life is a series of lessons: learn to lead
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
To earn their first car, each of my sons worked one full summer with me to make the money needed to buy their first car. I agreed to match their contributions dollar for dollar.
They were allowed to spend 35% of their earnings on whatever they wanted. The remainder was for their new car. They had discretion over that 35% and they also understood its value as part of their total buying power for a car. Choices
This taught them the value of earning and achieving long-term goals and the cost of short-term immediate wants.
They were about to learn a million more life lessons in that short summer of working with me. The workday started at 06:00 am. We arrived every day at 05:45 am, on time, AND after the gym of course.
Discipline, Training, and Habits
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
Every day of that 'rites of passage' Bootcamp summer started exactly the same way. By being woken up at 03:00 am and then going to the gym from 04:00-05:30 am.
The gym taught them discipline, accepting feedback & correction, obedience to orders, proper form, how to struggle on their own, learning their own strength, and the joy of overcoming weaknesses.
It also taught them that failure is natural to the process of learning and growing stronger. To become more capable, you will always have to give your best effort and keep trying. Never quit, never surrender. Just keep working the problem!
They also learned that life doesn’t care about how you feel or how tired or sore you are today, these are still your Sets & Reps! Embrace the suck, quit whining, and get on with it.
Learning & Earning
Value of Goals & Priority of Plans
Quality & Operations
They were assigned to our Quality Department as temporary intern staff each summer. Their primary role was the manual entry of data from handwritten information into Microsoft Excel sheets.
Anyone who has ever had to accurately enter 10’s of thousands of manual entries into spreadsheet cells knows the pain of that process and the willpower required to keep going.
Now imagine you're 15 1/2 years old, and it's 08:30 am, and you've been awake since 03:00 am, and it's your summer off from school. I'm so glad they still love me and appreciate those lessons and experiences. lol. Semper Fi, sons.
They also learned the value and necessity to be effective and efficient in their tasks, especially if those tasks suck, so they can be done with those chores quickly and move on to better tasks and activities. More great lessons. Sets & Reps!
Quality & Operations
Quality & Operations
They were eventually assigned to observing, researching, and defining tasks and processes for documenting best practices in procedures, collecting cycle times, and investigating waste or errors in manufacturing departments.
They learned the value of inspections and the cost of poor quality to the customer. That every order entered, and every product made in manufacturing was measured against a standard and any product that failed to meet the standard was reworked to meet the standard or replaced with new product.
They learned how work (value to the customer) and information flowed through the sales, purchasing, inventory, scheduling, manufacturing, finished goods, loading, and shipping processes and people.
They also learned that clear and simple procedures, training to required competencies, and measuring to established standards were the actual drivers of effective workflow, quality and profitability. Not speed, workarounds, or numbers to goals.
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement
They kept returning each summer after that despite the same awful hours.
As their skills, experience, and understanding improved, they were delegated to more interesting and challenging opportunities. This ranged from root cause analysis for paint quality issues to simplifying processes to improve flow and decrease errors, to building online ordering systems for our customers.
They learned how to ask good questions with customers for understanding and to seek and collaborate with experts in the process or task to document their requirements, competencies and best practices.
They learned how to observe and follow the flow of work and tasks through the process and evaluate its effectiveness and efficiencies by inspecting the waste or inventories before or after the process.
They became effective at learning quickly and applying effectively.
People & Influence
Continuous Improvement
Bartering for favors.
They had to learn how to lead and influence by example and serving, and without authority, or invoking my name. They represented an image of me, and they had to earn their own respect and value from others by setting the proper example in their own bearing, initiative, courage, knowledge and skills.
They proved to be as clever and as resourceful as I had hoped, and I am proud of each of them. They learned how to improvise, adapt, and overcome well. From buying someone a soda to persuading someone in the front office to get them a T-shirt for the guy in production who is providing the original favor, they learned how to effectively lead and influence people to great outcomes.
They also learned the value of giving away all of the recognition to others in honor of their efforts, favors, and insights. Always share the treasure.
They became self-reliant, resourceful, confident, humble, helpful and useful.
They stayed on, working through and after college, and created careers for themselves and others.
random X (ExECUTIVE)
gillette, chris g.
Chris Gillette served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to1995 and served at Anlin Windows and Doors from December 1999 until the selling of the company in November 2021.
As Vice President of Operations and Technology his primary role at Anlin was analyzing strategic business needs and identifying, defining, and developing the business systems and operational capabilities necessary to ensure Anlin continued to grow and become the leading premium replacement window brand in California.
His perseverance for excellence is unmistakable as he constantly questions the status quo, methodically seeks improvement opportunities, and requires all stakeholders to be accountable for results.
His leadership skills are undeniable as he consistently pushes the envelope by leading employees and teams to achieve their potential.
During his 21-year career with Anlin, Mr. Gillette’s leadership was instrumental in the selection and development of the people, processes and teams capable of the designing and establishing of a fully integrated ERP and Online Ordering System, Quality Management System, and developing leadership and business management training for all leaders at Anlin from executives to floor supervisors.
These initiatives resulted in best practices for effective leadership, supplier & customer partnerships, simpler ordering process interactions, budget and process management, accurate reporting and costing, lean and safe workflow processes, and quality in each department from manufacturing to warranty, support, and admin.
Mr. Gillette trained and mentored his sons through the business, teaching them all the principles of his book to follow, lead, influence, and problem-solve in the fast-paced environment of complex manufacturing processes, suppliers, customers and their technology and people interfaces. One of his greatest achievements is that his sons still like and love him after years of working with him. They continue to work together helping people and businesses successfully define their goals and get after them using effective discipline, training, and habits.
Aren’t you chasing dragons and treasure?
- be that random X variable
about THE BOOK
The story of SET THE EXAMPLE, and Random X
The book started as the standard business card and coffee cup idea. You know, those ‘leave-behinds” we all get from vendors. We also know where those items end up. The card gets trashed, and the cup gets lost, or it gets moldy. Bad endings for both.
Hmm, what could I leave behind for people that would add value to them? Not just as a gift, but something of lasting value, encouraging and sharable. What would be useful to the people I would want to work with? How would I get a chance to sit down with them, and even then, how could I even possibly explain everything I understand in a way that would be helpful or encouraging? How would I know who I wanted to work with. What if they don't like my style, and I don't like theirs?
Also, how would I separate myself from every other Random Executive (Rx) consultant, mentor or any vendor who is also trying to get their time and attention?
That started the pamphlet idea. A small 10–15-page outline on the basic principles of leadership that I use, and as they were taught and demonstrated to me. I figured this was a good topic since leadership is responsible for all outcomes, good and bad. Seemed simple and applicable enough.
Simple, is never easy. That pamphlet became an 80-page, 20,000-word dragon, a publishing company, and a whole lifetime of new adventures in a short period. Semper Gumby and Sets & Reps! Moreover, a personal thanks to my sons, friends and mentors who endured the early versions of my fight with this dragon and that word salad. Their hard work and honest and objective feedback are how the book was accomplished. Success is a team effort!
The treasure from that dragon? I can now have a 2 hr. 22-minute conversation with people, in their own time, pace, and need. I hope you and everyone finds something useful and helpful in its pages and lessons. Not just business leaders, but moms and dads, pastors, doctors, teachers, students, and anyone else trying to lead themselves through this crazy life towards their own great stories.
Every team, family, church, and government are a reflection of their leadership and the standards that those leaders uphold, follow and align to.
We can all learn to lead and influence by example. Become the Standard, and Set the Example.
Good luck, and Semper Gumby (always improvising, adapting, and overcoming)
Semper Fi
Rx
