Thoughts for the day on business issues

• Companies lacking the understanding that business is people period everything else comes after. Employees who feel valued are what separates a great company from mediocre companies.

• Lack of communication between company departments. Too many projects fall behind or fail due to the lack of communication between departments. It is the job of upper management to prevent that from happening. You do that by getting out of the damn office and visiting the departments.

• Lack of communication with suppliers. I am a firm believer that most supply problems start with the company at the top, not leading the supply chain. Companies install supplier management systems and let the system take over. The reality is suppliers respond better to excellent communication and people.

• Managing supply chains, not leading supply chains. Leading supply chains starts with communication. Communicating the companies actual needs and encouraging suppliers to communicate with their suppliers. Managing with threats of penalties rarely results in an efficient supply chain.

• Not enough true servant leaders. A servant leader is a company or "manager" that understands they are there to assist their employees or suppliers in their efforts on behalf of the company.

• Not understanding cause and effect. Not using the if we cause an action now will it have repercussions good and or bad in other areas. Looking ahead to what those repercussions will be.

• A shortage of if-then thinking. Same principle as cause and effect. • You judge a company not by its public face but how does it interact with suppliers and people who have no direct impact on the company. What happens at the back door if you will. If you watch, you will soon find that many companies are of two faces. • Listening at people not listening to people. • Listening to respond not listening to learn.