Collaboration Movement Alive and Well

Collaboration Movement Alive and Well

by Peter B. Grazier This article originally appeared in EI Network April 1,1998 What began simply as quality control circles in Japan in the 1970’s has blossomed into a full-blown trend toward greater collaboration in the workplace. In reality, the movement began much...
Conduct Entrance (Not Exit) Interviews

Conduct Entrance (Not Exit) Interviews

by Merrick Rosenberg, MBA The Saratoga Institute recently reported that 85% of people are dissatisfied enough to change jobs in the next year. Is it just me, or wouldn’t it be better to ask people what you need to do to keep them working for your organization, rather...
Conflict

Conflict

by Peter B. Grazier Last August I taught a weekend course on team building to about 25 people participating in A Systems Approach to Quality Improvement at Madonna University in Detroit. Sponsored by the Association for Quality and Participation (513-381-1959), the...
There’s got to be a better way

There’s got to be a better way

“There’s got to be a better way!” It was the fifth (or was it the sixth?) time Mary had said this to her treasure hunt teammates. They’d been running from location to location, working hard and collecting points, but making slow progress. To Mary, it was clear that...
Start Talking and Get Back to Work

Start Talking and Get Back to Work

People need to stop typing and start talking!Years ago, it wouldn’t be uncommon to hear a supervisor on the factory floor, barking, “Stop talking and get back to work.” After all, the formula for success was work equals productivity and talking equals wasting time. I...