Our personality and character are shaped by those things we think about and focus on. Those who achieve success, consider themselves capable of success.

My previous two columns have sparked some interesting and lengthy discussions on LinkedIn. The central themes of these columns addresses whether quality should be an independent function, and whether putting someone in charge of quality who has no experience in the field demonstrates a lack of respect for quality. These themes are closely related.

Professional and personal challenges come to each of us every day. Some of those challenges are things we have direct accountability for. However, there are some things we can control, and there are things we cannot control.

I realize that LSS and the theory of constrains are good things, but the main root cause problem is overlooked.

One of my favorite entertainers of all time was the one and only Ray Charles. Although he was an inimitable vocalist, in 1945 it was his skill with the piano that started people talking.

The national media are calling the economic comeback a “jobless recovery.” But that won’t last.

In every life, in every situation, there are opportunities to be creative.

Both the Voice of the Customer (VOC) and Voice of the Process (VOP) have an important role in evaluating our systems and processes.

By accepting what you can't do, you can free up much time and energy that can be devoted to what you can do. By accepting the things you can't change, you give yourself power and effectiveness over the areas where you can make a difference.

UPDATED WEEKLY! Someone asked me to put some thoughts together about how to accomplish difficult goals. This is Part II of my two-part series.