If you’re just doing your job the best you can, then this article may not be for you. However, if you have multiple things going at once, from side hustles to learning projects, then what follows can be tremendously useful. For me, it is now an annual reflection and planning activity. You likely say yes to lots of things, and are dabbling in side projects, perhaps exploring some career moves, maybe trying to multiply your earnings through investing in anything from the stock market to property. There’s a lot of things on your plate, and you have no desire to change that fact. However, since yo ..read more

  Cheryl Stokes, the CEO of CNEXT, joined Jamie Flinchbaugh on his podcast “People Solve Problems” to share her insights into corporate education, leadership development, culture change, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. With a rich background that spans over two decades, Cheryl has significantly contributed to these fields through her roles at Heidrick & Struggles and Duke Corporate Education before her current role. Her educational achievements include two Master of Science degrees from MIT and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Kettering Unive ..read more

On Forbes:  19 Graceful Ways To Ensure Recognition For Professional Contributions Being recognized for one’s professional contributions is not simply a matter of fair acknowledgment; it can also be a key factor in career advancement. However, many professionals find it challenging to strike the delicate balance between ensuring they receive credit for their good work and appearing boastful or self-centered. Read more here The post 19 Graceful Ways To Ensure Recognition For Professional Contributions appeared first on JFlinch ..read more

Episode 45: “Crossover event: Just-in-Time Cafe and Lean Whiskey” In Episode 45, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban join the Just-in-Time Cafe team of Elisabeth Swan and Tracy O’Rourke as a special nod to their 100th Episode, while also having a chance to toast Mark’s accomplishment of 250 episodes of My Favorite Mistake podcast and 500 episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast. This episode blended the two formats a bit, but you can be sure whiskey was one of those elements that we retained.  We each selected a cocktail to make. Jamie made his original recipe, the Black Forest Kiss. Since you can ..read more

When I wrote my first draft of People Solve Problems, I was very clear that the tools were not where the magic was but I still referred to my favorite tools and methods a bit too often. After a structural edit and some great feedback, I committed further to write a truly method-agnostic book about problem solving, with the aim to get to the most essential matters for success. I wish I had run across this quote before I had written the book. I think there is a good chance it would have made the introduction of the book. It is from Harrington Emerson, who wrote it well over 100 years ago… “As to ..read more

In this episode of the People Solve Problems podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh welcomes Rebecca Snelling, the owner of RS Consulting. The conversation focuses on the themes of collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, and the importance of a culture that supports these endeavors within the design and construction industry. Rebecca brings a wealth of experience in coaching individuals, teams, and organizations on leadership and lean transformation, with a particular emphasis on culture advancement. She has a significant presence in the design and construction sector, contributing to variou ..read more

  In a recent episode of the People Solve Problems podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh sits down with Sarah Tilkens, Senior Manager of OpEx for GE Healthcare as well as the CEO & Founder of The KPI Lab, to discuss the art and science of problem-solving within organizations. Sarah shares her journey from an early interest in Six Sigma to founding The KPI Lab, focusing on how to tackle complex problems that professionals face in today’s business environment. She emphasizes the importance of a clear understanding of problems, advocating for a methodical approach to problem identificatio ..read more

Is problem-solving a technical skill? I’ve heard many people say things like “I’m an engineer, so already a good problem solver” or “I’m a doctor, what we do is solve problems.” To be certain, I’ve said that about myself. It’s just not an accurate statement. Engineers (to pick on my own kind) are not inherently better problem solvers than non-engineers. Problem-solving is a human capability. Our background, inclusion our professional education, will give us domain expertise, and will shape our problem-solving perspective, but it’s not enough to make us inherently good at solving all problems ..read more

We should all speed up our decision-making in this faster-moving world, right? Well, only partially right. In this video, we’ll explain how our decision-making should be really split into faster decisions and deliberately slower decisions. I’ll share why, and also the core methods you might consider to help. The post Is Our Thinking Wrong about the Speed of Decision Making? appeared first on JFlinch ..read more

I’ve been more aware that people are often very unaware of their day-to-day problem solving, all of that problem solving that happens when we are NOT using a structured approach or tool. Of course, problem-solving is a human capability, but we can learn how to do it so much better. What’s interesting is something that is even more natural, breathing, has some of the same qualities. We are born breathing, and it is easy to take it for granted. But when someone actually trains us how to breathe better, it’s incredible how much better we can become. But that doesn’t translate back to those everyd ..read more