Boston Dynamics Atlas and Spot robots can now dance better than you can – The Verge

If you have a couple of minutes and enjoy good music, the video is worth watching.  The technology used with these robots is quite impressive.  I enjoy technology as much as the next person, but the capabilities of these robots are a wee bit concerning.  Maybe Lucas was onto something.  I would love to see these robots deployed in en masse in real life situations…like fighting forest fires.  Until then, I guess we will have to settle for backflips, the mashed potato, and the twist.

Welcoming in our new dancing robot overlords

Source: Boston Dynamics Atlas and Spot robots can now dance better than you can – The Verge

Rindge Leaphart

The Race to Make Vials for Coronavirus Vaccines | The New Yorker

A Corning factory in upstate New York is running around the clock to help meet the urgent demand.

Source: The Race to Make Vials for Coronavirus Vaccines | The New Yorker

A heartfelt thanks to:

• The frontline healthcare workers
• The educators
• The servers / waiters / cashiers  and everyone else dealing with customers face to face everyday
• The scientists working to develop vaccines in record breaking time
• The people at Corning and elsewhere working behind the scenes to solve material and logistical challenges

You are appreciated and we couldn’t do it without you!

Rindge

Igniting individual purpose | McKinsey

The note below is simultaneously aspirational and somewhat nerve wracking. Aspirational in that it would be ideal to have: A. Company mission / purpose line up with employee purpose or B. A company be able to support an employee, beyond just compensation, in the pursuit of their individual purpose.  Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of employees.  Both aspirational and daunting, but achievable.

Nerve wracking because before most employees would consider opening up about their purpose, leaders must do so first.  Easy to write about being vulnerable and open, but not always easy to execute.  I make a point before each financial or operational review to discuss how employees in general are doing outside of work.  But that is very different than me being open about my purpose. That is also very different than probing deeper with an employee about their purpose and what the organization can do to assist.  This note has definitely given me a few things to think about and work on.  Hope you find some meaning in the note as well.

Creating strong links to individual purpose benefits individuals and companies alike—and could be vital in managing post-pandemic uncertainties.

Source: Igniting individual purpose | McKinsey

 

Rindge Leaphart

The ‘Wall’ That Keeps Flesh-Eating Worms Out of America – The Atlantic

Admittedly, a long read, but a very interesting subject of how the U.S. and Panama work together to protect livestock.  Enjoy.

Rindge Leaphart

 

Inside the U.S. and Panama’s long-running collaboration to rid an entire continent of a deadly disease.

Source: The ‘Wall’ That Keeps Flesh-Eating Worms Out of America – The Atlantic

13 Essential Google My Business Optimizations for 2020 – Business 2 Community

For those of you interested in this level of detail, the linked article has great advice for business owners (especially smaller ones) looking to optimize their Google My Business listing(s).

Regards,

Rindge Leaphart

Any business today needs targeted visibility on Google. Most businesses know that this requires optimizing their website and Google Ads,…

Source: 13 Essential Google My Business Optimizations for 2020 – Business 2 Community

Three Out Of Four Customers Are More Loyal To Your Employee Than Your Business

Several interesting points in this brief article. An interesting tidbit was that loyal customers value discounts and promotions less than other key items, such as trusting the people at the business and their capabilities.  That would be a key reason the sales team and I constantly discuss “Serving With Excellence” because in certain segments, service is valued much higher than discounts.  Enjoy.

Rindge Leaphart

If you’ve been following my work, you know I preach that there is a difference between repeat customers and loyal customers. While loyalty is the goal, I’ll take a repeat customer—for the right reasons—any day.

Source: Three Out Of Four Customers Are More Loyal To Your Employee Than Your Business

How Boston Is Becoming the City Where Workers Rule – POLITICO

As a native Bostonian the article brought smile to my face.  Glad to see the success of local business owners.

Turning businesses into worker-owned cooperatives is the city’s answer to a wealth gap that is pushing out its lower-income residents.

Source: How Boston Is Becoming the City Where Workers Rule – POLITICO

Dyed in the Wool | Brown Alumni Magazine

Long read, but great story about manufacturing and perseverance.

Jennifer Knight ’89 has returned manufacturing jobs to an American town.

Source: Dyed in the Wool | Brown Alumni Magazine

Inside Toyota’s Takaoka #2 Line: The Most Flexible Line In The World – The Drive

Lessons from the last downturn lead the world’s foremost auto manufacturer to reinvent the production line.

Source: Inside Toyota’s Takaoka #2 Line: The Most Flexible Line In The World – The Drive

Louisville and Muhammad Ali: A Rare Look at a Hometown Champ – The New York Times

Like many, I am a fan of Ali.  His boxing heyday was somewhat before my time, but you couldn’t (nor would one want to) escape the legend of who Ali was and what he represented to many.  As a youngster in Boston during the 70’s, my older brother secured tickets for us to a charity event where Ali was fighting an exhibition match.  I was too young to fully understand how fortunate I was at the time, but the memory still brings a smile to my face.