By: Kristi Spargo

Sometimes my job can be messy.  Chaotic.  Unorganized.  Sometimes it’s easy to get frustrated with clients or co-workers for causing delays or problems. Sometimes I succumb to the belief that if only the cogs in the wheel would just turn like I think they are supposed to, then everything would fall perfectly into place. Sometimes I want to set up an assembly line and force the project to keep moving forward in the most simple and efficient fashion.

But that’s not realistic when working within a people-intensive field such as association management. Throughout my years in the industry, no matter what position I held, my primary focus has always been customer service.  Associations are built to meet people’s needs; it’s my job to facilitate that for association members and I accomplish it by working efficiently with my co-workers. As much as I might desire a planned and orderly day, I don’t work in a factory assembly line and therefore, I deal with whatever hits me first.  Yet I have found that there are some valuable manufacturing concepts that can assist in crafting a more streamlined workday. Continue reading “Time to Get Lean” →