of our leadership team noticed several books in my office. When certain circumstances arose, I would recommend reading a specific book. Well-written books provide different perspectives on any given topic, along with foundational support for good decision-making.

So, we started a book club. Anyone interested could participate. People could join or stop at any time, but the books were read in a semi-strategic sequence, so if you started later, you read each book starting with book number 1.

For each book, we allocated a specific amount of time to read it, usually 4 – 6 weeks. Then we met as a group for lunch and a brief review of the book chapter by chapter. The day before the luncheon, chapter assignments were handed out, giving each person an opportunity to prepare to lead a discussion on their assigned chapters.

This is one of my favorite approaches to improving communication and building teamwork among the leadership team for several reasons:

1. Building Camaraderie: This was an unintended but welcome outcome.
2. Diverse Interpretations: People learn that each chapter can be interpreted in multiple ways and different details resonate with each person.
3. Improved Communication: The communication between team members improves dramatically.

Books are chosen for their relevance to our lifestyle of Lean. Everyone is encouraged to suggest a book, provided they have already read it. It is worth noting that we provide the books in the language of the readers’ choosing. We also encourage people to purchase the audio version to listen to on the way to and from work.

Our reading list is always growing:

1. That’s Not What I Meant – Deborah Tannen
   ISBN: 978-0-06-206299-4
   This short book discusses how conversation style impacts communication. Tannen describes how to choose words that communicate effectively and how to listen to learn instead of listening to reply. I have personally read this book almost two dozen times.
2. Zap! The Lightening of Empowerment – William Byham Ph.D.
   ISBN: 978-0-449-00282-7
   This story-style book talks about how to build confidence in others and how to help them build confidence in you. The author underscores the value of letting go so others can experience the sweet taste of success.
3. Who Moved My Cheese – Dr. Spencer Johnson
   ISBN: 978-0-09-181697-1
   When our team at Mercury first read this book, they understood why we keep challenging them. The remarks from team members were hilarious when they realized we were doing everything for a reason.
4. What Every Body Is Saying – Joe Navarro
   ISBN: 978-0-06-143829-5
   This book describes in easy-to-understand terms how to interpret non-verbal communication and how to communicate the same way. While words are important when communicating, body language is equally important. This book remains a team favorite. It is a game changer for people in a leadership role—very entertaining and educational.
5. The Speed of Trust – Stephen M.R. Covey
   ISBN: 978-0-7432-9730-1
   As every good leader knows, trust is essential to sustained success. The author explains the essence of trust, why it is difficult to earn, and easy to lose. The book is a little salesy but well worth the read.
6. Lean – Let’s Get It Right – David Rizzardo
   ISBN: 978-0-367-33507-6
   This is a boots-on-the-ground guide for Lean. Full disclosure, the author is a friend and colleague. When we read this book, we invited Dave to join us for lunch. He kindly participated in a thorough discussion and generously autographed everyone’s book. We had been working towards a lifestyle of Lean, and Dave’s book resonated with everyone. He is direct and to the point with advice, guidance, and warnings. Great book. Great consultant.
7. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
   ISBN: 978-1-9821-3727-4
   We are currently reading this classic and while it is taking longer than many others, the value is deep-rooted. If you read this book for what it is intended, self-help, the lessons learned are disruptive and exciting. Simply stated, the recommendations of the author work.
8. Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek
   ISBN: 978-1591848011
   The author articulates the logic behind the U.S. Marine Corps training regimen and why the officers eat last. He explains what it means to serve others, the circle of safety, and the importance of trust in an organization. I am reading this book currently and it is exceptional. Very relevant to the lifestyle of Lean. This will be the next book for our group.

To be successful, establishing trust between the leadership and the rest of the team is imperative. Communication at all levels must be equally successful. Much of the content in these books helped our team learn how to communicate effectively and positively, how to demonstrate trust in their team, and, equally important, how to recognize when others trusted them as their leaders.

When trust is established, and communication is strong, amazing things begin to happen. As team members realize they are encouraged to act in the best interest of the company and they are neither chastised nor punished for failure, their self-confidence begins to grow. After the first few successes, self-confidence and self-esteem begin to flourish. When this occurs, a circle of safety is established. We call that a first-responder attitude. Much like firefighters and police officers head into trouble not knowing what is in store for them, people operating in a circle of safety lean in towards the challenge. This is amazing to watch and exciting to be a part of.

It's critical to train and engage the people who most workers report to and communicate with. ~Dave Rizzardo

One of the greatest challenges when developing a lean culture is how to get everyone engaged in the continuous improvement strategy. As with any arduous endeavor, it’s beneficial to look for a few points of leverage that provide a disproportionate amount of impact.

Often, a great place to start is with front-line leaders, making it a priority to teach, coach and mentor them to align their behavior with lean principles and goals.  Continue reading...

Kudos to our very own Associate Director, Dave Rizzardo, for claiming two spots on IndustryWeek's "Dazzling Dozen: 12 of the Best in Lean and Continuous Improvement in 2023"!  No surprise that is has to do with people, either.  Taking #5, his Respect for People Webinar, and #12, his Respect for People article.  Congratulations, Dave.  Thanks for leading by example!!

Too often, the answer to early success is having everyone work harder and longer.  Carl Livesay

As businesses transition to the next phase of maturity, their talent requirements change direction. To paraphrase Helen Keller, a bend in the road is only the end if you fail to make the turn.

During a manufacturer’s start-up phase, it is common for leaders to surround themselves with people in their image: Trusted and talented people with superior technical abilities and a strong work ethic.  Continue reading here.

...Takes Patience, Coaching and Mentoring.  It's important to realize that there are underlying factors contributing to a person’s readiness to learn and take on new tasks. Carl Livesay

In this tight labor market, workforce development is required of every company. But how do you develop your team? Patience, coaching and mentoring are especially important. Let’s look at all three in action.  

Click the link for the full article:  https://www.industryweek.com/talent/education-training/article/21276175/turning-shop-floor-workers-into-leaders-takes-patience-coaching-and-mentoring

ERP selection is a challenging task and the consequences of poor selection or failed implementation can disrupt a business for years. Success depends on teamwork. The following is the first part of a three-part series on the dos and don'ts of Enterprise Resource Planning systems—what can go right for manufacturers and what can go wrong. Read the full article authored by Carl Livesay here

“Respect for People—The Fundamental Lean Manufacturing Principle for Improving Operations” is a webinar featuring our Associate Director, Dave Rizzardo!  Dave believes that without alignment with the “Respect for People” Principle, a Lean Culture of Continuous Improvement Is Impossible!

This event was originally broadcast on August 17, 2023 and is now available for on demand viewing. To access the archived presentation, please click on the following link:  https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1622451&tp_key=0711404d0b

When presented with the webpage, simply enter your email address and click ‘Log in Now’ to view. If you have questions about this event, please email webcastmaterial@endeavorb2b.com.

The IndustryWeek Talent Board question for September was: Several employment reports suggest that the labor market has cooled a bit in recent months, rebounding from the massive numbers of people voluntarily quitting jobs last year. What's your take on the quality and availability of talent on the market today?

To read part one of September's responses, click here.

Build Teams with Fair Market Wages and Plan for the Long Term—Carl Livesay, General Managery, Mercury Plastics, Inc.

In South Baltimore, we have noticed a steady decline in the desire for full-time employment. This is exacerbated by the abundance of government subsidies and the failure to support those who are deserving while unintentionally promoting fraud. It is particularly sad to learn that some people refuse 40 hours of work so they can remain below the threshold for one or more government funded subsidies. There are strong financial incentives for people to stay at home and not work. 

The resulting lack of interest earning an honest living appears to be more prevalent in single adult males under the age of 35. In contrast, single women and single parents supporting a household have emerged as an even stronger workforce resource than before. Recently a surge in business presented an opportunity for a considerable amount of overtime. We were again surprised by the number of people who said they were simply not interested in overtime rates.

With many of the recent special government giveaway programs now ended, artificially high prices will likely start to normalize. Impulse purchases will slow down. Housing prices and interest rates will return to normal. We are hopeful that people will again be incentive to earn a livable wage at fair market value.

For many companies, sales are down more than 20% compared to last year. Those that are over-leveraged are struggling to make loan payments and to stay in compliance with bank terms. Cash flow is poor and payments to suppliers are chronically late. Artificially high labor prices are resulting in permanent layoffs.

In contrast, companies like ours, who resisted the temptation to pay unrealistic wages are on solid ground with their workforce. They continue to build teams earning livable fair market wages with excellent benefits. These companies are planning for the team members’ future long term, so they are naturally selective when hiring and training new people. 

We are leaning towards the future as we begin building the next generation of senior technical talent and mid-level leaders. Speaking from experience, it is very difficult to find career minded people interested in the future. Fortunately, our investment in lean manufacturing has yielded tremendous benefits operationally and financially. Lean has enabled our company and our workforce to be both scalable and sustainable. We are well positioned to scale the business as needed, and we are ready to capitalize on temporary and permanent surges in business at a moment’s notice.

It bears mention that the quality of the available labor pool is increasingly disappointing. It appears this poor-quality worker resource is consistent with a lack of responsibility from the worker both professionally and personally. A large number are not investing in themselves and their careers with time or money. Absent of interest by the worker becoming better professionally, they risk replacement by someone who is. There is an emphasis and almost obsession with instant gratification and selfishness. People are easy to find, however good team members are elusive.

We have been very fortunate to attract and retain a solid team. People that care and people that appreciate that we care about them. When the market and the economy look like a zig zag stitch from a singer sewing machine, it is prudent to focus on the team members that work as a team. In this scenario corporate culture matters most. Do team members feel appreciated? Is there trust? Is the company communicating opening keeping the team informed? Does the team believe you?

If you build your team on a solid foundation of trust, this is where you realize your return on the investment. The same holds true for your partners (customers and suppliers). If everyone works together, communicating openly and honestly, then the results will be more positive. Manufacturing is a team sport.

Chutes International, a leading manufacturer of internal and external plastic and steel chutes and compactors, opened its doors this past week to fellow members of the MWCC for an exclusive plant tour. The event showcased not only the remarkable progress they've made on their Lean journey but also their innovative approach to applying Agile principles in their operations.

Since 2019, Chutes has been on a transformative journey towards operational excellence, and their commitment to continuous improvement was evident throughout the plant tour. Visitors were able to witness firsthand the numerous enhancements made to the shop floor and manufacturing processes. The company's dedication to efficiency and waste reduction was clearly visible in the streamlined workflow and organized workstations.

One of the most compelling aspects of Chutes' Lean journey was the application of Lean principles within their sales organization. They demonstrated how a Lean mentality, typically associated with production, can be extended to improve processes and decision-making in other departments. This cross-functional approach emphasized collaboration and waste reduction across the board.

The plant tour also shed light on the company's innovative use of Scrum and Agile techniques. They introduced their "product improvement team" concept, which brings together leaders from the shop floor, engineering, and research & development. This interdisciplinary team works collaboratively to identify opportunities for improvement, rapidly prototype solutions, and implement changes to enhance product quality and customer satisfaction.  By leveraging Agile methodologies, they have embraced a dynamic and customer-centric approach to product development. This enables them to respond swiftly to changing market demands and continuously refine their offerings, ensuring they stay at the forefront of the industry.

Their commitment to efficiency, collaboration, and customer-centricity serves as an inspiring example for all those on a similar path towards excellence in manufacturing and product development.

By Karen Hanna - Plastics, Machinery & Manufacturing

Big or small, no matter their processes, manufacturers can benefit from lean, proponents said. Training to develop a workplace culture that embraces continuous improvement is available.

Most of his clients are small to medium-sized companies, said Henry Foppoli, a managing partner at the AMSaxum consulting firm. Some are in distress; others are just looking to improve.

Many qualify for state or provincial grants for the services offered by his Burlington, Ontario, firm, which has provided consulting about lean to more than 40 companies since its founding in 2017.

Foppoli said that many times, companies are unaware of the availability of grants, but consulting firms or government liaisons can help them identify and possibly apply for funds.

“I don’t know if it’s a lack of marketing problem of the government. They have these beautiful programs, but sometimes they don’t spend too [many] resources in advertising them,” he said.

One example of a company that’s benefited from grants is Parker Plastics, which has had to cover only half the costs of lean manufacturing training at its Hagerstown, Md., blow molding facility. It's partnered with a number of organizations for training, including Hagerstown Community College and the Maryland World Class Consortia (MWCC), a nonprofit lean consulting firm.

Over two years, Parker Plastics has gotten close to $30,000 in grants, according to plant manager Michael Genevro.

“I always let people know, to join that workforce development [agency or Chamber of Commerce] because there's lots of grant money out there,” Genevro said. 

Supported by public/private partnerships as well as member dues, the MWCC offers workshops and extended trainings. Hundreds of people have graduated from its Lean Facilitator Certification Program since it launched in 2005.

In October, it will welcome the 28^th cohort of its Lean Peer Group, a 12-month program, in which Parker Plastics has participated. It brings together groups of leaders from various companies and industries who are seeking to help each other brainstorm ways to make their businesses more efficient. They share problems and successes along their lean journey.

Some companies participate on an ongoing basis, said David Rizzardo, associate director of the MWCC, who co-developed the peer group program in 2012.

 “I’m most impressed with the companies that are doing well, but they realize that just because you’re doing well today doesn’t mean you’re going to be doing well tomorrow,” Rizzardo said.

According to its website, the state provides reimbursement for half the cost of the 12-month program. Companies located elsewhere should check with their own states for funding help.

Karen Hanna, senior staff reporter

https://www.plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/manufacturing/article/53067270/help-is-available-to-get-smaller-firms-into-lean-manufacturing