New Links

I've got a couple of new links, both rugby and operations:

New Operations Links:

This is an excellent blog I found; LearnSigma. It's a blog about Lean and Six Sigma. It has some excellent posts and some excellent links. Definitely check this out. And if you're looking for some simple, but very effective, lean games to use in your training, here's a link to one of his posts that I found very useful. I used both the Nickel Game and the Dollar Game in the Lean Seminar I just gave in Tucson and they were quite effective - and fun. Very simple and easy, but clearly illustrate some of the Lean principles I was reviewing. And the best thing is all you need is some coins. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars buying some lean board games that some people are selling. Also, I love the videos of the demonstration of these games.

I'm also adding a link to the Tucson Chapter of APICS. I presented a seminar for them yesterday, and Introduction to Lean seminar. I titled it Leaning Towards Excellence. I also gave a presentation at their dinner meeting. That was titled Selecting the Right Tools for the Job, which is based on my book. I recorded the presentation, and sent the audio and the slides to the Tucson Chapter, so check in on their site and look for both the audio and slides of the presentation. I started this with the Mission Peak Chapter of APICS, and they're now recording all their speakers and posting the presentations on their website. I did a presentation for them earlier this month. The audio wasn't working that night, so I re-recorded the audio in my "personal studio" (i.e. my hotel room). Check in on their website for that presentation - Lean & Six Sigma: Working Together.

I'm going to post these presentations to my website, so check there too. The wifi connection is a little slow here at times (I'm on the road), so it might take me a couple of days to get it up there.

Next up is a blog dedicated to the music business; Your Music Business. The gentleman who authors the blog, Liam Abramson, contacted me because he wants to post an article that I wrote on his website (he has an arts business consultancy, focusing on the music business); Tips for Managing Your Small Non-profit Organization.

New Rugby Links:

I found this blog a while ago, but didn't add the link because the posts were so old; Coaching Rugby. But now Just Call me Coach has been making posts. Her posts are quite good, and she has some great links to excellent rugby coaching resources. Rugby coaches should definitely read this blog, and all ruggers should check it out too. Well worth your time.

I was just contacted today to join this Yahoo Group; World Rugby Masters. This is a group, from "Trapper" Dan, dedicated to Masters Rugby, also known as Old Boys or Old Farts. There are different groupings, but generally Master Rugby is considered over 35 years old. I'd love to play some rugby again (when I get in shape), but if I do it would have to be Old Boys. Don't let that fool you. When I first started playing rugby and still in my teens, one of the best players I met was about 50 years old. Jim Sims (sp?), first of Durango, then Santa Fe. He was one of the toughest guys I ever met, not very big, but solid, and it felt like you were running into a rock when you tackled him. He's the one who taught me how to tackle. We asked him to come down to Socorro to help us out, and he spent one night giving us some tips. I remember the tackling drills. It must have worked. When I moved to Albuquerque and started playing club rugby, for a good team (Albuquerque Aardvarks), my tackling skills were noticed. I had to fight for my position (number 6, or blind side flanker) with one of the fittest and best rugby players I knew. I finally won the starting spot, but in tournaments we often alternated games. I remember, though, in one tournament I was selected to play in the finals when it was the other gentleman's turn. I was selected for my tackling skills, that would be especially needed against the team we were playing in the finals. Sure made me feel good.

So, I'm still in Tucson, Arizona. It was cold the first couple days I was here, but it's been warming up since. I went on the downtown walking tour today, with my wife's aunt. It was great fun. I'd never walked around downtown before. Found some new coffee shops and restaurants. I love Tucson.