I am still smiling after spending time together in Milwaukee! I love seeing our AME family come together- reconnecting with friends, welcoming new faces, and learning from people who are so willing to share their experiences. You make this community special, and I came home grateful and energized.
With Veterans Day this week,I also want to pause and thank the men and women who have served our country.Growing up in an Army family, I learned early about service, sacrifice, and looking out for one another. Moving often taught me how to adapt, make new friends, and appreciate the people who help us feel at home. Thank you, Dad,for your service and for the lessons that have stayed with me throughout my life.
At AME, respect for people includes deep appreciation for veterans of every branch of our armed forces. We offer complimentary AME membership to veterans, and we welcome the experience, leadership, and commitment they bring to our community. If you are a veteran, or know someone who is, please help us spread the word. We would be honored to have you join our AME family.
I also came home to an inbox that apparently did not realize I was at a conference! We return with wonderful ideas and the best intentions. Then the meetings begin, something needs our attention, and those ideas start moving down the list. So, how do we keep that Milwaukee excitement going? For me, it starts with making time to work on the business, even as we manage the daily demands of working in the business.
We all know those daily demands: serving customers, meeting deadlines, answering questions, and supporting our teams. And, borrowing a little “Yes, and” from Jon Colby, we also need to step back and ask: Why does this problem keep coming back? What could we do differently? What are the people doing the work trying to tell us?
I have said, “We’ll get to that when things slow down.” And there always seems to be something else waiting. We have to make time for improvement and give our teams the opportunity to do the same.
Throughout my career, I was fortunate to work alongside people on production floors, learning to run a machine and seeing what it took to make everything from automotive fuel injectors, business system machines to Navy ships and submarines. Some of my most valuable lessons came from those experiences.
That same willingness to learn from one another was everywhere in Milwaukee. People shared what worked, what did not, and what they were still trying to figure out. Those honest conversations are such an important part of AME.
And watching our Emerging Leaders graduate was especially meaningful to me. I am so proud of them! They are talented, thoughtful, and ready to contribute. We need to give them room to lead, support their ideas, and sometimes remind ourselves to step out of the way. I am excited to see where they take us.
As you settle back into your routines, start with one idea from the conference. Talk about it with your team, ask what they think, decide together what to try, and make time to see what you learn. I would love to hear what you put into practice!
And please keep learning with us. Our upcoming AME events, conferences, summits, and workshops offer more opportunities to connect, share, and keep that momentum going.
Since it’s Friday the 13th, before you blame bad luck, look at the process! That recurring problem may need a few good questions more than a lucky rabbit’s foot. Besides, with our AME family beside us, I already think we’re pretty lucky!
To all our veterans and the families who support them, thank you.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
