Tired of this line of work

machining and manufacturing.

I'm more passionate about machining than I've even been.

in charge.

Really enjoy working for my boss.

What is the reason you never started your own business?

and respected employees.

Must have been before my time.

It is what it is. It's about what you make of it.

Your boss purchased cheap Chinese Kurt knock off vises and told you he got a deal?

You work for an idiot like Joe788 and don't feel like waiting around for the bankruptcy sale / making machine gun parts that get sold to Mexican drug gangs?

You won't be able to handle the competition.

Whatever.

Jon Banquer San Diego, CA

Kaizen or Lean or Deming's 14 points or common sense on steroids are just labels for a successful philosophy. Elimination of wasteful activity and continuous improvement will improve anyone's life in any direction they apply it. It is a mind set you already have if you are an athlete or musician or artist or anyone who adopts interests that take a long time to learn. You can find this philosophy in any sports psychology motivational book. Hell, it is the core of all motivational books from Sun Tzu to Tony Robbins. Any improvements you make on yourself to better your work environment are a win win scenario. The skills you build are yours to sell to the company that appreciates them. No employer rewards useless non learning, non improving loads except the Government. In order to prevail in the private sector you have to continually improve or you will find yourself like Cliff. Professionally extinct. (Sorry Cliff, I like to use a member of the class as an example, nothing personal.)