2011 - Page 2 of 4

2 Ways to avoid defending the status quo

It’s hard to be different. Even if new business development depends upon it at times. We tend to fall into the path of least resistance while we’re not paying attention. Why? Because it’s so easy to keep doing what we’re doing—business as usual—like everybody else. Trouble is, we lose a certain connection to reality because in reality, everything’s changing. On the other hand, if you’re not ha...
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Lessons from the state of the art

Inspiration from the making of Apple products. We can learn a lot from Apple. We would all do well to take a close look at how this company has been changing the game of making and delivering successful products to the marketplace over and over again. From idea to supply chain, no one’s doing it any better than Apple. I’d be asking myself, when was the last time WE acted on a creative idea? And, “...
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Join the gang on LinkedIn; they’ve waited, patiently

Any coatings professional would do well to consider the potential of LinkedIn to secure a spot in the marketplace of an unpredictable future. The critical word here is “potential” because LinkedIn seems to conceal plenty of it. The all-business-social-network hasn’t caught on fire yet but I think it will, and that’s my point. You need not feel left behind because you haven’t joined LinkedIn; a...
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Job opening: must be committed.

Reconsider what it means to be a leader “For the first time ever, everyone in an organization—not just the boss—is expected to lead.” The rigorous demands of business and the marketplace create more and more opportunities and positions for leaders of all kinds. In turn, “the marketplace is rewarding organizations and individuals who change things and create remarkable products and services.” If ...
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Why customers secretly expect more

We’re all being conditioned to expect more and more—whether we realize it or not. It doesn’t matter if you’ve ordered a sandwich or your next curing oven; we want a better one than the last. What was “great” yesterday is only “good” today, and very likely mediocre tomorrow.  The effects of heightened expectations can be problematic if you’re not aware. They spill over into the workspace and ca...
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ACCESSA COATINGS SOLUTIONS RELEASES PHLEXBOND COATING FOR REACTION INJECTION MOLDING (RIM) PARTS

Indianapolis, IN – ACCESSA Coatings Solutions is pleased to announce the addition of Phlexbond. Phlexbond is a two-component aliphatic polyurethane/polyester spray coating with self-release capability. Phlexbond joins ACCESSA’s current line-up of in-mold and post-mold coatings for molded polyurethanes and other plastics. “Based on demand from our current customers and changes in the competitive la...
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Business development requires bravery.

Who’s not afraid to stand up and reach out? It’s tough staying objective. Especially when it comes to your own business. It’s much easier to let the Vision go fuzzy and accept the deceiving, but compelling, comfort of the status quo. This form of comfort is a disease and it is never good for a business that wants to grow. Among many of the problems, comfort sustains an atmosphere that is suffocati...
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Two reasons why “change” will force you to get connected

In my last post I talked about the ever-increasing complexity that seems to creep into our lives and our businesses. But there’s one common thread that runs thru all of it. Take note of it if you haven’t already. Most of the “change” is due to the increase in the flow of information we now have at our disposal. I am here to tell you that the flip side of the increasing volume and complexity of...
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Lessons from a successful dictator/CEO.

“If you don’t ask, you’ll never get ” and 39 other tips. There’s one very positive trend in the economy right now. The number of small business bankruptcy filings has been dropping an average of 19 percent* year-over-year since the floor fell out from beneath us in 2008. Sure, there are fewer startups but I have a hunch that we’re getting smarter if not more careful about how we run our industrial...
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Four questions that focus on reducing complexity

We’ve been talking a lot about change at Material Insights. Why it’s important to your business to recognize what’s happening around it, particularly the types of change that doesn’t get talked about in the break room or the boardroom. Kind of like climate change, except on fast-forward. The point is if such phenomenon is not recognized soon enough, you could end up out in the cold, unprepared...
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