By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC Two manufacturers walk into the BCMC Show. One is a seasoned manufacturer who has been attending the show for many years and will learn something new, but really just goes to shake hands and be seen. The other manufacturer is new and eager, ready to learn and network
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What Tools Are You Using
By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC I really enjoy local county fairs and local attractions, because they give us an opportunity to see cool things from the past or something related to the area (and our fair has fresh roasted corn!). Recently at our local fair, the Stanwood Fair, I walked into a building
The Importance of Our Leadership Actions
By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC Recently, a Pastor at our church, Morgan MacPherson, shared a teaching from the Book of James talking about how our Actions Speak Louder. Though there was a lot of “meat on the bone” from what he shared, one of the additional thoughts I brought home was how important
Measure the Tempo of Your Operation
By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC My wife Dianne and I were recently going through some of our old family photos and I came across this photo of Dianne’s Dad, Jack Hendershot, as a teenager on his bike delivering ice in the early ’50s. For those who may not know, before the advent of
Empower Your Team to Success
By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC When I recently started some restructuring work for a client, I saw a sign posted on the wall. As shown in the image here, it took a sad approach to giving 100% at work. How many of the associates on our teams show up to work on Monday
Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems
With as many problems as we all face in our work and life, it seems as if there is never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way. Problems keep mounting so fast that we find ourselves taking shortcuts to temporarily alleviate the tension points, so we can move
Success Through Failure
By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan While
Close the Gap on Lean Initiatives
By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC When I’m asked why I chose a set of puzzle pieces for the 4Ward Consulting team logo, I’m glad to explain that fitting the pieces together has always been a part of my approach to business, my own and those I have assisted. We have teams, divisions,
Taking Steps Toward Manufacturing &Distribution Efficiency
By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC As we start the New Year, a focus of many operations will be setting goals to remain competitive. Today’s companies in the LBM/Component/Modular market are looking for ways to drive efficiencies throughout their manufacturing processes. Extending Lean Manufacturing principles and practices while establishing a platform for continuous
It’s Time to Huddle Up! Setting the tone for higher expectations and productivity
By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC I am often asked by lumber dealers, component manufacturers, and others for that “one thing” that will improve results, drive cultural change, hardwire behavior, or create lasting quality. I’ve come to realize there is no magic bullet to becoming a high reliability organization; it is a long-term