Lack of Immediate “Big Win” Puts Improvements in Worker Development on Chopping Block…For Short-Term Focused Management Cultures by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. Let’s face it, discussing the desperate need for worker training to build consistent performance, increased…

Contracting? Expanding? Don’t Underestimate the Tremendous Value of Your Worker’s Cumulative Process Expertise by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. Paraphrased many times and in many ways, the meaning is the same. “If you don’t know where you are…

Standardizing “Best Practices” by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. When it comes to the term “best practices” for process-driven tasks, there seems a wide range of understanding of the concept; some better than others. According to Wikipedia, “A…

Is it Possible to Close the “Skills Gap” if Focused on the Symptom, Not the Cause? by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. There is nothing like the futility of trying to solve a specific problem with a general…

Replicating Your Best Performers by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. One project I was involved with sought to establish a structured on-the-job training program for a “CNC Operator” position and establish an apprenticeship. It consisted of around 40…

Nine Scenarios That Would Make You Wish You Had a Structured OJT System by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. I think one can confidently say that most employer’s focus on training the workers they need – to perform…

Who is Responsible for Decisions Regarding Training? by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. We sometimes run into a conundrum when promoting the concept of structured on-the-job training: finding who is responsible and accountable for the decision to provide…

Piece-Part Incentives Gone Wrong by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. Sometimes we are tempted to take the easy route, even though it may cost more in the end, offer much less on the path to the desired outcome…

Is It Possible to Improve Worker Performance Without Documented Task Mastery? by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. W. Edwards Deming said, “We are being ruined by the best efforts of people who are doing the wrong thing.” The inefficiencies,…

Appreciating the Value of Labor by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc. For expanding and improving businesses that have the capital for the investment in new equipment or processes, attempting to become or remain competitive, the level of investment…