Posted on Sep, 6th 2011 By Denis Leonard
So often I hear builders say that quality may work in manufacturing plants, but not out here building homes. Well of course it does work, but hearing that from a successful builder is ideal. Here is a link to a short video featuring Gary Zajicek, VP of Construction and Customer Relations at
Posted on Aug, 31st 2011 By Denis Leonard
While dining at a restaurant recently I was asked by the waiter how my meal was and if there was anything that could be improved. The meal and service were wonderful and I had only one minor suggestion. But I did end by thanking them for asking! When was the last time you were asked by a business
Posted on Aug, 29th 2011 By Denis Leonard
While all builders are trying to become leaner, more innovative and customer focused to impact the bottom line, we should not forget about reaching out to our trades. Our partners are crucial and remember they are the experts in their specific area of the business.
While the builder may be
Posted on Aug, 25th 2011 By Denis Leonard
Measure twice and cut once. I think that is probably the first thing I ever learnt in construction and I learnt it as a kid listening to my Dad and Uncle while they reviewed plans in the evening and worked on site each day. You can’t get a more fundamental quality management concept than that and
Posted on Aug, 25th 2011 By Denis Leonard
In the wake of Steve Jobs retirement announcement as CEO, Apple shares fell by 5%. For most people Apple is Steve Jobs, so that’s not a surprise. He is staying on in a leadership role, can you imagine the fall if he had stepped away entirely? Jobs created, then saved and kept Apple as one of
Posted on Aug, 22nd 2011 By Denis Leonard
From Cargill to Caterpillar, from Motorola and Boeing to Ritz Carlton they all use the Baldrige Criteria to successfully drive performance excellence at a world class level. They are not alone, healthcare, education, non-profits and small business organizations also use the criteria all over the
Posted on Aug, 15th 2011 By Denis Leonard
A hotspot is a recurring problem, by focusing on the top ranking hotspot with corrective and preventive action they can be reduced or eliminated allowing you to move to addressing the next ranking issue. These might be the top issues of customer complaints or top construction defects for example.
Posted on Aug, 10th 2011 By Denis Leonard
Here are some interesting results from a 2011 survey by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.
% Agree or Strongly Agree
As it plans for the future my organization asks for my ideas 49%
My organization is flexible and can make changes quickly when needed 46%
My organization removes
Posted on Aug, 8th 2011 By Denis Leonard
When we talk about sustainable home building we focus on energy efficiency and green.
But another level of sustainable building is ensuring that every component of the home was locally or at least Made in the USA! A local builder in Bozeman MT did just that.
Follow this link to the story.
Posted on Aug, 6th 2011 By Denis Leonard
The SMART acronym is an excellent way to evaluate your goals and objectives.
Are they Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely
Specific means that the goal is clear and unambiguous. You will need to consider the following.
What do I want to accomplish?
The specific reasons or
