The Administrative Assistant has been often referred to as a perk, rather than a crucial resource to help an organization’s effectiveness. This shift in thinking, and language, really began with the adoption of email, where communication from person to person didn’t have to be managed. This continued to evolve as other tools became available and adopted. Today, many of the things that you would consider “administrative” from scheduling to travel arrangements are so automated or simplified that it’s just easier to do it yourself. I use Calendly for most of my scheduling, and I can book a hotel ..read more

A good question is one of the most valuable of my possessions, and I am always looking to add to my collection. I discovered, or rediscovered, a powerful question from commentator and author David Brooks. He was giving a talk at Lehigh University for the Hagerman Lecture from The Center for Ethics and was exploring how to be curious in the face of someone who believes very different things. The question he prefers to use is: How did you come to believe this? The fact is that when someone believes something that you just can’t comprehend how, it is useful to understand what facts, experiences ..read more

On IndustryWeek: What We Learned: Expertise and Episodes from Three Years of ‘Factory Talk’ The video series Factory Talk began as a collaborative project between me and IndustryWeek to bring voices of leadership from the factory floors to all of you. These interviews were meant to focus on practical techniques and experienced perspectives helpful to anyone in an operational leadership role, from frontline supervisor to multi-site leader. Read More: What We Learned: Expertise and Episodes from Three Years of ‘Factory Talk’ The post What We Learned: Expertise and Episodes from Three Years ..read more

In this episode of People Solve Problems, host Jamie Flinchbaugh welcomed Jeff Grimshaw, Principal at MGStrategy, for a thought-provoking conversation. Jeff Grimshaw, who has dedicated over 25 years to assisting leaders worldwide in aligning their organizations’ people, strategy, and culture for better business outcomes, shared his insights on creating environments where taking calculated risks is encouraged to foster innovation and agility. Jeff and Jamie discussed the critical difference between “play it safe” spaces and “go for great” environments within organizations. Jeff highli ..read more

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