Family - Career - Life - by Robert N. West

I Hate Road Rage and Crazy Drivers or I drive 635 Solution

2014-09-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

Years ago I came up with an idea for a self policing freeway system. We all hate when we have to deal with someone who drives like a jerk and I will present my idea here for all of you to consider.

I call my idea B.I.C.S.Y.T.O (pronounced bixy-toe). The acronym stands for "because I can't shoot your tires out", (I previously called it B.I.C.S.Y., which stood for because I can't shoot you , but I changed it for marketability). The idea relies upon two pieces of technology that everyone would be required to have in their car. One is a receiver that will shut down the car (or slow it down depending on the situation) and the other is a "gun" type device. How it would work is when someone is driving in a manner that is unacceptable the other drivers would shoot the offending auto which would give the offending driver a negative punishment (removing from him the ability to drive) temporarily. The drivers doing the shooting would receive positive reinforcement by being empowered to remove offending drivers from the mainstream of traffic. If a driver receives too many "shots" in a set time period the car could be permanently disabled or, once auto pilot for vehicles is in effect (they are very close now), could lock the car and drive the offender to the police station for detention.

I could go into greater detail of how this might be technologically possible, however that is beyond the scope of this discussion.

Regards,

R. West

Politics in the Workplace

2014-02-01T09:57:00.001-08:00

Over the years I have learned the criticality of “getting along” with others. Coming up through the ranks, I found myself often butting heads with my peers and even though I was often times “right”, I was at the same time very ineffective as a team member and many people did not enjoy working with me. The purpose of my writing today is to focus on why politics are not the bad thing that many people believe. Participating in politics will allow one to go further in their career and have a more enjoyable time at work. Let’s get right to the first point.

While working as a manager responsible for departments totaling greater than 50 persons, I found myself often butting heads with my peers and at times even with my superiors. I would use my technical ability to master management of my area of responsibility and use my spare time to find fault with the efforts of my coworkers. Soon many of them began to distrust me and others simply avoided me all together. As good as I was at what I did, it soon became impossible for me to get certain things done within the organization. This behavior ultimately not only slowed down my career but brought it to a stop when the telecom crash hit in 2002. When my team shrank due to repeated “right sizing” or layoffs, I knew there was not much need for a leader of my caliber to remain unless I could contribute in another capacity. Initially it was suggested that I might work in engineering, but I had already burned my bridges there and that team had no use for me. After a period of time I was laid off and unceremoniously sent on my way after nearly ten years with the company. Now that we know the bad let’s talk about the good!

When a team works well together it makes a difference in not only what can be accomplished but the amount of effort required to get things done is also reduced drastically. What once took many meetings, arguments, or endless emails back and forth now I can achieve by simply asking. Also, more than once I was saved from embarrassing situations because a colleague decided to come have a discussion with me about an issue instead of going to my boss. Working together with others makes both parties look more successful to the senior leaders or executives. When things can get done without their active participation it makes all of the persons involved appear more competent. Additionally, when more can be accomplished in a short time there is often a cost savings realized. While one can never say for certain that they will receive some or all of that savings back personally in the form of wages, benefits, or bonuses, one can be certain if money is wasted or opportunity is squandered because of petty bickering or turf wars, the individuals involved nor the company will be able to do anything with those wasted resources. Lastly, let’s talk a bit about how to do politics right!

This is my personal take on the topic, and over the years I have adopted ideas from many extremely intelligent people. I have learned from books, lectures, the Bible, podcasts, college classes, and I truly believe I could never learn too much about how to get along with others. First, always approach others in a loving way. I can hear it now, “No way, I hate that guy!” Well, here is the trouble with that attitude. If two people are on the same team (working for the same company = same team), then the success of the team is what is truly important. I can’t “win” while someone else on the team is “losing”. If I do win at another’s expense, the team doesn’t really win. Therefore, when I have a problem with a coworker or they are doing something that is causing me problems, I must approach them in a loving way, (not in a hateful way) in order to truly help them to be more successful. Being mean or hateful will only cause the coworker to be defensive so nothing will be resolved. Second, look for ways to better serve your coworkers. I can here you thinking “Hey where is the part where I get something?” We’ll get to that, keep your pants on! If you are constantly doing things that have a positive impact on your coworkers, their teams and the company, one day when you need some help with a project or task, you will have the full attention of the people you have been helping. It has been my experience that they will be not only willing to help you, but will be exited that they finally have an opportunity to do something for you.

Now that I know how to do politics right, I see that being political is not a bad thing. It is a smart thing. It is how to get things done, make a better workplace and quite frankly a better world.

What one book has been life changing for you and why?

2012-09-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

This question was recently presented in a LinkenIn Q&A. You can see my response below. I would love to hear what book everyone else loves so I can go check it out if I haven't already.

I would have to say "The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. My manager asked me if I ever read books and I told him I only read non-fiction. He handed me the book and said read this and let me know what you think. For those who haven't read the book it is a business novel that discusses in some detail "The theory of constraints". This book sent me down a rabbit hole to a new world. Since then I have become passionate about Lean (TPS, etc..) and can not get enough information about process improvement. I have even had some level of success applying TOC and Lean in my personal life and even my wife has (unknowingly) found some interesting solutions to managing our household that look a lot like a Kanban, Visual systems, and 5S.

New Six Sigma?

2012-08-29T07:17:00.004-07:00

In response to the announcement of a new version of SixSigma I formulated the following response:

I have studied many different continuous improvement methodologies over the years and would love to learn more about the the new kinder, friendlier Six Sigma, known as "The New Discovery". Since I have always worked at smaller companies (the largest about 400 employees), I have always considered Six Sigma to be just what you have described, not really bad, just not a one size fits all approach (like Lean). Once one throws out the management structure (see ISIXSIGMA.COM ), all you really have left is a few statistical tools, project selection methodology, and the DMAIC process (which I honestly prefer over PDCA for a single process).

In the 90's, I worked for fabricated metal products company that was a first tier supplier to Motorola in Ft. Worth, Texas. I held the position of Quality Liaison to Motorola as well as a few other large corporations at that time. I had an opportunity to work with some great people, that had a very narrow directive (reduce variation). Years later, upon reflection (after the Motorola plant was shut down, all outsourced for cost savings I suspect), I have come to believe that Six Sigma lacks some things that I have found in Lean. Social responsibility, respect for people, and looking at the system as a whole, are the first things that come to my mind today when I compare the two. I imagine that I am not the only thinker out there who recognizes these things and I am certain there are more differences that I haven't thought of.

Hopefully the New Discovery was that Six Sigma was not a complete management philosophy but a project management system wrapped around some statistical tools that are great for companies of a certain size and type, but can not stand alone without further evolution.

I suppose I will have to give the new and improved version of Six Sigma a chance. I realize, having graduated from the school of hard knocks myself, one doesn’t need an impressive pedigree in order to become something of value to many.

Regards,

Robert N. West
Quality Manager and Lean Practitioner

Dr. W. Edwards Deming 14 Principals of Quality: Principal #2

2011-11-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

     This is the second article in a series that I intend to write, in which, we explore the 14 points for management, set forward by W. Edward Deming in his book entitled “Out of the Crisis”, which was originally published in 1986 according to Amazon (My copy has copyright 1982).

    The second of the 14 points is:
2)    Adopt the new philosophy.

     In this chapter Dr. Deming points out the precision of the Japanese rail system and the fact that one would only need to give the departure times of the trains to give instructions for travel to some one new to the country. This new level of precision has penetrated every aspect of Japanese life and since the time of the writing has taken over most of the world. There is a new much higher mark to aim for than what was considered acceptable in the past. We as Americans can no longer rest on our laurels. The new standards of quality and precision in the world have surpassed what was once acceptable.

     The focus of the text in this section describes the problem of defective products and the lack of understanding that just because your supplier replaces the defective product and absorbs the transportation cost does not mean that you are not paying for those expenses. That cost will just be added to the next shipment you receive.

      A new attitude aimed at continues improvement and elimination of defects is in order. Do not be satisfied with the replacement of shoddy products but insist the elimination of the cause of those defects.

Deming's 14 points of Management: Point #1

2011-06-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of articles that I intend to write, in which, we explore the 14 points for management set forward by W. Edward Deming in his book entitled “Out of the Crisis”, which was originally published in 1986 according to Amazon (My copy has copyright 1982).

The first of the 14 points is:

1) Create constancy of purpose toward the improvement of product and service.

When Deming refers to constancy of purpose one imagines that there are at times shifting devotions and variable levels of dedication. If one is in any organization that might be likened to a common garden variety American business, one will certainly be familiar with what the writer is referring to here. Most often people are very busy moving about in a frenzy taking care of the daily grind, without much care or concern for quality of product (or service) until there is a problem. Even when there is a problem, if the issue can be ignored, most often it will be. In general people don’t take time to improve quality until they are forced to do so (especially if it “is just a small problem”).

Management will go on looking at its daily issues and claim “we are to busy to deal with that” or “we just don’t have the resources to apply to resolving that issue” and my favorite “I don’t think we are ready for something that progressive”. This might go on for a period of time. Not looking at the potential magnitude of the “tiny” problems that could be fixed, preventing an emergency. No doubt, when one of these issues becomes a full grown non-conformance, that threatens short term profitability, management will be forced to act.

This is what seems to be the main idea behind point #1. There are two kinds of problems, short term and long term. Deming is suggesting that we must have constancy of purpose and plan for the long term. The short term is very simple. We are constantly forced to take care of those things, however the –in your face nature- of these things can easily distract even the most well meaning manager or supervisor from long term planning and proactive process improvement.

In the book Deming states “The next quarterly dividend is not as important as the existence of the company for the next 10, 20 or 30 years from now.” He suggests planning for the future with an aim on providing jobs. I think this is where many American companies failed of late. There have been so many jobs sent abroad with the sole purpose of improving quarterly earnings that the American worker has little faith or trust in our business leadership (and forget about respect).

Deming is able to sum up the strategy in a few words: Innovate, Invest in research and education, and constantly improve design of product (or service). With the emphasis on innovation Deming states, “One requirement for innovation is the faith that there will be a future. Innovation, the foundation of the future, can not thrive unless the top management have declared unshakeable commitment to quality and productivity.”

In the end, it will be up to us as leaders in business to determine what value we wish to bring to our communities, if any.

Deming's 14 Points

2011-06-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

I recently commented on a guys post on LinkedIn. The topic was key points of management and he had stated that Deming's 14 points would be his first choice if he had to choose only three topics to teach.

My response:

"I am a huge fan of Deming also Tim. Out of the Crisis was one of the most insightful books that I have ever read. I found a tenth printing copy (from around 1990) at Half Price Books that looked like it had never been read. Inside was a laminated bookmark that had a GM logo, the 14 points one one side and the 7 diseases on the back. It made me wonder if the person who owned that book before me had any regrets about not reading it. I also thought about the possibility that that person was one of the many affected by the recent turn of events. It also reminded me what a shame it was that American businesses in general didn't take to heart some of these points."
"Hopefully that is beginning to change. I have recently seen signs that give me hope."

After writing this I thought to my self that it had been a long time since I read that book and I wondered how many of the points would seem familiar when if I read them now. This seemed to me to be a great topic for a new article. I will review and comment on Deming's 14 points in the weeks ahead, taking them one by one.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

2011-04-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

I had previously listened to the audio book version of this book and had some level of success implementing most of the concepts. The difference between David's methods and the other "get it together" books that I have read lie primarily in his recommendation to keep it simple and be thorough in creating your own complete management system.

I tend to go through periods of time when there is great stress on my time, and this book has helped me to see clearly some of the areas that I had undermined myself and prevented my most effective use of time. The methodology requires devotion of a set amount of time for planning and reflection which allows one to unleash their energy on tasks without worry about something slipping through the cracks. This clarity of focus prevents the reader from getting sidetracked by ancillary distractions (or in my case resort to fire fighting).

In today's world everyone has too much to do which is why about every 10th book I read is geared toward refining my organizational skills. If anyone reading this review can relate to what I am describing, this book might be helpful.

Regards,
Robert West
Quality Manager / Lean Expert at J&A Manufacturing Inc.

Quality is Free by Philip B. Crosby

2011-03-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Read this book to gain an understanding of how to implement a zero defects program. The information in this book is still relevant and valuable to this day. The author is recognized as one of the great thinkers in quality improvement. I personally, liked best some of the dialogs that were presented, since they presented very clearly how one might navigate the implementation of an attitude that conformance to standards is how to achieve customer satisfaction, and this is the responsibility of everyone who participates in the planning and production of the product or service... not the job of the quality department. The job of the quality department (if you have one) is to measure conformance, report findings, and insist that corrective and preventive actions are implemented.

Robert N. West
Quality Manager and Lean Practitioner
http://www.robertnwest.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertnwest
http://robertnwest.blogspot.com/

Imagery in Waring Cuney’s “No Images”

2011-01-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

Waring Cuney’s poem “No Images” is by most standards a short poem of only 12 lines that ironically packed with images. The reader may find him or herself at a bit of a loss upon the initial reading, but after some reflection there is a definite message that is delivered. The message being, that even the beautiful female in the poem is not able to see herself as she is and that is related to where she is.

In “No Images” Cuney states “She does not know / Her beauty,” (1-2), which seems absurd at first, but after some thought the reader realizes it is possible. There is no doubt that the female in the poem is told that she is beautiful. One is nearly certain that the persona (or speaker) in the poem would tell her that she is beautiful. The reader is left with the idea that she must be told otherwise by some other person or group of people, or she may have been treated poorly from an early age, in order to not believe she is truly beautiful. Next, Cuney offers “She thinks her Brown body / Has no glory.” (3-4) In these lines Cuney reveals that the female has a brown body. This allows the reader to see more clearly why she may not see herself as beautiful. She may be subject to discrimination or ridicule, and she may even feel being born brown is ugly.

Toward the end of the first stanza Cuney reveals more about the female in the story, “If she could dance / Naked / Under palm trees / And see her image in the river, / She would know.” (5-9) In this part of the poem the reader is likely to have images of a tropical paradise, with all the trappings of a wonderful existence and no few worries. The word Naked is emphasized by being on a separate line all alone. This provides the reader of an image of a place where the beautiful female would be free to see herself as she truly is.

In the second and final stanza the reader can finally figure out what the true theme of the poem is. Cuney ends with, “But there are no palm trees / On the street, / And dish water gives back no images.” (10-12) In the closing lines much is revealed. First the reader imagines that the female lives in the city, with mention of the street. The reader is also confronted with the idea that it is a dirty place, and the street is covered in dish water. The lack of a proper sewage system implies to the reader, either a time in the past, or a poor part of the city, possibly both.

For this reader the feeling of the poem, over all, is one of sadness, but not for the beautiful female or the persona (or speaker). The sadness is for those that have spent their energy masking the truth. The truth of “Her beauty”(2). The final image that this reader has is one of the persona and the female in a loving embrace, and they are –beautiful.

Written 10/22/2010 by Robert N. West

Metaphor and Meanings of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”

2011-01-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

In “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, the poem’s author lays out a parable that describes the process of making life’s difficult decisions. The persona (or speaker) in the poem depicts a place where he or she is all alone, in a place that has two directions that must be decided upon.

In the first stanza the persona contemplates a choice, evidenced by the image of standing alone where two roads diverge (drift apart), and regretting that “I could not take both” (2). The use of the words yellow wood in the first line gives the reader a sense that the end of a season is at hand, which also brings about some sense of urgency (it will be colder soon). After examining the first road quite closely and thoroughly, the persona abruptly decides on the second road after little consideration. This is found in the second stanza, “Then took the other, as just as fair,” (6).

Once the choice is made the speaker appears to be trying to convince himself that he has made the correct choice. The reader will find evidence of this in “And having perhaps the better claim, /

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;” (7-8) Upon closer evaluation of these passages the reader comes to understand that “grassy” represents growth, and “wear” represents hard work.. Next the two roads are compared again “Though as for that, the passing there / Had worn them really about the same” (9-10). This leads the reader to understand that although one road is obviously less taken (because grass does on grow on a busy path) they have been worn about the same. The reader may ascertain that this is due to the heavy burden carried by those who chose the road less taken.

In the third stanza the roads are described as being more or less equal “And both that morning equally lay / In leaves no step had trodden black.” (11-12). This depiction also reveals that there has been no recent traveler down these paths, to give the persona a clue regarding the proper choice (the leaves are undisturbed). In the lines that follow the persona (half heartedly) lies to himself by suggesting that he will go down the other road at a later date.

In the last stanza the persona appears to be a bit disappointed with his choice, “I shall be telling this with a sigh” (16). The sigh makes the reader get a sense of some feeling of sadness, but it is more likely just nostalgia that the persona is trying to convey. The persona imagines years in the future, in another place, telling the story of the “Two roads” (18) and taking the one less traveled. The choice of words in the last line suggest that the persona will someday be pleased with his decision (although he may not be right now), “And that has made all the difference.” (20). The solitary nature of this process is further punctuated by the repetition of I, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by,”.

Frost’s poem describes the process of making major life decisions and inspires the reader to take the road less taken by presenting the possibility that it could make all the difference.

Originally Written October 22, 2010

My House

2011-01-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

When we (a family of three) first moved into the house, it was like an old condemned factory: broken, dirty, and abandoned. The previous owners scratched and scraped but still had trouble paying the mortgage; then they disappeared out of sight, as if someone flipped a switch. The Gypsies left nothing behind except marks on the walls and stains in the carpet. In a panic to leave our predecessors left the door unlocked. What once was a smooth, green carpet in the front yard became a shaggy sign of emptiness. It wasn’t long until scrappers came and took whatever metal they could pry loose with their grubby fingers and a flat head screw driver. Not long after we moved in we received the news; a new addition to our brood was on the way. Another baby girl was coming. The hurricane of tasks came – never wavering – for duration equal to a summer Monarchs lifetime. Evidence of the chaos can be seen as we carefully make our way through the living room, kitchen and garage.

First, as one enters the house and passes the narrow threshold, a pile of junk mail that has yet to be dispatched to its ultimate destination teeters on a ledge like an enormous stack of mismatched playing cards. The sound of the children playing is sweet but once combined with the toy orchestra that lay on the floor trumpeting away, it is the ultimate distraction. A cool mustiness takes over ones senses as one continues to move toward the fireplace. To some it may smell like a pumpkin pie but it is just a combination of the candles ushered away from the toddlers reach and the spilled juice from earlier that morning. Out of toddlers reach means, the other side of the crotch high plastic fence, that divides the living area into two parts the baby owning the larger. I once attempted to leap the fence. Missing by a fraction of an inch I was deterred from further attempts to fly as I fell to the ground like a sack of rocks. The level of activity in this room demands you stay on your toes otherwise you may get lost in the madness that is quite literally the – living – room.

Moving past the living room is the kitchen. The kitchen is in a continual state of flux due to the relentless cycle of meals and various other feeding and snacks that are prepared daily. The aroma of the last meal lingers in the air¸ waiting for its replacement. It is a guard on watch, ever vigilant and never tiring. It may be the smell of a roast or chicken. On occasion it could be the enchantingly delicious smell of an apple pie that fills the air so thick you can taste the tartness on the middle of your tongue. A little further into the room you will find the island; originally intended to be a workspace that is now like a purgatory for all things that need to be put away. Under the random mountains of groceries, snacks and coupons one can easily detect there are spots that are greasy or sticky. To the left of the island there is the pile of dishes that grows magically like rabbits from a hat! Next to the sink there are various different cleaning supplies and towels that must be kept on hand in order for the lady of the house to perform her one handed juggling act. The kitchen is very much like the circus but less structured.

Moving through the kitchen we pass through a plain door and arrive at our final destination, the garage. At first glance it appears to be a torture chamber of sorts. This is where many household items have met their demise after great struggle. A large round tub contains the skeletons of light fixtures. Another box contains the odd bits of other once fully functioning appliances and electronics. The smell of stale cigar smoke and gasoline loom heavy over the rickety particle board wall units, with shelves stuffed full of leftover paints, whose colors include the full spectrum of a rainbow. One can almost taste the salty tears that were shed in battle to replace all of the amenities stolen by the scrappers: lights, faucets, ceiling fans, shower heads, dishwasher, and garbage disposal. The battle continues with tools scattered about, along with dirty rags and opened packages of hardware which now lay still like fallen soldiers. There have been many lost in this arena, this coliseum, but the resident gladiator must continue moving at all times lest he allow himself to be cornered by the lions.

The rewards for surviving in this time of turmoil are great. The heights of happiness easily match the depths of despair. The chaos will continue at least for another year or two. We have just received news. A baby girl is (once again) on the way.

(This story was originally written July 21, 2010)

My First Baby

2011-01-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

Late one evening Dawn (my wife) and I were sorting through the spare room selecting seldom used items that I would move to storage later that night. We had about a week before our new baby was to arrive. We had been living with my father for about a year at this point. I had previously gone financially belly up during the telecom crash of 2001 and spent two years in a job that paid about half of what I had previously made. When we first found out the baby was coming we had ran out of money so we moved in with Dad temporarily in order to pay for midwife services and a natural birth at the local birth center.

As I worked, slowly unloading the closet, Dawn pointed at a box of old records and asked “Do we really need these?”

I stared blankly at the box thinking to myself that the layer of dirt atop the mound of 45 rpm records could probably support plant life and I replied, “No but they have sentimental value.”

Dawn leaned over, despite her now cartoonish tummy, and she attempted to lift another box in order to reveal the treasure within and suddenly let out a groan, Oooohhhhhhhff!” Then she looked me in the eye with a laser focus and said, “We are not doing this tonight.”

“What do you mean?” I queried.

“This!” Dawn exclaimed, “All this, it’s not going to happen!”

“Why not?” I asked once again, with a puzzled expression.

“The baby is coming.” Dawn replied, no longer in pain.

At this point I was pretty rattled but everything was OK. I knew what to do. I had been educated and I had practiced the steps in my head many times. I must: Call the midwife, keep track of contractions, and pack a bag.

“Robert please start a bath for me; it will help me relax, and warm up a baked potato; if the labor is long I want to have energy,” Dawn requested, as she dialed the midwifes pager.

“Right away!” I replied, and I left her straight away to start the bath. Then, I headed to the kitchen to prepare the potato. Dawn had already called the midwife and I thought to myself, great one less thing for me to do.

I had heated the potato and passed by Dad while leaving the kitchen, he asked “What’s going on?”

“We are having a baby”, I replied. Dad seemed unmoved as I zipped by.

Neither Dawn nor I were in much hurry since we had been told that first time deliveries always take many hours. I went back to the kitchen picked up the hot potato and delivered it triumphantly to my loving wife. She took one look at the tuber covered with cheese and sour cream and stated, “There is no way I can eat that! Take it away!”

I took the potato back to the kitchen and ran back to my lovely bride. I was a bit nervous at this point but tried my best to mask it. “Let’s get you into that bath,” I said calmly.

    Before I could move her, she once again let out a long moan, “Oooooooooooohhhhhph!”
    After the pain passed, we made our way to the bath. We finally got her into the bath, and Dawn reminded me that I needed to pack a bag. I ran around the house collecting things for the bag when the midwife returned our call and asked to speak to Dawn. I handed Dawn the phone. “How far apart are the contractions?” Dawn asked me from inside the bathtub.
    “How should I know?” I asked, “I haven’t been here for two in a row yet!”
“Oooooooooooohhhhhph!” Dawn strained again.

At this point I was handed the phone and the ensuing conversation went as follows. “Do you have your kit?” asked the midwife.

“What kit?” I replied.

“Your home birth kit,” volleyed the voice on the other end.

“Who is having a home birth?” I asked.

“You are” she replied.

“Nobody ever said anything about a kit or any home birth stuff –at all—!” I protested.

“It’s going to happen, the baby is coming” she said just as calmly as if she had asked someone to pass the salt.

“OK, what do I need to do?” I asked.

“Put your shower curtain on top of your mattress but under the sheets. I will be there shortly,” she said.

“We have sliding glass doors,” I rebutted.

“That won’t work,” she stated. “Try to find something to protect the mattress.”

“OK, got it, protect the mattress!” I replied. Then, I ran for some duct tape and extra large tall leaf and grass bags.

At this point I wondered why I wasn’t simply instructed to boil water like in the movies. Although, I had never confirmed it to be fact, I suspected the purpose of that maneuver was to get a person (who would otherwise be in the way) busy to do something away from the real work. Since I was the only one there to do the work; I was not allowed the luxury of relaxing in the kitchen while water boiled.

When I passed by Dad for about the fourth time holding the leaf bags and duct tape he inquired, “What’s going on?”

“We are having a baby!” I exclaimed.

“Here? Didn’t you plan to do that at the birth center?” Dad calmly asked while he leaned restfully in his recliner and slowly puffed on his pipe.

“Yes Dad that was the plan!” I snorted, obviously rattled at this point.

“Do you have a backup plan?” he asked, un-phased by my crazed look.

I held up the roll of duct tape in one hand and the bail of leaf bags in the other and strangled them above my head and growled, “This is it Dad, – this – is– it!”

“Oh man,” he replied in a concerned yet relaxed way. Then, he settled back further into his chair like he was a balloon and someone had let a little bit of air out of him. After that, he went back to whatever he was watching on the television and slowly puffed his pipe.

There is much more to the story of that joyous night but I will save that for another time. We all made it through OK. We even had another baby at home since then. It seemed to be a relatively stress-free birth the second time. I suppose it was so much better because I learned one very important thing that night. A person can make all the plans they want, but the baby doesn’t follow any plan. She will come, when –she– is ready.

How to Create a Powerpoint Presentation

2011-01-03T14:09:00.001-08:00

      I have both good and bad memories of meetings that were centered on a speaker and his or her presentation. People from all walks of life use PowerPoint presentations because they are the best method of delivering information to a group of people. One must take the appropriate steps to develop a presentation that is interesting and to the point. Having this skill is crucial when a situation arises that requires this tool.
      PowerPoint has been a favorite method of delivering information in boardrooms and schools for many years. If one is in school or has a job, the skill of developing one of these presentations will come in handy sooner or later. PowerPoint is often used in schools by teachers to deliver information to students. Also, there are times when a teacher will request that each student deliver a report or other information using one of these presentations. Most modern classrooms are equipped with a projector with this purpose in mind.
      PowerPoint is used to deliver information in businesses of all sizes and the information that is delivered ranges from safety training to reviewing the quarterly numbers. Once developed, this skill will continue to be utilized throughout ones productive life, so we will describe the general process below, and it will serve as a guide to a successful presentation.
      First, gather the material that is needed for producing the presentation. The information one presents is the most important part of the PowerPoint presentation; it can be gathered from many sources. The internet is a valuable resource for finding information. Searching for information, using an optimized search engine (such as Google) can provide numerous sources quickly. More great sources are books, magazines and newspapers. Gathering information from text sources can be quite time consuming, so it is crucial to start as soon as possible. Depending on the topic that is being presented, one may find what he or she needs at a local library. Another great source of information is people. When trying to determine what information is most critical, asking an expert about a particular subject can save time. After the information has been gathered, it is time to gather some images. The images help hold the attention of the people viewing the presentation. Gather images together in a folder on the computer (don’t forget to back up). Don’t worry about the images being just right. One doesn’t need to have a specific purpose in mind for each image. Most of them will not be used in the finished presentation. Keep the process to moving forward quickly. Don’t spend a lot of time thinking about each image or photo. Some clipart is included with Microsoft Office. Use the –HELP- feature found in the menu bar to learn how to access these images. Many images can be found on the internet. However, they may be copyrighted. If this is the case, one may be able to ask the owner of the image for permission to use it, but it is simpler to use images that are not copyrighted.
      Next, assemble the information and images into the slides. Begin with the content (or information) that is to be delivered. Group relevant information together on a slide. Keep adding slides until all of the information has been included. Once the slides have been created, it is a good idea to go through and arrange them in an order that makes sense, however the order doesn’t need to be perfect. Having the basic structure of the presentation in place is helpful to prevent repeating information. Now, the presentation has its basic shape, and it is time to add the graphics. Images are very simple to add to a slide. Simply copy and paste images into the slides. It is important to add graphics that will emphasize the message of a particular slide. For example, if a particular slide is focused on sales, a dollar sign may be a suitable graphic. It also important to use graphics that are relevant, or the audience may get confused. Don’t inadvertently mislead the audience with an inappropriate image either. If a slide is intended to propose the solution to a problem, and it has a photo of an angry mob in the background, the solution may not be well received.
      Finally, review the presentation, and practice speaking about what is on each slide. It is very important that the PowerPoint presentation assist the speaker in several ways. It should serve the purpose of: keeping the speaker on message, helping with time management, and ensuring that all of the important facts are presented. Also, special attention must be given to spelling and grammar. If the presentation is riddled with misspelled words and poor grammar, the audience may disregard the information. They may be so distracted by the errors that they lose focus on the message. Another key aspect of a great presentation is clarity. Fine tune the wording to ensure the meaning of each slide is clear. Next, check the message being conveyed. Is it to the point? Remove any extra information that does not contribute to the main point of the presentation. It is very embarrassing to be giving a presentation and find that the slides repeat information. Even worse, the presenter may get confused and say the same thing again and again. Take a trial run speaking about each slide. Anticipate what questions may arise about each topic. Write notes and keep track of what slide they are associated with. Make certain any relative facts and figures are close at hand. Many people (myself included) find it difficult to remember figures, especially when speaking in front of a large audience. Having facts and figures on hand will increase anyone’s confidence level.
      In conclusion, it is likely that one will find a need to deliver a PowerPoint presentation to a group of people, because it is used so extensively in our society, so always remember to gather, assemble, and review for a successful presentation.