Management

Keith Jennings, our Manager's Desk columnist, this month responds to readers asking for tips to increase sales, and, yes, his answer emphasizes the need for a Web presence and social media.

Manager's Desk Columnist Keith Jennings reflects on the ups and downs of the previous 12 months, with a nod to the “classroom of reality,” which he says continues to educate him and his team. As a result, his shop created a list of goals for 2014.

Like many in the machining world, I've dealt with more than enough serious issues in 2013, so it's cool to have been part of a fun experience.

I'm a big a supporter of my local community college's machining programs. There's one facet of machine shop management a classroom can't prepare a student for, though: the constant, yet unexpected, gear shifting that goes on when you're running a shop.

After working in the machining and fabrication business for 21 years, Keith Jennings, the Manager's Desk columnist for Cutting Tool Engineering, has concluded that million-dollar jobs don't guarantee big profits.

Representing your company through community involvement accomplishes two goals. Hopefully, you're doing something positive and, in return, raising the reputation of you and your company. You may also gain access to another network of valuable contacts and potential leads.

This month's Manager's Desk column suggests that good managers are able to shift gears and take maximum advantage of all business cycles, up or down.

A challenge arises when a worker is promoted to manage a group of what were previously his coworkers. It's not an easy situation to tackle and much thought should be given to how this arrangement may impact personal relationships.

The future of machining is bright, but perhaps with a different generation of employees and a leaner business model than before.

If an employee makes up his mind to borrow or take something without permission, chances are he'll get away with it, cautions the Manager's Desk column in the April 2013 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.