Good, cheap pneumatics
Good, Cheap Pneumatics For the past three issues of MHW, we have been writing a series of articles based on the information and ideas presented at the 2019 MHEDA Rental and Used Equipment Conference. This conference was held in October of 2019, and during the conference, I shared ideas and strategies with the attendees regarding best rental and used equipment practices, and strategies. Although the information provided by the speakers was relevant and useful, some of the most exciting ideas were shared across the table at the breakout sessions. The best and most applicable ideas in sessions like this, are usually shared “dealer to dealer”. This month I want to leave the rental department behind and focus on some of the ideas shared in regard to used equipment. Used Equipment Strategies: Sources The one recurring theme I hear from used equipment managers is that they just can’t find good used equipment. One reason for this is that in a dealership setting, the bar is set relatively high in terms of what is acceptable, and saleable, and what is not. We (and our customers) tend to want USED equipment, not OLD equipment. Telling the difference can be a moving target, as year of manufacture sometimes doesn’t indicate a unit’s true age and condition. Equipment shows its age first in hours, then in years. Can you trust the hour meter? It depends on where the unit came from. In our business there a few popular sources of used equipment: Rental Fleets – YOU are always your best and first source for used equipment. I find that dealers that have built and cared for their rental fleets properly, seldom have to look outside their own resources to find pre-owned inventory for sale. Leasing Companies – Lease returns are another valid source for sourcing used equipment, especially if you are looking to purchase a “package” of multiple units. It’s common for finance vendors to partner with dealer organizations, so if you are looking for a particular brand, this is the place where you are likely to find an ample list to choose from. The down-side is that you have to share your profitability with the finance company. Acceptable residual values on original leases have also increased over the years. Add the seller’s markup, and prices can get pretty steep. This can squeeze your budget for refurbishment, and affect your overall profitability. We also need to be careful. Many long-term leases have been pushed from 60 to 72 or even 84 months. The original lessee most likely had a duty cycle of more than 1 shift. Combine these two factors and you may need to check the hour meters to see if the deal is worth making! Wholesalers – I love these guys, and they are necessary to our business. For the dealer wholesalers exist to DISPOSE of equipment that is not suitable for the retail market. There are times however when you can partner with a wholesaler and participate in a purchase of your brand of equipment. Dealing with wholesalers is a “caveat emptor” situation. These guys are also direct sellers in your marketplace. Make sure you insulate yourself properly, and inspect machinery carefully. Warranties from wholesalers usually end at their driveway. Trade-ins – Most of the equipment the dealer takes on trade is being traded in because it is PAST its useful economic life. An old used equipment guy once told me “don’t water dead plants”. This applies to most of the equipment traded in today. Use your network of wholesalers and move these units off the lot. Even if you have to take a small loss, it’s better than pitching a tent over it in the shop, and then trying to sell an overvalued boat anchor. Brands Many dealers have taken to the practice of only selling used equipment that is manufactured by the OEM they represent. All other brands are sold on the wholesale market. This policy provides some advantages. Parts are available and priced right. Not having to buy your refurbishment parts from the dealer preserves your profitability. Technical expertise. Your service crew knows these units. This makes labor allowances easier to manage. Limiting available used trucks to only your OEM drives your brand and unifies your messaging. If all of the equipment on the lot is the same color, the customer will correctly assume that you can answer all the questions, and undoubtedly provide the after-sale service. All of this said, I usually see this “OEM brand only” policy in dealerships that have either have adequate rental fleet to feed their used equipment inventory, or they have a close relationship with the leasing agents that routinely market their brand. Grades and quality Let me just start by saying the words “good, cheap and pneumatic” don’t belong in the same sentence. By far, ITA class 5 forklifts are preferred in the used equipment marketplace. The reason is simple. Pneumatic tire forklifts can perform a wider range of tasks, and operate both on improved and unimproved surfaces. As the hot commodity, you will rarely want to discount a good pneumatic unit, as they hold their value well. But, if I had a dollar for every time a customer was looking for a good, cheap pneumatic I’d be a rich man. So, what does “good used equipment” mean in our business? In my experience, most well run dealerships will limit retail used equipment offerings to units that are able to pass the following test: Under 10 years old Under 15,000 hours No visible engine smoke No visible engine oil leaks Transmission does not slip Starter bendix and flywheel in good condition Ignition provides clean start within 5 seconds No hydraulic leaking or seeping from any cylinder No hydraulic valve cavitation At least 50% tire life remaining If it passes these tests…. it’s a machine that most likely will provide a customer with a useful life in a light to moderate use environment. Warranty It’s also a machine that the dealership
MODEX 2020: POWERED BY POSSIBILITIES
MODEX: POWERED BY POSSIBILITIES THE BEST SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS THE LATEST EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY THE SMARTEST THINKING FIND IT ALL AT MODEX 2020 March 9-12, 2020 Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center As the speed of manufacturing, supply chain and transportation operations continue to accelerate, the future of our industry depends on today’s forward-thinking decisions. From illuminating education to next-generation technology and equipment in action, MODEX lets you see what’s coming — and take advantage of it to power your supply chain with endless possibilities for years to come. MODEX 2020 will allow you to make new contacts, discover cutting-edge solutions, and learn the latest trends that are sure to give you a leg up on the competition. Here, you’ll encounter the best our industry has to offer to: CONNECT with over 900 of the leading providers and see in-person, in-action how their efficiency-enhancing and cost-cutting equipment and technology solutions can futureproof your supply chain. LEARN from the industry’s best minds how key industry trends and innovations can transform your manufacturing and supply chain operations during 100+ free education sessions and four powerful keynotes. MEET FACE-TO-FACE with your industry peers from the U.S. and over 140 countries across the globe. Whatever manufacturing and supply chain solutions or insights you need to power your business, you’ll find them at MODEX 2020. There is no cost to attend the exhibits and conference sessions. Register today for free admission. Show Exhibit Hours Monday, March 9: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 10, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday, March 11: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday, March 12: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Exhibitors can reserve time in the press conference room in the show hall for any media event. Contact Carol Miller at cmiller@mhi.org or 704-676-1190 to reserve the room. Monday, March 9 Time Company Location Contact 8:45 am Keynote Ambassador Nikki Haley Importance of the supply chain to economic development Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 2:00 pm Dematic Booth 5619 Cheryl Falk Cheryl.Falk@Dematic.com 414-870-8735 3:00 pm EnerSys Booth 7632 Melissa Maycott melissa@hbmadv.com 215-440-9800 4:00 pm Waypoint and Numina Group Booth 9600 Jen Maloney jmaloney@numinagroup.com 630-343-2622 Tuesday, March 10 Time Company Location Contact 8:00 am – 8:30 am Rite-Hite Media Breakfast Room C109 Andy Larsen ALarsen@boelterlincoln.com 414-840-0891 8:45 am Keynote Tan Lee The Neurogeneration – The Future is Closer than you Think Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 9:30 am Flexcon Container Booth 8625 Ken Beckerman kenb@flexconcontainer.com 908-871-7000 10:00 am Honeywell Intelligrated Booth 7619a Tracy Niehaus tracy.niehaus@honeywell.com 513-607-1238 Wednesday, March 11 Time Company Location Contact 8:45 am Keynote MHI Annual Industry Report Preview the 2020 MHI Annual Industry Report Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 9:30 am Jungheinrich Booth 3810 Shannon Myers shannon.myers@mcfa.com 713-365-1432 1:00 pm Keynote Peyton & Archie Manning A conversation with Peyton and Archie Manning Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 3:00 pm Interroll Press Conference Room Maredith Ransom m.ransom@interroll.com 843-323-8289 4:30 pm MHI Industry Night with Hassan Minhaj Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190
How leaders can help employees understand the Meaning of Their Work
Quint Studer says ALL jobs matter. Here, he shares why it’s important for leaders to connect people to the purpose behind their work—and offers advice for getting started Some jobs by their very nature seem more meaningful than others. But really, all jobs are potentially meaningful. All companies serve their customers, their stakeholders, and their workforce, and the employees are in a unique position to make a real difference. Quint Studer says it’s up to leaders to help people see this. Great leaders create an environment where employees feel valued (and valuable), and this is what connects them to purpose. “There is no such thing as a job that does not count,” says Studer, author of Wall Street Journal bestseller The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive (Wiley, October 2019, ISBN: 978-1-119-57664-8, $28.00). “And yet, we tend to work in environments where an employee is more likely to hear about their work when there is a problem. It is assumed that the impact of work is obvious, and because of that, leaders are not taking time to emphasize to each worker the why of their job and the important contribution it makes.” Research shows that 53 percent of workers wish they had more insight into the effect their contributions have on their company’s success. Further, there’s a big disconnect illustrating that while leaders may think they’re doing a good job of helping employees understand their company’s purpose, they really aren’t. See these statistics from a Deloitte survey: 47 percent of executives strongly agree that they can identify with their company’s purpose, compared to just 30 percent of employees. 44 percent of executives say leaders set an example of living that company’s purpose. Only 25 percent of employees agree. 41 percent of executives say the company’s purpose plays a role in major business decisions, compared to 28 percent of employees. 38 percent of leaders say their organization’s purpose is clearly communicated, compared to 31 percent of employees. Numbers like these make it clear: It is the job of the leader to take time on a regular basis to help each employee understand the importance of their role and the impact it has on the organization. While the contribution made by the worker may seem obvious, the leader needs to help them connect the dots. “Consider that person in the billing department, the one who may not see a customer’s face day to day,” says Studer. “They need to know that by doing a good job in accurate billing, it allows the organization to do better financially, which goes to pay employees. When they know this, it helps them more clearly see their sense of purpose.” Billing may not be thought of as “glamorous,” but the reality is that human beings can find meaning and fulfillment in all kinds of jobs. Here are a few tips on helping your employees connect the dots on meaning and purpose. Explain to each worker how what they do impacts customers and coworkers Remember, making a difference doesn’t have to mean saving the world. It can be as simple as being the best florist in town or being the restaurant that serves up the most delicious burgers and shakes. Narrate this to employees. Help them connect the dots on how they make a difference in people’s lives and in the success of the organization. “We work hard at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to let the employees know the positive impact they have on attendees,” says Studer. “From David the ticket taker saying, ‘Welcome!’ to Paula on the landing at the first flight of stairs yelling, ‘Waaaahoooooo!’ to Travis or Stewart saying hello at the second flight of stairs, to Treneshia the usher saying, ‘Welcome; let me help you,’ every person contributes to making the fans happy. Great fan satisfaction means more people attend the games. More attendees mean more jobs. More jobs mean better quality of life.” Drill down on the why An article on Inc.com (the one that shared the Deloitte statistics referenced earlier) suggests going up to employees and asking them why they’re doing the task they’re doing. The author explains: “Their immediate answer might be because it’s part of the project they’re working on. Ask them why they’re working on that project. When they give an answer, ask why again. Follow this chain long enough and you should eventually arrive at your company’s mission statement.” Connect with customers and share that you like to recognize staff. Ask if there are any staff members they would like you to recognize and why Being very specific about what they did or said (or both) to positively impact customers will mean more to the employee. It will also reinforce that behavior so the employee will be more likely to repeat it. Customer praise and gratitude can have a huge impact on an employee’s sense of meaning and purpose. Ask recognized employees who is helping them behind the scenes. Then, pass the message along to them “People who provide direct customer service will get the most compliments, so when recognizing these folks, ask them who supports them that the customer does not see,” says Studer. “Think accountants, cooks and dishwashers, and other back-of-house employees. Take the time to recognize these people as well and connect them back to their role in the customer experience.” Share meaningful stories every chance you get When you are talking to customers you will hear stories about how much your company’s product or service means to them. Quite often, they will share details and expressions of gratitude that staff may not hear. Make it your business to make sure all employees hear those stories. Share them at staff meetings, in company newsletters, on your website and social media pages, and in casual conversations. Stories are very powerful because they resonate on a human level. People remember them. These don’t have to be huge events. Simple things work just fine. Finally, pay passion and purpose forward by thanking people outside your company When you receive great
DOT clarifies CBD compliance for employees
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334, (Farm Bill) removed hemp from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Under the Farm Bill, hemp-derived products containing a concentration of up to 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are not controlled substances. THC is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana. Any product, including “Cannabidiol” (CBD) products, with a concentration of more than 0.3% THC remains classified as marijuana, a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. We have had inquiries about whether the Department of Transportation-regulated safety-sensitive employees can use CBD products. Safety-sensitive employees who are subject to drug testing specified under 49 CFR part 40 (Part 40) include: pilots, school bus drivers, truck drivers, train engineers, transit vehicle operators, aircraft maintenance personnel, fire-armed transit security personnel, ship captains, and pipeline emergency response personnel, among others. It is important for all employers and safety-sensitive employees to know: The Department of Transportation requires testing for marijuana and not CBD. The labeling of many CBD products may be misleading because the products could contain higher levels of THC than what the product label states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently certify the levels of THC in CBD products, so there is no Federal oversight to ensure that the labels are accurate. The FDA has cautioned the public that: “Consumers should beware purchasing and using any [CBD] products.” The FDA has stated: “It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.”* Also, the FDA has issued several warning letters to companies because their products contained more CBD than indicated on the product label. **[i] The Department of Transportation’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation, Part 40, does not authorize the use of Schedule I drugs, including marijuana, for any reason. Furthermore, CBD use is not a legitimate medical explanation for a laboratory-confirmed marijuana positive result. Therefore, Medical Review Officers will verify a drug test confirmed at the appropriate cutoffs as positive, even if an employee claims they only used a CBD product. It remains unacceptable for any safety-sensitive employee subject to the Department of Transportation’s drug testing regulations to use marijuana. Since the use of CBD products could lead to a positive drug test result, Department of Transportation-regulated safety-sensitive employees should exercise caution when considering whether to use CBD products. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. This policy and compliance notice is not legally binding in its own right and will not be relied upon by the Department as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty. Conformity with this policy and compliance notice is voluntary only and nonconformity will not affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulations. Safety-sensitive employees must continue to comply with the underlying regulatory requirements for drug testing, specified at 49 CFR part 40. [i]* What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD: The FDA is working to answer questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, particularly CBD.” https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-need-know-and-what-were-working-find-out-about-products-containing-cannabis-or-cannabis ** https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/warning-letters-and-test-results-cannabidiol-related-products ODAPC CBD Notice.pdf
National Association of Women in Construction announces Women in Construction Week
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) will celebrate Women in Construction (WIC) Week March 1-7, 2020. WIC Week helps NAWIC advance its mission to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry. The focus of Women in Construction Week is to highlight women as an expanding component of the construction industry. WIC Week provides a forum for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the growing role and expanding opportunities for women in the construction industry. NAWIC chapters will celebrate WIC Week with a wide variety of activities, including community service projects, jobsite tours, membership drives, children’s activities, hands-on workshops, fundraisers and school programs. Click here for information, resources and ideas on how to participate in the 2020 Women in Construction Week. Learn more about National Association of Women in Construction.
Why is everyone tuning me out? Six ways to be heard at work
Joe McCormack says the more you say, the less people hear. He explains why this happens at work and shares some advice to help you “be brilliant, be brief, and be gone.” You’re full of great ideas; you just know it! So why do your contributions at work frequently go unnoticed by colleagues, clients, and bosses? You speak up—or maybe share your ideas in emails—but it feels like people tune you out. How can you start getting heard at work? Joe McCormack says part of the problem is the workplace is so inundated with what he calls “noise”—text alerts, rambling emails, endless meetings, social media notifications, and so forth—that it’s tough for any message to get through. If you want people to hear you, you need to revamp your communication style. “Clarity and brevity are key,” says McCormack, author of NOISE: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus (Wiley, January 2020, ISBN: 978-1-119-55337-3, $25.00) and BRIEF: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less (Wiley, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-118-70496-7, $24.00). “If you want to be heard, you need to get very sharp in your thinking and intentional in how you communicate it. Be brilliant, be brief, and be gone.” First, he says, consider why people may be tuning you out. You’ve forgotten to answer WIIFM? (What’s in it for me?) When talking to a prospect, a client, or a manager, do you discuss their needs first, or jump to talking about your products or ideas? You’re long-winded. You lack the discipline to make a concise point and stop talking. People ignore or instantly delete your emails. Over the course of your career, your knack for being long-winded impedes your career growth. You talk at them versus with them. Speeches and monologues don’t capture an audience’s attention. No one wants to sit through a one-sided conversation and be talked at for a long time. When you commit to keeping your communication brief and clear, you’re taking the first step in joining McCormack’s “Just Say No to Noise” movement. A few suggestions: First, know your (exhausted, distracted) audience. Your coworkers and bosses (and even you, yourself) almost certainly have shortened attention spans. Consider these statistics from McCormack’s website, The Brief Lab: Professionals have an 8-second attention span. They check their phone 150 times per day. They check their email 36 times per hour. They are interrupted 50 times per day. 92 percent of people multitask during meetings. “The first step of learning to be heard is being aware of where the listener is coming from,” says McCormack. “They’re fatigued, frustrated, and have little capacity to listen. Don’t underestimate the impact of noise on a person’s attention span. Plan for it, and don’t be part of the problem.” Prepare ahead of time. There is no substitute for doing your homework. Assemble your thoughts in advance. This gives you confidence and allows you to speak intelligently about an issue rather than rambling, getting lost in the weeds, and leaving listeners asking, “What is this person talking about?” Don’t over explain. People speak 150 words a minute, yet our brains can process 750 words a minute, says McCormack. When your message isn’t on target, those 600 leftover words—what McCormack calls “the Elusive 600″—will surely distract them and they’ll start thinking of other things. Think and speak in headlines. Lead with your most important idea before going into the details. For example: “I have a solution for the problem we were discussing at lunch.” Most people skip headlines and force their listeners to search for the point. Cut the jargon and say what you mean. Call a moratorium on phrases like “strategically leverage platforms to scale growth” or “turnkey solutions to optimize enterprise impact.” These words are meaningless, and what’s worse, they trigger the Elusive 600 in employees and cause their eyes to glaze over. Use active listening to replay the conversation. When you converse with another person, are you actually listening or are you just waiting for your turn to speak? There’s a big difference between these two. A great way to make sure you’re listening actively is to say, “So let me make sure I’m hearing you…” and then repeat what you heard. “It’s not too late to become one of those people whose words have incredible power to make things happen,” concludes McCormack. “Imagine being able to easily close a sale, get a manager’s attention, or win a promotion. Brevity is not just a skill people are born with. It’s a muscle that you can use to streamline your communications and change your life.” About the Author: Joseph McCormack is the author of NOISE: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus. He is passionate about helping people gain clarity when there is so much com¬peting for our attention. He is a successful marketer, entrepreneur, and author. His first book, BRIEF: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less (Wiley, 2014), sets the standard for concise communication. Joe is the founder and managing director of The BRIEF Lab, an organization dedicated to teaching professionals, military leaders, and entrepreneurs how to think and communicate clearly. His clients include Boeing, Harley-Davidson, Microsoft, Mastercard, DuPont, and select military units and government agencies. He publishes a weekly podcast called “Just Saying” that helps people master the elusive skills of focus and brevity. To learn more, visit www.thebrieflab.com.
LOVE fuels a WOW Culture: Six ways to share the Love with Employees and Customers (on Valentine’s Day and Beyond)
Want your customers to love you? You’ve got to love them first (right along with your own employees). Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Deb Boelkes explains how to create the kind of culture that WOWS employees and shows your customers just how much you care We typically don’t think of love and business as existing in the same universe. But with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, Deb Boelkes wants to change that mindset. Not only does love belong in the business world, she says, it should fuel everything you do, both internally and in your interactions with customers. “Your customers are the reason you exist, and your job is to earn their love and loyalty,” says Boelkes, author of The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture (Business World Rising, December 2019, ISBN: 978-1-734-07610-3, $19.95). “That means you must first love them. And that, in turn, means you must first love your employees.” None of this will happen if you just go through the motions, she cautions. You can’t “fake” love for employees or customers. You must go all in. You must infuse love into all that you do. And that means building it in from the ground up. To get the love flowing, says Boelkes, commit to becoming a WOW factor workplace. That’s a workplace in which heartfelt leaders inspire employees to create extraordinary products and deliver impeccable service at a great value. This creates an unparalleled experience for both employees and customers, and, in turn, makes them both feel special, appreciated, and respected. A few tips for getting hearted (oops, we mean started): Don’t be afraid to use the “L” word (especially on Valentine’s Day) In her book, Boelkes quotes the late Teresa Laraba, former vice president of Southwest Airlines, as saying, “Early on, when we started, one of the taglines was: Somebody up here loves you. We used the word love in a space where it had not been used, especially in the airline industry. Our stock symbol is LUV. We were open about introducing love to corporate America and the airline industry. We were going to have a product which loved you and a company which was going to serve you and appreciate you doing business with us versus the attitude: ‘You exist to keep us in business.’” “Find fun, creative ways to show the customer that you love them on Valentine’s Day,” suggests Boelkes. “Send them a heart-adorned coupon book with discounted services or offerings. Pen personalized cards listing the reasons you love them. Put together ‘We Love Our Customers’ gift boxes full of Valentine’s Day goodies. Or make a charitable donation to a local soup kitchen or animal shelter in honor of your customer. There are countless ways to show you care.” Recommit to your relationship with employees Engaged employees are happy employees, and happy employees create happy customers. That’s why leaders make it a priority to work on their relationship with employees. And as with any good relationship, it means putting in time and effort. Teresa Laraba said, “We do not subscribe to ‘you leave your problems at the door.’ You do, in the sense the customer shouldn’t have to pay for your employees’ problems, but as leaders you ought to know what’s going on with them and find out if there’s something that’s stopping your employees from delivering on their work promise that day. “If you take the time to get to know your employees as you work with them every day, as you walk by them every day, if you have just two or three one-minute engagements as you walk through your workplace, it builds,” added Laraba. “If you don’t bother asking employees how they’re really doing except for every six months, or if you don’t stop to talk to them except once a year when you give them their performance appraisal, it is going to take too much time, because you’re trying to build a relationship in a ten-minute conversation when you should have been building a relationship every day.” Think of yourself as a “superior service” role model When you WOW customers, employees will too. If you commit to giving the best possible service to every customer and making decisions that benefit the customer first (both great ways to show you love them!), your employees will do the same. They are watching and taking cues from your behavior. WOW them with heartfelt leadership and they will WOW the clients every time. Boelkes says legendary coach John Wooden is a prime example. Wooden said, “I’m convinced that regardless of the task, leaders must be enthusiastic and really enjoy what they are doing if they expect those under their supervision to work near their respective levels of competency. With few exceptions, an unenthusiastic leader will keep those under his or her charge from achieving their collective best.” Look for the Servant’s Heart in those you hire (and make sure you have it, too) To win your customers’ love, you must truly love the work you do. No one should ever phone it in. Great leaders and employees alike develop what Teresa Laraba called a “Servant’s Heart.” She said, “We’re lucky at Southwest. We first try to hire people who care. Our hiring process is looking for people who genuinely enjoy what they do. We call it the Servant’s Heart. People who have a Servant’s Heart are people who, especially if you’re going to be on the service side of it, enjoy serving. Not somebody who merely pretends they enjoy serving.” Learn to look at your customers through “soft eyes” Don’t treat them like transactions. Boelkes quotes Howard Behar, former president of Starbucks Coffee, as saying: “I have this idea. Rather than seeing people as customers or seeing people in their roles as bankers or teachers or authors or whatever, we need to see all people in the context of their humanness, of being a human being. Then, when you’re dealing with somebody and whatever the job happens to be, whether you are
AGVS Group rebrands as Mobile Automation Group
The Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) Industry Group of MHI has rebranded as the Mobile Automation Group (MAG). The updated name and changed logo is part of a larger overall branding restructuring as a response to the changing face of the industry. Mobile automation in supply chain continues to evolve and change and the MAG is committed to evolve alongside to give their customers the best solutions for their needs. “Mobile automation within the supply chain continues to evolve and change and the Mobile Automation Group is committed to evolve alongside to give their customers the best solutions for their needs,” says Carlos Millan, chair of the Mobile Automation Group. “MAG serves to educate the market to the changes going on within the world of mobile automation and to the paradigm shift being realized in many markets because of the evolution of mobile automation technology. The new name and logo reflect that mission.” MAG serves to educate the market to the changes going on within the world of mobile automation and to the paradigm shift being realized in many markets because of the evolution of mobile automation technology and the new logo reflects that mission.
MODEX 2020 attendee’s planning major supply chain investments
MODEX 2020 attendees are registering in record numbers for the event to be held March 9-12 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. When attendees register, they are asked to answer a variety of demographic questions indicating their industry, product interest, buying authority and spending plans. Looking at attendees that have registered to date, they are high in quality from a buying authority perspective and represent the majority of the Fortune 1000 and top 100 retailers and consumer goods firms. Below are some highlights from current MODEX attendee demographics. 51% are corporate or senior management 25% are middle management 84% have buying power 61% buy for distribution centers 44% buy for manufacturing facilities 50% buy for warehouses supporting manufacturing 32% plan on spending over $1 million over the next 18 months 80% are coming to see new products and innovations \61% are coming to network and learn When it comes to the solutions MODEX attendees are looking for, the top categories are: Automation and Robotics Equipment and Systems (54%) Conveyor & Sortation Equipment (46%) Automatic Identification & Data Collection/Radio Frequency Identification (40%) Fork Lift Trucks (40%) Packaging and Shipping Solutions (40%) Racks, Shelving and Storage Equipment (37%) Software Systems for Warehousing, Distribution & Logistics (35%) Information Systems & Controls (33%) Ergonomic and Safety Equipment (33%) These statistics are an early indication of investments in the manufacturing and supply chain equipment and systems that will be showcased at MODEX 2020. For more information and to register to attend MODEX, visit modexshow.com.
U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders increased in December coming in at second highest monthly total for 2019
U.S. manufacturing technology orders rose 24 percent in December from the previous month to $404 million, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. December manufacturing technology orders were the highest in 2019 after March, but down 9 percent from December 2018. The year-end total is $4.5 billion, a decline of 17 percent from the year-end total in 2018. “Despite the overall drop in orders in 2019, it was still one of the strongest years in the past five years,” said Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT. “And in December, our members received orders that manufacturers had put off for most of 2019 due to a lack of confidence and fear of a recession expected in manufacturing in late 2019 or early 2020.” Woods continued, “Additionally, manufactured durable goods orders grew at about one percent annually as manufacturers continued to reduce their backlogs, and large investments in 2018 did not lead to drastic drops in capacity utilization during 2019. These facts both indicate that a lot of the activity for December was “catch-up” investments to support current manufacturing levels. December 2019 may have seen a bump in investment activity, but it is still too early to tell if that is the start of a trend. We expect the beginning of 2020 to continue to be slow relative to 2019 levels, but the second half of the year should see an upswing in the market.”
Women In Trucking Association announces continued support from J.B. Hunt
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announced that J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. has renewed its Gold Level Partnership, helping the nonprofit organization’s efforts to increase the number of women employed in the transportation industry. J.B. Hunt has supported WIT at the Gold Level since 2015. In addition to providing financial support, the company actively participates in the association. Rachel Christensen, vice president of intermodal operations, serves on the WIT board of directors as Vice Chair. Jodi Edwards, a Million Mile driver for J.B. Hunt, shares her expertise as a member of the WIT Image Team. “Women are providing fresh perspectives to help shape the future of transportation,” said Shelley Simpson, executive vice president, chief commercial officer, and president of highway services at J.B. Hunt. “We look forward to continually supporting organizations like Women In Trucking who enable that progress.” “We’re grateful for J.B. Hunt’s continued involvement and advocacy to empower women in the industry and address obstacles that might keep them from succeeding,” said Ellen Voie, WIT president and CEO. “It’s with support like theirs that we can truly make a difference in advancing gender diversity in the industry.” Since its inception in 2007, WIT has been committed to generating dialogue and action around the importance of gender diversity in transportation and logistics. A few recent accomplishments include a record-breaking attendance at the 2019 Accelerate! Conference and Exhibition; an award-winning magazine that explores gender issues in transportation; and the launch of recognition programs such as the Driver of the Year Award, Top Women to Watch in Transportation, Top Companies for Women to Work For in Transportation, and Top Woman-Owned Businesses in Transportation lists.
Are you a tyrant of small things?
Most of us never get formal training on how to lead a team, let alone lead an organization. Many simply learn on the job and make their way through the ranks, picking up both good and bad traits along the way. Sometimes, new leaders get the opportunity to attend “leadership” training programs and learn some basics. However, there’s still a preponderance of organizational leaders who don’t empower others, continue to micromanage and become a “tyrant of small things”. Inherently, a leader’s job is to lead people. Not tasks, not projects – but people. A leader’s team is the “engine” that gets those tasks and projects done. And an engine needs to be tuned, maintained and fueled. As leaders, when we have a singular focus, such as only on growth, we believe that this is alignment “fuels the engine”. Most every seminar on organizational leadership talks about giving the company a clear focus and purpose – something that everyone can rally around and align their efforts towards. However, if this focus is measured and rewarded based solely on output numbers, leaders will drive their teams to reach the numbers and dive into the “how” (implementation) rather than the “why” (objective). This creates tyrants of small things – those micro-focused managers that spend their energy on the details of execution rather than whether there’s a better way, faster way, or even if that activity is even value-added. Those exact things you want your teams to examine, question, and innovate on. Being a tyrant of small things is a leader that’s only looking at the “how” not the “why”. They over-direct the implementation, rather than keeping an eye on the bigger picture and helping their teams do the same. They question their team’s capabilities rather than challenge them to think bigger and examine new ways to solve problems and achieve goals. This happens often to leaders who were promoted from “doers” to “leaders”. What made them successful in the past was focusing on the “how” and they continue to do so, just through their team. They are ill-equipped to help teach, push and expand their team’s capabilities and productivity, as they never had to do it before. They often don’t have the tools – whether it be simply motivational skills or even clear and compelling mission/values to use as their compass. So first and foremost, identify whether you are a tyrant of small things. Do you question the “how” rather than the “why”? Are you pushing your team to advance their own skillsets and capabilities, or simply thinking about output targets? This tyrant mentality is the thing that fuels employee churn, negative cultures, internal competition, and organizational silos. The top things that each and every company I speak with complains about and wants to change. It starts with eliminating the internal tyranny. About the Author: Andrea Olson is a strategist, speaker, author, and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO at Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of The Customer Mission: Why it’s time to cut the $*&% and get back to the business of understanding customers and No Disruptions: The future for mid-market manufacturing. She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Customer Experience Magazine, Industry Week, and more. Andrea is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, a TEDx presenter and TEDx speaker coach. She is also a mentor at the University of Iowa Venture School. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.thecustomermission.com.
The decline of the trusted professional relationship—and six steps you can take to reverse It
Are your professional relationships as strong as you need them to be? If not, that’s bad news as they’re the foundation of career success. The good news? Andrew Sobel says there are specific steps you can take to overhaul these relationships, create more of them, and move from struggling to thriving We live in a low-trust world. Over the last several decades, nearly every measure of trust has declined. What’s more, rates of loneliness have doubled in the last 50 years in the United States, with almost half of surveyed adults saying they feel lonely or left out. Not only is the trust deficit harmful for our health and wellness (both physical and mental), it wreaks havoc on our professional relationships. Andrew Sobel says this problem, which hurts both career and organizational success, has grown in tandem with the rise of the Internet—and it’s crept in so insidiously that we may not have realized it was happening. “The ‘normalizing’ of digital relationships has masked the weakness of many professionals’ face-to-face relationship-building skills,” says Sobel, creator of the masterclass Building Relationships That Matter, and best-selling author of eight books, including Power Relationships, Power Questions (both with Jerold Panas), and Clients for Life (with Jagdish N. Sheth). “This is especially true for younger professionals, who have grown up on a steady diet of online ‘friends’ and connections, and are less schooled in the art of face-to-face relationship-building,” he adds. “Younger professionals in their 20s and early 30s often lament a lack of influence and recognition within their organizations, but they are not building the key stakeholder relationships that give you those things.” Sobel says the deterioration of our working relationships undermines our careers and the companies we work for. We feel loyal to people only when there’s a real personal connection. Without that, you’re a tradable commodity, and may very well be the first to be pushed out the door when times get tough. We all need a small group of trusted relationships if we’re to get our ideas recognized and supported, become a successful leader, collaborate and innovate effectively, and serve our clients the way they deserve to be treated. “Organizational leadership is rarely vested in the lone genius, a.k.a. Steve Jobs, but is more often founded on a network of trusted relationships you develop throughout your career,” he says. “To lead, you need followers and colleagues who trust you.” Sobel says most of us are aware that we need trusted professional relationships. In his Global Relationships study—which surveyed 2,700 professionals, including 1,000 Millennials—91 percent of respondents said such relationships are “very” or “extremely” important to career success. Unfortunately, only 30 percent said they were “very satisfied” with their professional relationships. That’s why he created Building Relationships That Matter. This online course—using deeply engaging immersive multi-media technology—brings to life more than 20 years’ worth of the most extensive research ever done on the capabilities required to develop deep, trusted professional relationships. More than 50,000 executives in 52 countries have used these skills and techniques to accelerate their careers and grow their businesses, says Sobel. As we move into the future, he says trusting relationships will only become more vital. “Artificial intelligence and automation are likely to swallow up most routine jobs, and knowledge-based jobs aren’t far behind them,” notes Sobel. “The only ‘safe’ occupations are those that depend on activities humans are better at than computers—like collaboration, creative problem solving, and other soft skills. All of these require strong interpersonal relationships with your manager, colleagues, mentors, and other influencers both inside and outside of your organization.” So how can we combat the decline of trust and build more and better professional relationships? Sobel offers a few suggestions: Think eagles, not gnats. (Aim for quality, not quantity.) As we seek to form professional relationships, we now think that more is better. The trappings of the digital age only encourage that mindset. Yet counterintuitive as it may seem, Sobel says that focusing a majority of our relational investments on a smaller number of valuable connections is far more effective. Ideally, he says we need to develop and nurture 15 to 25 trusted relationships (and that’s what his course aims for). “Increasingly, our culture focuses on developing large numbers of social media connections,” he says. “These are more like a cloud of busy gnats than a flight of eagles who are powerfully moving your career forward. It’s better to deepen the relationships that really matter. My research shows that in most careers, there are a handful of relationships that have a disproportionate impact on your success—and for which you, in turn, can really make a difference.” Sobel cites the example of one of his clients, a highly successful investment banker, who told him that nearly one-quarter of all his lifetime revenue had come through one law firm partner he had developed a close relationship with early in his career. Follow the relationship recipe. Sobel says there’s a process that should be followed when creating and sustaining great professional relationships: Build Rapport – Understand Their Agenda – Add Value – Connect Personally – Stay in Touch “This process is not linear—you don’t do it once and then stop,” says Sobel. “Rather, you repeat these steps many times, continuing to strengthen the relationship. Trust is a natural outcome of doing these steps well.” Assess your relationship IQ. What skills do you need to work on? Sobel says there are certain attitudes and skills you need to cultivate in order to build solid, trust-based relationships. In fact, his program revolves around nine of them: generosity, curiosity, rapport, power questions, empathy, trust, agenda helping, influence, and relationship healing. (NOTE: See tipsheet below) “These skills need to be exercised in a balanced manner,” says Sobel. “If you demonstrate too little rapport, for instance, you’ll seem aloof and distant and won’t make a connection. Too much rapport and you’ll come across as an inauthentic glad-hander.” Stop telling and start asking… Often in an attempt to seem smart or to impress others, we are tempted to give nonstop advice or spout everything we know about a
$161k raised in first three months of PTDA Foundation’s Fundraising Campaign
The PTDA Foundation reached nearly 60 percent of our 2020 fundraising goal in the first three months to support PT WORK Force®, the Foundation’s initiative to empower PT/MC (power transmission/motion control) industry employers to be more successful in their recruitment and retention efforts. Funding raised in 2020 will continue the work from 2019. Contributions from last year’s campaign led to: Research identifying the employment-related challenges specifically faced by PT/MC employers Job descriptions and job posting templates for PT/MC positions written to appeal to the younger generations in the workforce Webinars on compensation expectations of young workers, managing multiple generations, employee engagement and hiring sales people Contributions received in the 2020 fundraising campaigns will fuel the development of additional tools and resources to help PT/MC employers with their hiring and retention challenges. “I’m continually impressed with the way PT/MC distributors and manufacturers pool their resources to develop tools we all can use to position our companies as desirable places to work. Being able to raise this significant amount of funding just demonstrates how critical the need is for help with this workforce issue,” said PTDA Foundation president, Keith Nowak, president, MPT Drives. 2020 PTDA Foundation Vanguard Contributors Partner Contributors ($15,000+) Allied Bearing & Supply, Inc. Motion Industries Inc. Stakeholder Contributors ($5,000 – $9,999) ABB Motors and Mechanical Inc. Bishop-Wisecarver Continental Midpoint Bearing NSK Americas Purvis Industries, Ltd. Rexnord Industries, LLC WEG Electric Corp. Benefactor Contributors ($2,500 – $4,999) Altra Industrial Motion AMI Bearings, Inc. B & D Industrial Baldwin Supply Company Bando USA, Inc. BDI Americas (USA & Canada) Bearing Service, Inc. Garlock Sealing Technologies Alan M Haveson* Houston Bearing & Supply Co., Inc. IBT Industrial Solutions JTEKT North America Corporation/Koyo Bearings Master Power Transmission, Inc. Megadyne America-Jason Industrial Nexen Group Inc. NTN Bearing Corp. of America Oilite Bearing Division (Beemer Precision, Inc.) Regal Power Transmission Solutions SENQCIA MAXCO, LTD. U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission LLC (UST) W.C. DuComb Company Leadership Contributors ($1,000 – $2,499) Canadian Bearings Ltd. Daemar, Inc. Daido Corporation of America Dichtomatik Americas Isostatic Industries Inc. Pamela and Mark Kan* Nachi Canada NORD Drivesystems Stephen Philpott* RBI Bearing Inc. The Rowland Company San Antonio Belting & Pulley Company, Inc. Timken Canada LP Transply, Inc. Webster Industries Foundation Sponsor Contributors ($500 – $999) Tom Dielschneider* Interlynx Systems Orthman Conveying Systems Torque Drives Inc. Colleague Contributors ($250 – $499) Bearing Chain & Supply, Inc. ErieTec, Inc. Fenner Drives Hafeez Hameer* Ron Karr* Sue and John Masek* (in memory of Terry Hutton and in honor of Mary Sue Lyon) Bill Moore* MPT Drives, Inc. Keith and Sharon Nowak* P.T. International/IPTCI Bearings Barbara J. Ross* (in loving memory of Gordon Ross) Brian and Karen Short* Associate Contributors (Up to $249) Akron Bearing Company, Inc. Anonymous Mike and Katie McLain* Alonso Rhenals* J.T. and Lori Wubbolding* * Heritage Society Leader Gift The PTDA Foundation Fund Drive is underway with a goal of raising $300,000 in 2020. To join these contributors, donate online at ptda.org/FoundationGive or download a pledge form at ptda.org/FoundationSupport.
Women In Trucking Association announces Driver Ambassador Program
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has just announced the launch of its Driver Ambassador program. The purpose of the program is to raise awareness of the non-profit association’s mission, promote the career opportunities women have in trucking, celebrate their accomplishments, remove obstacles female truck drivers face, and increase membership for the organization. Kellylynn McLaughlin, a professional over-the-road CMV Driver and Training Engineer for Schneider National, will be the official WIT Driver Ambassador. Debbie Sparks, vice president of WIT, will manage the program. “Trucking is an incredibly rewarding career, and there is so much opportunity, especially for women,” said McLaughlin. “As the Women In Trucking Driver Ambassador, it is my mission to effect change in this industry in a positive way for women and for men — for every driver.” In her role, McLaughlin will focus on spreading WIT’s message and giving visibility to the association’s efforts to bring more women into the industry by attending and speaking at non-industry trade shows, driving schools, associations, and other industry events. She will also share her stories of life on the road through a blog, provide media interviews, and give rides to legislators, regulators and the media. The next phase of the program will introduce a WIT-branded trailer which will include a brand video promoting trucking as a viable career option for women and showcase success stories of women in the industry, in addition to other educational resources. “This program gives a voice to the women behind the wheel and the opportunity to share their stories of how they were called to drive,” said Sparks. “Amplifying their voices will allow us to further the WIT mission and attract more women to our great industry.” McLaughlin’s first event will be at Central Tech Truck Driver Training Program, a diesel mechanic and CDL training school in Drumright, OK on February 4, 2020.
NAW elects 2020 Officers
Douglas W. York, president and CEO, Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, takes helm as NAW Chairman Members of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), during the association’s Executive Summit in Washington, DC, this week, elected as Chairman of the NAW Board of Directors, Douglas W. York, President and CEO of Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. York succeeds George Pattee, Chairman of the Board of Parksite Inc., headquartered in Batavia, Illinois. Mr. Pattee will remain active on the NAW Board as Immediate Past Chairman. Says Mr. York of his new post, “I am honored to serve as the 2020 Chairman of NAW. After receiving the benefits of NAW membership for more than 45 years, it’s my time to give back to the organization that has helped Ewing, the largest family-owned supplier of landscape and irrigation products in the country, to grow and achieve its goals. Our team has benefited greatly from the networking and benchmarking opportunities, educational events, best practice thought leadership, and business services that NAW offers. I’ve also developed wonderful business connections with other distributors through NAW. I am eager to work with this association and our members in 2020 and contributing to NAW’s ongoing important work for our industry.” Ewing is also a member of the Irrigation Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Association of Landscape Professionals and other state and local landscape associations. The following wholesale distribution industry leaders also were elected as NAW Officers for 2020: Chairman-Elect Michael Medart President and CEO Medart Engine & Marine St. Louis, MO Medart Engine & Marine is also a member of the National Marine Distributors Association and the Outdoor Power Equipment & Engine Service Association Inc. First Vice Chairman Jeff McLendon President and CEO U.S. Lumber Duluth, GA U.S. Lumber is also a member of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association Inc. and the World Millwork Alliance. Second Vice Chairman Michael DeCata President and CEO Lawson Products, Inc. Chicago, IL Lawson Products, Inc. is also a member of the Industrial Supply Association and the International Sanitary Supply Association. Secretary Larry Stoddard President and CEO Reladyne LLC Cincinnati, OH Dirk Van Dongen President and CEO National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors Washington, DC Completing the NAW 2020 Board of Directors are Treasurer and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Budget and Finance, Joseph C. Nettemeyer, President and CEO of Valin Corporation, headquartered in San Jose, California; Chairman of the NAW Association Executives Council (AEC), Rick Long of the Petroleum Equipment Institute; Chairman-Elect of the AEC, Kenyon Gleason of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers; and Past Chairman of the AEC, Ralph Suppa of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating. NAW comprises individual wholesale distribution firms and a federation of national, regional, state, and local associations and their members, which collectively total more than 30,000 companies. NAW represents the nearly $6.0-trillion merchant wholesale distribution industry, which moves to market virtually every kind of product in the U.S. economy and employs 5.9 million people.
Show your employees some Valentine’s Day love by becoming a better you
The best leaders never stop helping employees succeed. But before you can help them, you must first help yourself. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Quint Studer shares tips on how to love your team by holding up the mirror…and giving them the gift of a better you With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be looking for ways to show your employees that you care. Instead of handing out cards, flowers, or candy, why not give them a really meaningful gift? Quint Studer says the best way to show employees love is by becoming a better version of you. “When we focus on becoming a better leader and a better person, we may well create a stronger company,” says Studer, author of Wall Street Journal bestseller The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive (Wiley, October 2019, ISBN: 978-1-119-57664-8, $28.00). “That’s a great outcome for everyone. But it also allows us to do a better job of developing employees and helping them become the best they can be.” As leaders we can take people only as far as we’ve taken ourselves, insists Studer. It’s why in all of his presentations and writings he focuses on holding up the mirror: becoming self-aware, staying humble and coachable, and doing the inner work it takes to grow and improve. It’s also why the first third of The Busy Leader’s Handbook focuses on “The Leader in You.” It’s only when we master our own attitudes, mindsets, and capabilities that we’ll be able to create the kind of positive and engaging workplace culture that allows others to put forth their best efforts, grow, thrive, and find a powerful sense of meaning. “In the workplace, creating this kind of culture is how we show love,” says Studer. “But it begins internally, inside a leader’s heart and head.” Here are some steps you can take to continue growing into a better version of yourself: Get your ego out of the way Great leaders bring out the best in others. This cannot happen when you’re too attached to your own ideas or convinced you’re the smartest person in the room. Pay attention to when you’re shining the spotlight on yourself and redirect to others. Focus on constant improvement and growth. Remind yourself often of all that you don’t know—this will help you deflate your own ego and move toward humility, which is one of the most crucial qualities a leader can possess. Build strong humility habits Great leadership isn’t about being right. It isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about seeing yourself as you truly are. It’s about knowing your strengths and weaknesses. It’s about taking yourself out of the center of the equation and keeping the spotlight on others. If you suspect you aren’t a humble leader, it’s absolutely crucial to work on quieting the ego so that you’re open to learning and focused on continuous improvement and growth. A few ways to get in the habit of practicing humility: Give others credit by pushing compliments down to the team. Never ask your team to do anything you aren’t willing to do yourself. Don’t lock yourself in your office; work with the team, spend time with them, and be approachable. Foster a culture of psychological safety so people feel “safe” enough to tell you the truth. Don’t put yourself down or deny compliments. Pause often and connect to kindness Pauses are important. They are the space between what we want to do or say and the moment we take action. Many times, not taking action or saying the words on the tip of our tongue is the better choice. When leaders forget to pause, we can do a lot of harm. We may cause employees to become disengaged, or alienate our colleagues, or lose clients and customers. “Each day, take more time to pause,” says Studer. “In that space, decide what is needed. It could be empathy, patience, forgiveness, or something else that will improve matters greatly. But it can’t happen without the pause.” Each day, put yourself into “beginner’s mind” Start off each day by setting the intention to learn something new. This will serve you far better than having an attitude of “This is not what I’m interested in.” Instead, ask yourself how whatever you are learning could apply to you. If it is not useful to you now, perhaps it might become useful later. Regularly ask for feedback and make sure people feel safe enough to tell you the truth Whether you’re getting the team’s perspective on a decision you’re trying to make, or asking how things are going with their jobs (and your leadership) in general, it’s important to foster a culture of psychological safety. Leading with humility means always seeking out the truth, especially if it’s something you might not really want to hear. Build up your resilience The sooner you realize setbacks are going to happen, the better off you’ll be. What is most important is learning to bounce back from them. When chaos occurs within an organization, we as leaders must maintain the mental wherewithal to support and guide our teams. Our resilience grows when we have strong coping skills, a sense of optimism, grit, mental and physical stamina, and an environment with plenty of psychological safety. Communicate regularly, even when there isn’t any “news” Employees need to always know what is going on inside their organization. Don’t assume that your employees know certain things; chances are good that they do not. Further, don’t shy away from delivering bad news. “When things are tough, people imagine the worst,” says Studer. “Your visibility and communication are vital during these times.” Make your expectations clearly known Conflicts can occur when you don’t communicate what you expect from others. Vague directions (or none at all) can cause employees to make mistakes or go down the wrong path, and then you must confront them. Keep in mind that most people want to do what’s right and will do the
2020 RIA Board of Directors election results announced
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) just announced the results of the recent Board of Directors election. The new Chairperson of the Board is Matt Wicks, Chief Robotics Solution Architect, Honeywell Intelligrated. Newly elected board members include: Integrator Category – Ken McLaughlin, JMP Solutions Supplier Category – Melonee Wise, Fetch Robotics; and Erik Nieves, Plus One RoboticsCurrent RIA board members who retained their seats in the recent election include: Supplier Category – Steve Green, KUKA; Jane Heffner, ABB; and Matt Rendall, Clearpath Robotics The RIA Board Executive Committee in 2020 includes the following industry leaders: Chair – Matt Wicks, Honeywell Intelligrated; Past Chair – Joe Gemma, Calvary Robotics; First Vice Chair – Milton Guerry, SCHUNK; Second Vice Chair – Lou Finazzo, FANUC America Corporation; Secretary – Jon Battles, Amazon.com; and RIA President – Jeff Burnstein “I’m honored to accept this role with a talented team of industry professionals as we continue to guide and support the robotics industry in this time of rapid growth,” said Matt Wicks. “Robotics are playing an ever-increasing role in our global economy and adoption rates are climbing steadily. The RIA is a leader in driving robotic innovation, growth and safety throughout our industry.” The remaining board members for 2020 include Carl Doeksen, 3M; Steve Kruzel, Yaskawa America, Inc.; Mark Lewandowski, Procter & Gamble; Bob Little, ATI Industrial Automation; John Lizzi, General Electric; Tyler McCoy, JR Automation Technologies LLC; Gary McMurray, Georgia Institute of Technology; Craig Salvalaggio, Applied Manufacturing Technologies; Walter Vahey, Teradyne; and Carol Woten, Genesis Systems – IPG Photonics Company. After many years of dedicated service, Catherine Morris, ATI Industrial Automation; Stu Shepherd, Universal Robots; and Mike Jacobs, Applied Manufacturing Technologies are departing the RIA Board. These three board members were recognized at the recent A3 Business Forum for their service to the industry and to the RIA and A3 associations.
AAR releases statement on final U.S. approval of USMCA
Ian Jefferies, Association of American Railroads (AAR) president and CEO, released the following statement regarding today’s U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signing ceremony, which marks the final step in U.S. approval of the historic trade pact. “Thanks to the tireless efforts at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, renewed trade ties with our closest neighbors will benefit all three countries for years to come. As an industry built on connecting goods and businesses, railroads know that free and fair trade makes both our supply chains and individual economies stronger. Coupled with the Phase I trade deal with China, USMCA will provide certainty rail customers and American businesses need to grow and compete in world markets.” According to AAR’s analysis, international trade accounts for 42% of U.S. freight railroads’ carloads and intermodal units, and more than 35% of rail revenue is directly associated with international trade. Additionally, 50,000 rail jobs, worth over $5.5 billion in annual wages and benefits, depend directly on international trade.
ELFA releases top 10 equipment acquisition trends for 2020
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), which represents the nearly $1 trillion equipment finance sector, today revealed its Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2020. Given U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies are expected to spend $1.91 trillion in capital goods or fixed business investment (including software) this year, financing a majority of those assets, these trends impact a significant portion of the U.S. economy. ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, “Equipment acquisition drives supply chains across all U.S. manufacturing and service sectors. Nearly 80 percent of U.S. businesses use equipment leasing and financing to acquire the productive assets they need to operate and grow. We are pleased to again provide the Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends to help businesses understand the market environment and make their strategic equipment acquisition plans.” ELFA distilled recent research data, including the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s 2020 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook, industry participants’ expertise and member input from ELFA meetings and conferences, in compiling the trends. ELFA forecasts the following Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2020: Steady tailwinds will support modest economic growth. The strongest labor market in a generation and healthy consumer spending kept the U.S. economy growing in 2019. These factors appear to be well positioned to continue the trend this year and should insulate the broader economy. In addition, a recession doesn’t appear to be likely for at least the first half of 2020. This is also good news for businesses seeking financing to acquire equipment since a healthy economy promotes a favorable environment for the equipment leasing and finance industry. Capital spending will slow but remain in positive territory. Equipment and software investment growth has dragged since Q2 2019, largely due to a slowdown in the industrial sector and trade tensions that dampened business confidence. Although credit markets remain healthy and financial stress is muted, the forecast for equipment and software investment is 1.1 percent growth this year. Low interest rates will be beneficial for business borrowing. A low interest rate environment will continue with the possibility of additional rate cuts by the Fed in the face of economic weakness this year. Equipment financing will remain an attractive acquisition strategy as businesses take advantage of low fixed rates combined with flexibility and other financing benefits. A vast majority of U.S. businesses will acquire equipment through financing. The latest industry data show nearly eight out of 10 U.S businesses—79 percent—use at least one form of financing for their equipment acquisitions, with leasing being the most used method. Trade issues will weigh on business investment decisions. Businesses will keep abreast of trade issues with their potential to help or hinder the U.S. and global economic outlook. The ongoing U.S.-China trade war, the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and a growth slowdown among key trading partners will be closely watched. Many key equipment verticals should show improvement in investment growth. Despite the U.S. manufacturing sector creating a weak jumping off point for the U.S. economy and the equipment industry, a number of equipment verticals will improve or grow modestly in 2020. Software should remain strong while agriculture, construction, medical, materials handling and other industrial equipment should strengthen. Technological innovations will make acquiring equipment more attractive to businesses. This year end-users who invest in capital assets for their businesses will benefit not only from the most up-to-date equipment, but will also find new, enhanced technologies and processes that make financing transactions easier and faster. Tools for credit analysis and decision making within seconds, more efficient asset tracking and e-documents are among the customer-centric innovations businesses can expect from their financing partners. Smaller businesses and nonprofits will work to complete their accounting processes for leased equipment. A one-year delay in the effective date of the new lease accounting standard, ASC 842, for certain private companies, nonprofits and tax-exempt organizations will give them additional time to meet requirements for compliance as they continue to benefit from leasing. They’ll review lease contracts, implement software, consult with auditors and look to public companies as examples for implementing the new lease accounting rules. Uncertainty around U.S. elections will impact equipment investment decisions. The results of the November elections have the potential for major implications on U.S. policy making. As a result, some businesses will take a wait-and-see approach before “pulling the trigger” on new equipment acquisitions. “Wild cards” will factor in business investment decisions. In addition to the trends above, there are additional areas businesses will keep an eye on for the potential to impact their equipment acquisition strategies. Business confidence is increasingly being tempered by slowing domestic and international manufacturing sectors. The U.S. political climate continues to be mired down by a largely partisan Congress. Geopolitical instability may also factor into equipment investment decisions by businesses. On the plus side, the economy could get a boost from the housing sector, which appears to be rebounding after a two-year downturn. Credit market conditions remain broadly healthy and financial stress remains subdued by historical standards.