Tag Archives: goals

Quality, Delivery, Cost/Price!

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Several years ago at a large supplier conference for one of the major aerospace companies, I was asked to participate on a panel discussion about having the Aerospace quality standard AS9100 and taking a company through a “Lean Journey”. There were five supplier companies participating.

After purchasing and Aerospace manufacturing company in the late 90's I learned quickly that quality was a given.  High quality standards were a must.  My problem at the time was that quality was pretty good, not yet the best, but delivery and cost/price were really bad.  We could not produce on-time and at market pricing we did not make much above break even at the bottom line.  We worked for several years to get delivery and cost control.

About ten years ago we were introduced to “Lean Manufacturing”.  Life in manufacturing began to shift and shift well.  We were maintaining quality standards and began knocking off low hanging fruit in waste around the plant.  As we studied “Lean Principles” it became obvious as you grow in quality, AS9100, and apply “Lean” they absolutely go hand in hand.   Our plant really excelled at having high quality product, on-time delivery and a better bottom line was shaping up.

However, back at the conference I had a question from the audience.  A person who had been close to our company and had visited us in the early days asked:  “Mr. Fry there was a time years ago that you said there were only two possible outcomes of Quality, Delivery and price.  A buyer could have only two, not all three.  What do you say now? “.  Well there was a hush in the room.  All eyes and ears turned toward me.  It certainly was not a trick question but actually I had not thought about the concept for many years.

I answered that with current high quality standards coupled with “Lean” it was possible to have great quality, on-time delivery and cost/price control — which means to all you in this room cost reduction.  That brought laughter and applause from the crowd.

So, as we grow our current company Polytronix Machining & Fabrication we are approved at current AS9100c and are beginning the process of the new AS9100 2017 series of changes for the next generation of quality — AND — We are going full bore in “Lean Manufacturing”.

I am very interested in collaborating and discussing this further.   Let me know your thoughts.

Make 2017 your best year yet!

Quality after AS9100c !!!!!

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For many of us in Aerospace businesses we work with the quality system AS9100c. This year a new more advanced and comprehensive version comes out.

We had our first meeting this week for change needed and requirements for the upcoming revision. I believe the Quality System AS9100 makes us a better more efficient company. I like it!

In 1997 I was first exposed to the Boeing quality system D1-9000a. Our company became certified late 1997. When exposed to better and best quality practices our company has stayed focused and embraced the system and practices. Our current company Polytronix Machining & Fabrication is certified and working with AS9100c.

Since I learned about “lean principles”, some years back, and the savings possible within our organization, I have aligned everything to coincide with “Lean” and the highest quality standards available.

I am sure there will be challenges to the new quality system. We are going forward and will be ready for audit later this year. Good luck on your journey!

Make 2017 the best year yet!

Give up? – Never!

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“Never, Never, Never, Never — Give up!” –  Winston Churchill

So drive by gyms on the way to work — What do you see? Parking lots with fewer and fewer cars.

Tiresome to write about goals when inside you know that you won't or can't keep them going.

End of first quarter is near. Are you feeling good about the accomplishments so far this year? Will you feel good about completing the first three months.

Interesting question — especially for me. I am pretty much meeting or exceeding my goals set for Q1 of 2017. I always look back and see that I could have done things differently, or better. However, I do feel good with progress made so.

Comments?

Make 2017 your best year yet!

Last month of 1st quarter 2017!

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What is your attitude toward the first quarter of the year?

  1. Are you ahead and going to finish the first quarter of the year with sales, personal, family, financial, etc. goals on-track or ahead of schedule?
  2. OR— Are you the person who says “I did Ok this quarter, just a little or just a lot behind — Not to worry! — I have three more quarters to catch up!”

Like most people I have talked with, we all seem to fall into one of the above categories.

In my career I was the person always going to have plenty of time in the last three quarters to catch-up. Sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't.

Several years ago I read a great article and when I find it again I will most likely publish it and recognize the author. The gist of the article was to get the feeling of success as soon as possible with new a new year and new goals. Try really hard to get goals accomplished monthly. But — Be extremely diligent in getting the goals completed and even get ahead for the quarter. The feeling of knowing that you are there or ahead is mesmerizing. It can literally fuel you to do better the next month and quarters ahead.

You owe it to yourself and the “Stakeholders” / “Stockholders” around you to be the best you can be.

Make 2017 your best year yet!

 

Readers

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“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” ― Harry Truman

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Some years ago I was giving a toastmasters speech titled “All leaders are readers.” I felt something was missing from the title. This quote by Harry Truman sums it well.

I am an advocate of continuous reading. I started a reading program many years ago. As a slow reader, the idea of reading one book per week really was not viable in my life style. I decided to begin a practice of reading minimum 5 minutes per day. I read several books that first year and I tracked my reading habit. After several years I grew my goal to 20 minutes per day, and several years ago I switched to reading pages per day. This year 2017 I have a goal of reading minimum of 20 pages per day.  Does this mean I am diligent and read every day — No! But I do average 20 pages per day.

As I have discussed in the past I really look to Jim Rohn – Author, Entrepreneur, Speaker – as a mentor on business and living. He had a philosophy of reading that included all types of books. Get in the habit of reading for your profession, but also read books on opposite thinking and throw in a few good novels.

Harry Truman was right “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Do some “Internet” research and you will find most leaders are readers.

Think about reading for your 2017 goals. Begin a reading program and track it.

Make 2017 your best year yet!

Easy or Difficult?

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Great potential!

Have you ever thought about how easy or difficult it is to do business with your company?

I look at other businesses and items of interest, especially on the internet. Many times I turn away and do not get any information about the company or its products. If before I see the product or service I have to give my contact information or worse, a credit card to see something free — I leave!

Having said that — I started looking at doing business with my company. Is it easy or difficult? My conclusion was that it was difficult. We didn't really make things easy.

So now I am on a quest of making this business easy to get information and do business with us. Not an easy quick task. However, I am continually reviewing our practices and asking — “What makes doing business with us easier?”

Is it easy or difficult to do business with your company? Good luck — !

Make 2017 your best year yet!

I am going to make doing business with us easier – www.Poly-PMF.com

Momentum! (A powerful word)

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Momentum – What a powerful word when thinking and working on your goals for 2017.

I have many goals that I really want to accomplish.  Some of my goals can't be completed in a day or month or a year.  These longer harder goals are important and may take several years to accomplish.

Well — After writing and thinking about this early last year, I reaffirmed my longer term goals as being very important to me when accomplished.  I have reaffirmed and dedicated daily time 15 – 20 minutes to stay on task. I didn’t miss a day during last year 2016, I kept the momentum going.

My reaffirmation was easy.  The hard part was not making a very easy to use measurement tool to follow progress.  For longer term goals I was halfheartedly tracking progress with nothing really jumping out to me saying — “You are not on track here, keep up the momentum!”  Now I have a tracking system that shows Green when on track and Red when off track.

Do you have a measurement system for your important Goals?

Make 2017 your best year yet!

5 tips to keep your “GOALS” moving for 2017!

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Some people already have stopped working on their Goals for year 2017.
Hopefully you have made it easy to see your goals and review them for progress frequently.

Here are 5 tips to keep your goals moving for 2017:

1. Make sure you have goals written down and easy to find.
2. Look at your goals daily.
3. Make time to work on your goals daily, even if you spend a few minutes.
4. If a goal seems too hard, revise it. Look at smaller parts of each goal to work on.
5. Never give up — Make 2017 your best year yet!

2017 is here! Goals set? Are you measuring your goals?

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I have started working on 2017 goals and measuring them.
Day 1 we should all be aware and moving forward —- 2016 is gone!

Here are 5 tips to keep your goals moving for 2017:
1. Make sure you have goals written down and easy to find.
2. Look at your goals daily.
3. Make time to work on your goals daily, even if you spend a few minutes.
4. If a goal seems too hard, revise it. Or, look at smaller parts to work on.
5. Never give up — Make 2017 your best year yet!