"Our management does nothing but scream and yell. They aren’t looking to solve problems; they’re looking to assign blame.” “The morale in this place feels like a prison. Coming to  work every day is a beating.” “I think the leadership here knows what they’re doing, but they don’t even listen to our ideas. I’m on … Continue reading Volume 61: Be Better, Leadership →

A pretty common problem that I hear about from the industry is that corporate offices have one very strong set of principles and culture that they want pushed out, but it doesn’t make it to the facility level. There are obviously tons of reasons this might be the case: Facility leadership that isn’t aligned with … Continue reading Volume 60: Clear Expectations →

If I had a dime for every time I heard an HR person or Plant Manager tell me that Safety was their number one priority, I could probably stop coming into work. It’s on bulletin boards everywhere, and it’s the biggest thing that these facilities advertise: Safety is #1! And then I go on a … Continue reading Volume 58: Safe Environments People Get to Go Home From →

After spending the last 6 weeks reminiscing about the way things used to be in the corrugated industry, and acknowledging that they are no longer like that, it’s probably time to settle down in the present. Before my talk at TAPPI in October, I sent a newsletter that broke down Oberg’s Hierarchy of Needs, essentially … Continue reading Volume 57: Compensation →