Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead and Succeed with a FLEXIBILITY!

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. 
~ Bruce Lee


We live in very exciting times and these times show signs of business transformation. It is no longer enough to speak about change, we have to talk about transformation and this may require that we look at the world from a different perspective. The sooner business owners and management teams realize this tremendous shift, the easier it will be for them to see how important it is to be flexible.


It is very difficult for me to tell successful companies that their success will dwindle if they continue to accept the status quo, if they keep doing what they are doing and are not flexible and open to change. We have seen it all before when we reflect back on the "Big Three" automakers, and we will, no doubt, see it again. Arrogance and denial can be stronger than being flexible and proactive in a changing market. 


When I think about my experience as a marathon runner, it's always easier to lead the pack than to catch up to a crowd of runners who have left you behind. Shouldn't be the same hold true for business? 


Like in an exercise routine, flexibility means having the ability to stretch and that's not always easy. It may not feel comfortable but it is important that we stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone. It takes hard work and commitment to stretch your body and it takes commitment and courage to stretch your mind. 


I am not saying that you shouldn't stay committed to your decisions but it is very important that you are flexible in your approach. From my own experience, I know that it is very tempting to do what we have always done because it worked before, and why shouldn't it work again?


I constantly hear phrases such as, "I know that", "We have always done it this way", "I told them how to do it", or "We have no time to try something new that may not work". I guess this is our "get it right the first time without making any mistakes mentality" but I vouch for making as many mistakes as we can, learn from them and get better and better as we move along. 


If we stretch our mind far enough to look at a challenge from a different angle, it may be uncomfortable but on the bright side, we have another perspective that will help us to generate new and exciting ideas. 


I am convinced that if you want to be one step ahead of your competition, you have to become a flexible thinker. You and I both know how much emphasis there is on innovation and creativity but how can we be innovative and creative if we don't work at having a flexible mind?


If you don't take the first step in the right direction, your competition will!

Manufacturing Success Tips - Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

It has been said that you shouldn't do what you'll have to find an excuse for. However, sometimes this can be easier said than done. We have all grown up hearing excuses constantly and at some point it became so normal that we don't even think about it anymore and choose to take the road of least resistance. Let me give you my unconventional insights on what I think about making excuses. Take a look!

Do You Know The Difference Between Training and Learning?

I am excited to speak at the first Employer Workshop in Aurora. Let's wait and see how many employers will show an interest in this topic.

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.  

~ Clay P. Bedford

Learning Objectives: 

• 
Discover that nobody needs a title to be a leader
• 
Recognize the importance of self-awareness
• 
Realize the significance of attitude and behavior in today’s work environment
• Identify the difference between training and learning 

We don't live in times of change anymore, we live in times of transformation!

Manufacturing Success Tips - Make the Impossible Possible!

Are you ready, willing and able to take some major strides in 2011 when it comes to making choices? Forget about sticking with the status quo and start to make the impossible possible. This year can and will be different if you consciously choose to make it your best year ever. Mental hurdles may keep you from making decisions and taking action. Reflect, evaluate and get over it! Watch my video to start the New Year off on a positive note!

Our Next FREE Workshop at the Richmond Hill Library is on January 11, 2011

Lost your Job?  Hate your Job?

Discover what you want and go for it!

Have you been laid off once or multiple times? Are fearful that you may be laid off soon?  Do you feel stuck in your current career? Do you  want to change direction but don’t know how?  Are you ready to be proactive and make a plan for your life?

We can help! We provide a supportive and positive learning environment and empower people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. It is all about taking action and taking 100 % responsibility for your life and for your results!

Sometimes it's tough to stay positive considering all the fears and insecurities we have to deal with. However, we have learned from own experience that attitude is everything and it is our goal to communicate to YOU how you can turn a positive outlook in your job search into action.

Come and join us! It's time to sign up.....

Our commitment to you is to give you positive energy, a lot of new ideas and a fantastic workshop without any investment for you, except your time. If you give us your commitment to participate, please do not let anything prevent you from attending. It will be well worth your time and effort.

This attitude alone will separate you from others who are looking a job. I firmly believe, how you do anything is how you do everything!

"When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door that we don't see the one that has opened for us."

~ Helen Keller

When? January 11 from 6 pm - 8.45 pm

Where? Central Library, 1 Atkinson Street, Richmond Hill, L4C 0H5 (west/south corner of Major Mackenzie and Yonge)
Why? This is our contribution to serve the community

Please register @ the Library or via email @ karin@karicosolutions.com.

Making Manufacturing Sexy

What do I mean by that? Take a look!

Making Manufacturing Sexy

Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead and Succeed with a NEW DYNAMIC!

Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.

~ Kenneth Hildebrand

2011! Wow, I can't believe it! It's time to wipe the slate clean, focus upon your new goals and chart your course. Instead of settling for mediocrity focus on the changes you want to make within yourself. Even though I am not a big fan of New Year resolutions, a new year gives us a great opportunity to start looking at things in a different way. There are so many exciting possibilities in our world but so many times we are not able to see the forest for the trees.

Sometimes I wished that I could help people to clear their minds of all their knowledge, past experiences and beliefs in order to make a fresh start possible. Why? Well, I am certain this would drive individuals to be more curious and to ask more questions. They could start to have new experiences and form new beliefs that would allow them to take action and to make necessary decisions in order to move forward. 

Countless times people give me the feeling that they know everything and there is nothing left to learn. I sincerely hope that you are not one of these people because this would mean that your ego has taken over and you have become a legend in your own mind.

How can you be too smart to continue to learn? In my opinion the smartest people are the ones who ask the most questions because they are curious to know if there is a better way. 

Don't get me wrong, I think self-confidence and self-worth are two very important skills to have but not at the expense of developing and growing into the best person you can be.

How did you start your first work day in the New Year?

Frustrated and stressed, or relaxed with a smile on your face?

Have you ever considered the example you set for others? 

Are there some bad habits that you would like to replace with good ones?

Where might you be in denial?

What are some of the decisions you have been avoiding?

Remember, whatever you do in official meetings, on your tours throughout the plant, casual meetings with family and friends, meaningful questions will always change the dynamic. Having said this, I am not referring to questions that result in fault finding and blaming because you want to bring the energy up, not down. 

I encourage you to allow yourself and your people to grow, and this means making mistakes! Unfortunately we have the "first time right" mentality but if we don't allow ourselves to make mistakes in order to improve the process, how can we become the best?

What changes do you want to make to be a better leader?

No, let me rephrase that:

What changes will you make to be a better leader?

Don't judge yourself by your intentions, judge yourself by your actions!

So, what actions will you set in motion to lead with a new dynamic in 2011?