b'BUSINESS BUSINESS MATTERSThoughts on StandardsBOB SHAW // INDUSTRY CONSULTANTAcolumn noted that we mustjust feet away. Continuity and little turnoverSohowcanwereestablishstandards?Lets recent cram ten years worth of training intrumpedtheneedfortraining.Thatsthestart with setting a personal example, building the next 18 months to rebuild ouropposite of where we are todayour teamsculture, and emphasizing teamwork.teams. That said, I have seen other businessesneed rebuilding.lack training and still thrive. For 20+ years, ISETTING A PERSONAL EXAMPLEhave mentored a business partners race teamOnce you accept this training mandate, you which started as a passion project, like manyneed to set standards. Train to these standards The ancient Stoics believed the greatest vir- of ours. It has ballooned from a dozen peopleand then vigilantly enforce them. A lieutenanttue was discipline. This starts with personal building race cars to 400 people focused onfriend of mine would say, if you see somethingdiscipline, which is managing your thoughts, motorsports,defense,andelectricvehicles.not up to the standard, and you dont correctideas, and actions. If you are undisciplined, Thetwofounderswerejustinductedintoit, youve just set a new, lower standard. Thisyour team will be as well.the Corvette Hall of Fame for over one hun- Marine ended up becoming a four-star general: dred race victories. Yet they didnt do train- his pragmatism and common-sense leadership ing well. The reality was that they only hiredtook him to the very top. On the water, I fearDont be afraid to experienced mechanics every five to six years,we have been lowering standards these last few pairedwithahalfdozenveteransworkingyears to survive unprecedented challenges. publicly admit your mistakes. The crew knows what is going on and will appreciate this openness and authenticity. Plus,USCG-Certied Light-Weightwe all need a fresh Aluminum Honeycomb Panelsstart sometimes.for Passenger Ferries Dont take shortcuts as your crew will feel decorative | durable | functionalfree to take even more if you arent around. rigidized.com/markets/marine Weknowthatshortcutsonthewater erode standards and can boomerang as big safety issues. Yourcrewwillimitateyou.Irememberasquadron commander who was a big weight room buff, and all the young pilots eagerly joined in. The next commanding officer was a runner, and the pilots overnight abandoned the weight room for running. Believeinyourselfandbeassertiveinwhat matters. Remember the mantra you get what you in- spect. Are you inspecting the appearance of your facility, checking maintenance records, doing uniform checks, following checklists, 658 Ohio Street | Buffalo, NY 14203 | marine@rigidized.comFOGHORN 26'