Elliot Price, Augusta Regional Manager at GaMEP

In this episode, we welcomed Elliot Price, Augusta Regional Manager at Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), and a seasoned leadership and organizational development expert with more than 41 years of experience teaching Quality Management Systems, communication, and leadership principles to organizations across industries.

Our conversation explored the human side of leadership, performance, and organizational growth. Elliot shared insights on why individuals must understand their personal “deep end of the pool” — identifying the areas where they possess true strengths and expertise versus areas where they only have surface-level familiarity. He emphasized that self-awareness is foundational to both personal effectiveness and long-term professional success.

We also discussed the challenge many professionals face in becoming overly consumed by work while neglecting relationships, personal growth, spirituality, and life outside the workplace. Elliot explained how maintaining balance creates healthier leaders, stronger decision-making, and more sustainable success over time.

A major theme of the discussion centered on communication and human behavior. Elliot shared how understanding different personality types can dramatically improve teamwork, leadership effectiveness, conflict resolution, and workplace collaboration. He reinforced that strong leaders learn to adapt their communication style to connect more effectively with others.

The conversation also explored empathy in leadership. Elliot discussed how great leaders learn to “walk in another person’s shoes” while still maintaining accountability and performance expectations. He explained that empathy is not weakness — it is the ability to understand perspectives, build trust, and create environments where people can perform at their best.

Another important topic was organizational change and resistance to uncertainty. Elliot provided practical insights into how leaders can introduce positive change in ways that reduce fear, encourage buy-in, and help people feel included in the process rather than threatened by it.
We also examined the evolution of leadership itself. Rather than leaders needing to have all the answers, Elliot emphasized the growing importance of asking thoughtful questions. He explained how curiosity, listening, and inquiry-driven leadership create stronger engagement, better problem-solving, and healthier organizational cultures. Elliot shared how leaders can apply this principle in today’s diverse and fast-paced workplaces by recognizing individual motivations, communication styles, and personal needs.

This episode delivers practical leadership wisdom, communication strategies, and timeless insights for anyone seeking to become a more effective leader, teammate, and human being.

Transcript

Speaker 0:05

Welcome to the Forged by Design Podcast. This is your host, Daniel Badillo. Thank you so much for all your support. I really appreciate your comments. Of course, you can find us on YouTube, Forge by Design, or through Apple Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. So once again, thank you so much. Today, again, it's a great event, it's a great moment because we have a pioneer in the industry, a man of great wealth that I had the privilege and the honor to meet. And yes, I was one of his students and pupils regarding leadership, communication, and all these uh automotive uh uh necessities that we need to have in order to become better managers and of course better co-workers. Without further ado, Mr. Elliott Price. Thank you, appreciate that. Yes. He is the uh Augusta Regional Manager for Georgia MEP, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership. You got it. That is one long acronym, but I think I've got it packed down. And uh without further ado, thank you so much for the for the honor. Oh, thanks for the for the privilege of being here. Tell us a little bit about yourself, about your career, and how did you uh ended up empowering such a multitude of uh professionals throughout your career?

Speaker 3 1:24

Oh, that that I appreciate. That seems to be uh one of the things that uh I pride myself on is is uh is actually being able to see the light bulb go off and the people I work with. It's uh but anyway, to give you some background to it. I graduated from Georgia Tech uh back in 1976, before many of your uh watchers were even born. Uh-huh. But I got my degree in industrial industrial engineering. Industrial engineering. And my first job out of school was in Chicago. In Chicago. That's a pretty cold band. I went down there on January the 4th, I can remember it, just riding down uh the street, right down Lake Lake Shore Drive. And uh did a little skid for the first time when I was uh on some ice, my first time seeing ice or driving on ice. But basically, I went to a place that I didn't know I knew nobody, and I had an opportunity to be a frontline supervisor for a folding carton operation called Mead Mead Packaging Paper Company. And uh fortunately, I had a couple people who took me under their wings and uh made me feel comfortable. And so I guess the first thing I learned from all that is that you know, um don't get down. You have to have an attitude uh to succeed. Absolutely. And uh from that, uh I met the uh the local police department there in Lansing, where I was living, and uh got involved with them with softball and and and social. And so that's the same. I was I was quite a sports person, yes. As a matter of fact, I um I had a full scholarship to Georgia Tech. Oh wow, and I played at Georgia Tech all my years and I started for three years. Oh, outstanding. So yeah. What position did you play? I played tight end, tight end, yeah. I was I was actually uh just to give you an idea of of uh what drives me. Um the first year I was there, um there was too much competition, and the coaches says, You're not gonna play here. So I spent time going to the games and spending time in the in the stands watching the players and saying, I'm never gonna, but I recognized what I needed to have in order to play. Sure. So I started working out with weights, and I also um at that time uh learned to block because I had to uh be on the dummy team against the first team defense for a whole year. Wow. And uh fortunately, uh Pepper Rogers came and uh Pepper Rogers was looking for a um a guard uh to play tight end, basically somebody who could block and had some speed. Wow, it turned out perfect for me, but it would never have happened if I hadn't you know persisted, yes, you know, prepared myself. Correct, prepared myself, and so uh it was it was it was a great experience.

Speaker 3:56

Well, uh you know, I gotta I gotta see some of these photos now. I'm very intrigued and curious about this young Elliott Price. That was that's outstanding. Yeah, and so uh from the the the meat packaging, what what what uh position did you have?

Speaker 3 4:10

Uh I was I was a frontline supervisor, frontline supervisor supervisor. It was a folding carton operation. So if you can think of a blank carton going down a machine that uh all of a sudden you have different folds and then you have some gluing that occurs, and by the time that the the blank comes to the end, it's a carton such as a beer, uh a case of beer or coca-cola, where you have a six-pack of coke. A lot of automation, a lot of automation to it, yes. A lot of automation to it. It was you had a feeder and then the line itself would do the folding for you. And so uh I was I was operated that. And I guess one of the my first learning experience was as that frontline supervisor. I had one of the uh operators, um, and I was I I wanted to prove myself, you know. Sure. It was at my first job out of school, so I wanted to prove myself. And um uh uh he and uh he pulled me to the side and he says, you know, you're working awful hard out here. Uh if you can rely on us a little bit, I guarantee you you'll get more out of us. Wow. And so I learned to begin with to rely on those individuals who I'm working with. Sure, synergy teamwork, synergy teamwork, and and just the the the um um um uh exactly synergy and teamwork was was what I realized. And that and also I also realized that there had to be trust between those you're working with in order for you to get the most out of those individuals.

Speaker 5:31

Absolutely. You know, uh John C. Maxwell, he he's he talks a lot about influence. Like you have to have influence with your peers in order to create that environment, that atmosphere where there's mutual collaboration, uh, there's trust, uh, open dialogue, open communication, honesty, all those things. And those things do not happen overnight. I wish, I wish that as a quality, a young quality manager, I knew all these things, but I honestly learned uh in the trenches. I learned by doing a lot of mistakes, and I think uh the good Lord blessed me with a lot of people that had a lot of patience with me, you're right. Uh the seniority, people like yourself that if if you were if you were uh saw the the young Daniel, you would have saved, let me let me give this uh this young uh engineer foot pointers in order to to uh create a team environment. So after that, how how what was the trajectory to get all the way here to George MEP?

Speaker 3 6:28

Well, I I I was I was fortunate to be able to uh get a promotion at that time back to Atlanta, whereas where my family was at. And I I became an industrial engineer there and did a lot of industrial engineering projects. So I I was I was able to understand um um all aspects of of the manufacturing environment and uh working with ways to improve those processes. And so uh from that then I I had I uh uh took a leadership role in the in the local industrial engineering chapter and uh met uh individual uh uh name was Sherman. I'll have to give him credit for it. And he says, you know, I think you would enjoy working for Georgia Tech. And uh so he enticed me to leave a good company, a good uh a good job, and then uh become part of Georgia Tech.

Speaker 7:15

And how many years has that been?

Speaker 3 7:17

Uh 41 years. Oh, wow. 41 years, yes, yes. And a lot of things have changed during that. It's a good word to use.

Speaker 7:28

Well, that's uh that's great seniority. First, uh, first of all, the uh the uh the ambience, the impact that you made and uh the contribution I'm assuming that you have made in Georgia Tech. It's I I have seen it. Um for those that don't know, uh he has been very impactful in in training some of my group, some of my team, and uh every time every experience, I think it has been two, two or three. I think two two times two times.

Speaker 3 7:53

We've been together twice, yes. Okay.

Speaker 7:55

Every time you have exited, uh everyone has has so many accolades uh about your training style, about how you can break a complex things into more simpler manner without using a lot of uh engineering jargon and terminology that may lose some of the the younger uh rookies and and uh new hires that we have, and uh they have embraced uh your training, so to speak. I also like the fact that you started uh we can say uh at a micro level and then working your way up to a macro level from uh frontline supervisor uh to now empowering and training people in different organizations, different backgrounds, and and how uh the exposure on the operation side giving you greater context, an overview of of how things are run. Perhaps they may be different industry, medical or automotive, but pretty much, you know, they have uh process flow diagrams, they have PPAPs, they have work instructions, procedures, their communication issues, and and so forth. And how you're able to uh customize your training, I'm assuming you know, you've you've seen people from different age groups, different backgrounds, and all that. And how how have you been able to adjust and accommodate and find what you the youth call your own mojo, your own style of training?

Speaker 3 9:20

Yeah, well, fortunately, working with Georgia Tech, uh naturally a lot of our courses uh um are made so that we're presenting three or four different ways. We know those people who like to have hands-on. And so we have some kind of interactive type of uh training that goes along with it. Uh uh exercises and things like that where people have to be involved. Some people just like to be lectured to. Uh, some people like to be included, some people like to sit on the sideline. Sure. So it's the biggest thing is is being able to come into a class and identify the people that are in your class. And if you're if you if you're truly uh committed to uh providing information that's gonna be of value to them and have them accept that, you have to accept that on their terms. Sure. So a big part of that is to understand those people. There's some people who like to be engaged and and to to be involved in the process. Um, and so uh I let them participate. A lot of times, peer-to-peer opportunities gives them a chance to to uh other to learn from them.

Speaker 10:19

Yeah, sure. There are people that are extroverts and introverts in between. Exactly. Well, one of my one of my greatest fears, uh, again, I've been in quality insurance for uh well, quality management operations for quite some time. And uh when we bring people in, I I I like to gauge the room and you say that. It doesn't matter, you know, there's a lot of nervousness sometimes, even with senior uh engineers or functional managers, uh line supervisors, there's always that nervousness about how is this uh instructor uh going to uh conduct this training? Yes. Uh how much uh paperwork are we going to receive or forms we have to fill out? Is he going to put me on the spot? And uh and for those that are maybe uh don't have a lot of public speaking or shy, they don't want to be put in front or or use as an example. How how are you able to accommodate? So you read the room, the first thing you do, read the room. Do you and and once you I guess know your audience, uh how do you how do you develop that trust within that group?

Speaker 3 11:23

Well, um uh the the biggest thing in in developing the trust is in uh initially uh getting an opportunity for the individuals to communicate a little bit about themselves. Okay. And just in their ability to go around the room and say your experience, what you're doing now, and uh and and something that nobody else knows about you. You you can gain a lot of knowledge about those individuals, uh especially in their hobbies, uh those that enjoy uh doing uh volunteer work, uh, and you can you can tell those people who who like to help others. So you you uh you kind of uh kind of identify that up front by uh by uh having them communicate and understand them too. So that's the biggest, that's one way of doing that. There's also some some processes that you can do because a lot of times some of the quiet people really have a lot to say. As a matter of fact, you meant you mentioned the different kinds of people. Um I I break it into four groups, you know. You have you have expressive people, expressive people who are really goal-oriented and but love to be in the end zone with everybody holding up the ball when they score.

Speaker 12:28

I think I think that's me.

Speaker 3 12:30

I think we're both in the same category. I think that's that's what that's and and I and I and I have a lot of I look at you very very as as a as a top manager. I see how you treat your people and how you deal with your people. And I think that's exemplary. Um, so anyway, so you have people like that. Then you have people who are drivers who are still goal-oriented, but they'd rather be in the end zone by themselves, you know, holding that ball up, and that's as long as they score. I'm I'm happy with that. Then you have the analytical people who just love numbers. Absolutely. And you you can tell you can tell those people in the in the in the group because they're always asking questions, not particularly about learning the subject, but just something relating to uh details, percentages, statistics, a lot of people. They'll say, uh, you know, uh you you missed a you misspelled a letter in in the documents that we hand you to you, you know, things like that. But the person that's most valuable to an organization, and and what I think uh you can set up processes to uh uh provide allow those people to speak up is the amiable person. Amiable person is a very people-oriented individual, uh, but doesn't really have a lot of goals. They just want to see the family stay together. And those are the quiet ones you see, uh, the ones that are sitting around. But guess what? While everybody else is talking, those amiable people are listening.

Speaker 13:48

Nice.

Speaker 3 13:49

And because of that, they get they have a lot of knowledge. So one of the tools we use all the time when we when in in a in a in an environment like this is um is the ability to do brainstorming. And the rules for that is that everybody can give one idea at a time and we we go around the room. Correct. Therefore, those amiable people have the ability without stepping on anybody's toes to present their information and how they they see about feel about things. That's a whole different perspective about the subject matter. A whole different perspective, and it's amazing the out of out-of-the-x kind of uh thoughts that they have. Sure. So there are different tools you can use to allow you to get everybody to participate. But then again, also from a trust standpoint, if if I see that somebody's uncomfortable, for example, I I had some training today uh in the class, there was a couple of people who you could tell were very amiable and and um and uh and a real nervous because they were with some of their peers. And so um uh I any vi so instead of instead of saying it's your turn, I said any volunteers. Okay. Just to give them a chance to so they don't didn't have to to be imposed on and and and feel uncomfortable. Right. Because I didn't want to lose them either.

Speaker 14:58

So there are there are classes I know that you go to to educate on a specific subject matter. Have there been uh occasions where you're actually brought in as a subject matter expert to solve any specific goals? Um uh called Demaic or design issues or process issues, communication issues, uh that will say, you know, Elliot, we have we have uh an opportunity, not to say a problem. We have yes, we have an opportunity. Definitely how how can uh you steer us in order or uh you know get the group together uh in order to steer us toward a viable, feasible, practical solution.

Speaker 3 15:34

Yeah, and and then there's techniques for doing that too. Um I understand the process of Demaic. I understand the process of root cause analysis. Correct. I don't understand the process of the of the organization I'm going into. That's interesting. I do not know I do not know their processes, I do not know their systems, how they're set up. Uh therefore, uh when I go into a company and do a there's a there's a term called a Kaizen or study uh to try to improve a process, uh, it's a team effort.

Speaker 1 16:05

Absolutely.

Speaker 3 16:06

I am I uh we we make sure, first of all, the right people are gonna be part of that team, and and and we would facilitate the process of of uncovering uh whatever the problem is. And that's a wonderful opportunity. It's a wonderful thing to do with exciting ideas. Brainstorming, brainstorming, cause and effect diagrams, looking at it closely.

Speaker 16:25

Um, but but mostly is is just having people uh communicate and participate because when people uh sorry that that can get out of control because I'm gonna tell you one of the mistakes I made as you're talking and and because uh one of the mistakes I made, I always try to find find out the why we're doing this, right? We come together, we yes, we have uh uh an opportunity root cause analysis, but uh when I've asked what what is your your uh the the outcome, everyone would go more so sometimes on a negative rant or tone instead of being objective about the why we're here together to solve the issue. Have you had opportunities, uh situations like that where yes, we're doing a root cause analysis, a tree diagram, and suddenly uh the the I'm not sure if the expressive or the data analytics would say this has never worked.

Speaker 3 17:21

Usually it's the individual whose whose needs aren't being met. Like the drive if I'm not letting the drivers participate, sure, then like they can derail it real quickly. Okay because they'll take it down a different path than it's supposed to be. Okay. So initially, I think you mentioned the objective is important. Absolutely. The why the why, the why are why are we why are we coming together and what are we trying to solve? What are we trying to improve? Correct. And then the easy thing to do to begin with, in order to create that team, is let's define the current state. Absolutely. Where are we right now?

Speaker 17:52

Yes, and that's very hard because you know, when in the Demaic, it's all about defining, right? That that first stage. And uh you'd be surprised how how vague sometimes people present the the current state. My expectation is that we get to the nitty-gritty to you know, what is this current state? Because if we can't define the current state, how do we know what the future state looks like?

Speaker 3 18:16

What has to happen in order for us to get to that future state? Correct. So define the current state. Then what? Define the current state, and which what you do then is we a lot of times we use post-its and we and we we subdivide the the process into smaller uh parts and and and can what they contribute to that overall process. So we do to get as much detail as we possibly can. Then we go through and try to get an idea of what the what the time is, what the resources are in that process. So we we can kind of define the current states from a from a people requirement standpoint, an equipment standpoint, and a time standpoint to be able to work through that that process. Absolutely. And from that then, uh we we we have a little bit of a brainstorming session of what is an ideal state? What would we what what would we like to be like? Sure. And and a lot of times sometimes we have to do some research and and and also bring in some outside experts who can give us a vision of what could happen.

Speaker 19:14

Absolutely, yeah.

Speaker 3 19:14

So somehow we have to have a new vision.

Speaker 19:17

Yes. So once we it has to be understood as well. Uh maybe the buy-in of the vision.

Speaker 3 19:23

Sure. The buy-in of the vision. So and and we do we we we we try to in our jobs is give companies a chance to interact with other companies that are possibly doing it at a higher level than they are. Sure. And so there's the peer-to-peer learning experience that that accompanies that. Sure. And so they come back with ideas, whether it's robotics or whether it's uh streamlined processes or or or whatever it may be. And uh so they have a future state then. And so everybody buys into that. Then as a team, because we've worked together at this point, and we hopefully we've gelled to a point where we see what our our what we're trying to accomplish is what has to change.

Speaker 20:01

Absolutely. Yes.

Speaker 3 20:02

And from that standpoint, we then have a uh we we try to um have a uh a process to control those changes and some kind of uh a management system to to look at those projects and and follow through one at a time and as we move towards that future state.

Speaker 20:18

And there's a lot of action items, uh whether be a Gantt chart, uh a PDCA uh plan, due check act, uh who's gonna do what, when, where, how, with whom, uh that those uh you know, evaluating the the results of certain actions that perhaps did not work. A lot of it it's time sensitive because sometimes there's a Kaizen blitz, right? Where you have one day, one or two day max, and you can go to do yes, something quick, maybe a quick 5S event, and then there's the long-term kaizans where uh it's uh where you bring outside contractors and resources, restructuring of a line, the line layout process flow. Uh, but if if uh when upper management it has has given you all the support and uh the resources and and the committed finances and so forth, right? Right, at least you're able to picture maybe mentally and see the light at the end of the tunnel of this vision. Uh there's a there's a passage of the Bible, write the vision, make it plain, so to speak. Uh so if uh you know you have to all always see it internally before you seize it, before you conquer it, before you do. So that's one of the things that uh it's a challenge to bring people from different academic backgrounds, different experience levels, yes, uh, from the operator level to senior management, functional manager, and have them all say, you know what, we're going to do this together, and we agree with the mile with the goals and objectives that that could be. Have you encountered in your lifetime people that you go in there with the go get spirit and suddenly there's a roadblock and uh maybe there's a disagreement, not necessarily With the team, but with the objectives um that uh they want to meet.

Speaker 3 22:04

Uh well we clearly want everybody to agree on the objectives to begin with. Um and then you also recognize that that does happen. Correct. Uh so we want to stay positive as our um efforts move towards uh whatever our future state wants to be. And so you could as a facilitator, and you have to have an individual in the in the group called a facilitator. Sure. That person knows the process. That person knows that we have to do an evaluation, a design, and then we have to then uh determine our future state and what action items have to occur. And and and and that and and along those lines. And if if there's if there's a veering off, there should be some ground rules that are established before you as you're starting the team.

Speaker 1 22:50

Sure.

Speaker 3 22:50

So that yeah, uh we we have some fun sometimes when we're sitting around a table. Um, I'll bring uh uh some marshmallows and put them in some bowls. And if somebody's veering off the off the uh the um uh the subject matter and just we just hit them with a couple of marshmallows to try to bring them back in line again, having fun. Yes, you want to make it fun too because you want those people to come back next time you have a have another kaizen and they and and and and value their time and value the individuals. So yeah, there's things you can do to try to control um uh the negative or the um individuals who are trying to uh off get you off track.

Speaker 23:29

Yeah, that's that storming, forming, norming. Exactly. You understand those things actually. Absolutely. You know, ground rules for me are are very important. Sometimes uh we we in general make um I will not say the mistake, but sometimes it's not in our radar uh about uh that there are ground rules that uh you know you're working in a professional ethical uh uh exactly and that uh we have goals and objectives to meet, and and time is money, right? Time the the essence of time.

Speaker 3 24:00

Uh how how do you put it one of the things that makes me think about it from a um uh religious standpoint is uh the individuals you put on the team, the individuals you get in in your organization should have the same values as each other. Absolutely. So we respect each other because of our values. And so a big part of that is is is is trying to put that team together that would have the values of working together and uh and becoming in the team players and excuse me, and the individuals are important uh uh in in in a team environment and respecting each other.

Speaker 24:34

That's that's that's very, very important. That's that's great to to remind ourselves uh the value of people in it's trust, it's synergies, mutual respect, it's understanding that uh, you know, despite the fact that we come from uh different departments, different roles and responsibilities within the the hierarchy or the the org chart of an organization, how we're able to bring cross-functional team players in order for a common goal. How the um there has to be like a hundred projects or a hundred visits as you have had in some of the 41. Uh, that's a lot of visits. How do you prepare how do you prepare yourself uh for these events uh mentally? Uh, you know, because may you may have been in a medical company doing some Kaizan or a team forming, building, whatever the subject matter is, then you're into automotive, and then you're here. You also have the challenge that you may go to a very elite company, a very senior company, and then there may be a mom and pop, there may be a company starter. Let's put it that way. Company starter. How do you prepare for those events uh mentally? Uh to charge yourself up to say, I'm gonna go. This is gonna be a three-day event. I need to make sure that I eat well, sleep well, go to the gym, maybe. How does Elliot prepare for that?

Speaker 3 25:54

Uh well, I I think uh uh my my preparation um in going to the different companies is first of all, I do some research on that company, so I have an idea of what they do. Sure. Uh so do a little bit of online uh reviewing, some Google searching and stuff of that sort. So I have a little bit of background too. I talk to them first of all and find out what their goals are to make sure that uh uh that I have the skills to to help them move from one level to the other. Um is it a quality issue? Is it an environmental issue? Is it you know those kind of things? Because my expertise personally, if I if you talk about uh the area that I've put a lot of my energy and time in the area that I feel like I can contribute, is in a quality management system, is in uh companies that are looking to looking at their customers and figuring out how better just to satisfy their customers or how to satisfy their customers. So a lot of my skills deal with that um along with problem solving too. So I guess in in preparation for going going to a company, um uh I guess you have to have a uh a personality that wants to learn. Yes. So I go in there with the with an attitude of I just don't know. I want to learn from y'all. Be curious. Be curious. And and companies love to when you come in there and don't act like a you know, act like you know everything. Professor, you know. I'm in there, I'm in there excited. Um I get I'm enthusiastic and I want to learn. And and and then as I learn, I can I can I can then um uh understand how the pieces come together, and there's a lot of tools you can use then to help support those tools. Um, you know, basically, um I I simplify life. I think I think we complicate things too much. Um when it comes to uh going into a company. I have I have mindsets for looking at resources, you know, all the things that that company needs to have in order to do their job. And it's the same for any company, whether it's a medical industry or whether it's uh um uh you know it's the military or anybody, is they have machines they deal with. They have materials that they have to have in spec. They have people that have to be competent in and caring. They've got methods that they have to follow. They have an in have to have an environment where it's conducive for people to want to get their job done. Absolutely. So it so all I do is go in there and look for those five things.

Speaker 28:15

Wow, that's that's that's that's a great, great um macro way of doing things. Yeah. Uh, you know, I've I've worked in the micro and the macro environments, and one of the things that uh that I do to understand a process, and this may you you may not uh be familiar with is called a sidepoc, a supplier input, process, output customer. It's looking at all the this what feeds this process from what angles, from the raw material side to the information side, all the all the logistics, not only from an entire assembly or process, but also working at a work cell level. You know, I've worked I've been in many companies where they where they have one assembly line, and either you have an automotive coming out of the assembly line, fully assembled and completed every uh five five to ten minutes, you know, it's what's called tag time, or a riding lawnmower, a company uh electrolux and smart and bird, or it's just like uh it I've had that opportunity, but what really impressed me about uh those uh companies is how the synchronization of effort of everybody working in that specific tag time. And when uh the worst thing would be to have an and-on, red and-on light on top of you. And you have to stop the line, right? Figure out, you know, what's what's going on in this specific area. Yeah, that's that's that's really great that that you do your res you do your research on the company, uh, you look at the objectives of the company, uh, know that uh there's uh similarities no matter what industry that you're in. That's right. And and finding out uh, you know, their why. You know, now we work, now we're talking about um uh singular and uh or specific individuals. And how do you how do you uh during your training, are there people that may be asking themselves, I know what my strengths are. How do I identify my weak areas? And how does Elliot help me identify and improve on my weaknesses? Your strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, your swamp. So I know what my strengths are. You said that you you do quality, you do uh quality management systems, processes. Now you have a professional before you saying, These are my strengths, but these are also my weaknesses. Can you assist me?

Speaker 3 30:34

Good, good point. I I guess first of all, uh in the weaknesses, what one of the questions we ask when we go into the companies is where's your pain?

Speaker 30:43

That's a good way of putting it.

Speaker 3 30:44

Where's your pain? Sure. And a lot of times that gives them the ability to not have to focus in on themselves, but focus in on the process that they're working in. Correct. Okay, so um uh for example, uh an individual who uh knows uh the knows the sell side of things, they know the financial side of the business, but they're having a difficult time with the people side of their business.

Speaker 1 31:09

Correct.

Speaker 3 31:09

And so when I ask them, what are their pains, they're gonna say, I just can't get I can't get people to to to communicate with me. And and so, or they can say um issues like, you know, you know, I'm I'm I'm I'm good at everything, but I try to do everything for everybody, right? And I'm just disorganized. Right. Okay, right. And so, or they would say something along the lines that um um, you know uh we we we can get it done, but um I have a I have a hard time with with people following the rules. You know, they just they they there's there's a there's an issue of the habits they have coming in, and I can't quite get them to follow the rules. Correct. And so from that standpoint, once you've once you identify what the pain is, there are tools that you can use as a as a consultant, as an individual coming in to help that will help them will help support their ability to do things that they're maybe they may not be the best at. Absolutely, yes. And so you you so you focus on that. For example, um organization. Um, you're very familiar with you mentioned 5S already. That's an organization skill. Everybody you say, what the heck is it? It's it's just a place for everything and everything in its place. You know, absolutely. Uh so you know, and and and that you allow allows you to sort things out, makes you uh you know, organize your area to be able to find things so you can help with their pain that way.

Speaker 32:32

And and the uh the auditing portion of it. I always say that a clean company is a safe company, right? Yes, yes. It's uh, you know, it's to me, uh, you know, working again at a micro level, you know, Rome was not built in a day. When I when I look at it on a micro level of an organization, you know, you find, okay, let's let's let's start with a project on a 5S project that is realistically doable. And when you start sorting and and and organizing and cleaning and and putting the uh your 5S stations with the broom, with the mop, or whatever the tools may be, uh and and the the the shadow boarding and s and so forth, when they when they see that before and after of that maybe a little area, they it's infectious. They they want to do the next area and they want to do the next area and and so forth. So I I understand that the that organizational portion of it and how valuable, how valuable it is.

Speaker 3 33:27

Yeah, but you yeah, yeah, so it's really coming in there and and and helping them solve a pain that they may have. So where is your pain? Where is your pain? That's the thing. I'm gonna have to put that on a t-shirt.

Speaker 33:38

Where is your I may I may be uh exposed to a lot of pain. I miss a lot of people.

Speaker 3 33:43

So it's it's it's in another word, just and and I like to call it an opportunity. Which your opportunity, but uh when when you're when you're dealing with with an individual who is trying to change, it it's uh you you you can put it in a little stronger way, so they recognize that this is something that that you you can you can view over time to see how if it's if if it's reducing that pain or not. Sure.

Speaker 34:05

And I think that a lot of the the situations may be somewhat similar no matter what industry. You know, the communication across crosses many industries and uh organizations likewise, and the more uh you get into the the FDA medical, you know, the clean rooms and and so forth, how more regulations and regulatory statutory uh requirements there there may be. So you you're working with these these individuals, and there has to be in every project uh what's called a work-life balance, right? Yes, yes, yes. And uh, we were talking before the the podcast, how I we all know of uh professionals who have rarely set into their careers 10, 20, 30 years, and have decided to go back to school, that continual education. Uh they have kids, they have a family, they have obligations, uh, they have uh significant responsibilities currently in their in their workplace. And how do how does does that work-life balance play in into an individual for them to continue to become effective and try to prevent that burnout? How does how would that work uh for that individual?

Speaker 3 35:19

Yeah. Well, I I think first of all, is you have to be honest with yourself and and and identify uh who you want to be. So what are the things that you feel um this place?

Speaker 35:38

Okay. Um delete that um details uh the videos and we'll send it. Okay, yeah. Uh no, no, no, no, yeah, just delete that. That's also no, we don't get that'll take about one one second. Yeah, that's good. That's good. That's why we have him there. And when we when we edit it, it will it will it will just continue. That's no problem. That's no problem. That's good because I I wanted to look at this uh this the stuff. So we are on a question number four. Um one of the greatest leadership skills is learning to walk in another person's shoes. So we can touch upon that about uh you leaving empowering someone in that organization and how that person has become sort of a trained trainer. So trained trainer. Number five, I've got um positive change is often difficult because people naturally resist uncertainty. Uh what are some practical leaders, uh leaders and individuals can create um you know, how do they navigate uncertainty? I I like the what you sent me. Says leaders today is evolving from having all the answers to asking the right questions. Yes, so this we're gonna we're gonna jump all over that. I'm gonna keep it here. So here we have um I don't know if we want to talk about the uh the TWI model.

Speaker 3 38:44

I've been listening listening to a lot of history and it's interesting. Was it World War I or World War II? World War II. Yeah, it was after Japan and sure, yeah. And so they had they had to had to um beef up their manufacturing quickly because they needed to uh get their ships ready to shut sail. And so they had people who typically never worked in manufacturing, and so they came up with a TWI.

Speaker 39:09

Oh, that's a uh see. I thought it was uh yeah, it looked even when I when I read into it very briefly, because I actually posted something on uh on LinkedIn about it, uh then I posted it what what it was. Um it's it seemed uh a system that was in its genesis state, so to speak, like uh to fill uh an immediate need, and then uh with the years it progressed and it got uh more in depth. So uh so it like you said, it was it was all about uh okay, we're gonna leave these these folks behind. Not all of them have been in leadership positions or anything like that, and and how do we uh go about that?

Speaker 3 39:49

Yeah, the job instructions, job methods, and job relations.

Speaker 39:52

So, yeah, those those three things. Methods, instructions, relationships. I like that. We're gonna talk talk about that. Uh says, in your opinion, what separates individuals who continuously grow and improve from those who remain stagnant in their personal professional development? You know, I've got uh I've met um I won't of course mention names, but you know, uh people that and I it could be with the amount of years, you know. Uh I know people in the in the hospitals where I've been a nurse for 30 years. You know, and that's all I want to do. I started off as a nurse in level one, thirty years have gone by, and I'm at uh level one again. Level one again.

Speaker 3 40:32

But uh that's that's again that goes into the the understanding of the individuals too and their goals and aspirations.

Speaker 2 40:40

Okay I'm just gonna start the recording here.

Speaker 40:48

Uh what what uh okay, so I'm gonna jump uh jump to okay, we can we can edit. I'm gonna jump to this question. Um the walking in somebody else's shoes question. You let me know what I mean. You deleted the other two?

Speaker 2 41:11

We have the uh hundred games. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 41:17

And and and you'll see then one one once we what we do is we cut this area, charge it. Like nothing happened. Let me know where we're at and while you do you want to uh okay. It's still running. Okay. Okay, so you start this. Okay. So I'm gonna say uh one I'm let me start saying one of the greatest leadership skills is learning to walk in another person's shoes. Okay.

Speaker 2 41:52

So you start the conversation like regularly.

Speaker 41:55

It's gonna be re it's gonna be regular. I'm gonna I'm gonna be looking at Elliot, Mr. Elliot. So one of the uh things that you do is prepare future leaders. You empower of all the group, of all the candidates that are there. There's always that one person that says, you know, I definitely want to grow, I definitely want to uh move forward. And it's more like a train-to-trainer where you equip this individual, uh, give them all the tool sets, uh, give them that little bit extra time. Right, right. And then this person it has the accountability, maybe the responsibility to to empower others. Have you had cases like that where you have moments where uh you've been brought in you to teach, to instruct, but then there's the you set time aside to um to instruct.

Speaker 3 42:48

Yeah, well, uh I that's that's that's probably the the the the biggest uh feedback I get. Uh not feedback I get most of the that what what uh excites me most about my work is the opportunity to see others and see the light bulb go off. Okay. Uh that's the passion I have, that's the interest I have. Um I'm not gonna be around that much longer as far as work is concerned. I'll probably have four more years than and that's my wife says. So you don't you don't want to do another tape? My wife says less than that, but uh because we we I think we uh our goal would be to move towards our grandkids and they're they're in another location. So um, but anyway, um to be able to do that though, uh we have to first of all what I've what I've realized, you have to first do is understand what it's gonna take for that person to excel in the in the area that they're trying to grow in. Correct. So from that standpoint, you we want to be able to identify what are the skills, what is the what is the individual's um uh capabilities need to be in order for them to be successful and thrive in that environment. Correct. And so by identifying what the skills are, then as we meet the individuals, I meet the individuals and and and learn about them. And uh, you know, the important thing is to be able to. I know we've probably talked about this some other time, but the issue of walking into somebody else's shoes. Correct. The more I can understand what it is to be in their shoes and understand where they've come from and what their experience has been, it gives me an idea to understand where they fit into the skill set that they need to have in order to excel at the next level.

Speaker 44:21

Oh, outstanding. So whatever their goals, they have obviously some responsibilities within the group and they want to improve themselves to train, get the material to train others, but they also have personal aspirations, uh perhaps for promotion or just to become uh a more effective employee, more effective leader, and so forth. There's a there's a something that you said that I wrote down. It says, leaders today, leadership today is evolving from having all the answers to asking the right questions. Now that was very that was a very impactful sentence. How can you elaborate on that, please?

Speaker 3 45:00

I'm jealous of you, of your books. I have a book inside of me, okay, and that's what it's all about.

Speaker 45:04

Oh, really?

Speaker 3 45:05

Yes, I'm not sure if it'll ever come out. Maybe I can talk you into writing one way or the other. I can I can help you out with that, absolutely. But anyway, uh yeah, the the the um uh as I mentioned before. The ability to identify uh an individual and their strengths and where they're at right now and understand what is that what it is that they have to acquire in order to to to to develop themselves and grow within the organization, is also about the ability to not come in and be the one that gives them all the answers. You need to do this, you need to do this, you need to do this. Uh that that's more of a manager that would that would kind of lay that groundwork out. What motivates a person is when a person is has um has uh understands that they can accomplish those things, that they can grow. Therefore, to help them in that path, knowing the right questions, knowing where this should be in my mind, and how do I lead them towards that direction? Okay, and it and for them to be able to actually uh take it into their heart, they need to be the ones to discover it. So asking them the questions allows them to walk that path and uh and and and learn that on their own. Outstanding. And so once once once they're able to gain that passion and that understanding and what it's gonna take, uh they're they're motivated then. Um I guess we we could we could one of the things we haven't talked about in and is this habits, the habits people have. Oh, absolutely, yes. So uh when I when I talk about walking in somebody else's shoes, is a lot of times individuals have habits that are detrimental to their ability to grow in the organization. Can you elaborate on what at least one of them um failure to communicate, I guess it's a good thing. Well, it could be failure to communicate, but but the worst thing is is is to not have trust in their management because they've been with an individual who has always told them what to do and never engaged them and made them feel um valued. Made them feel valued. So, you know, the biggest thing that I I can think of, so by by allowing them to asking them the questions, let them learn and grow, um, it shows to them that I value them and and and and allowing them to learn on their own.

Speaker 47:27

Oh, absolutely. That's that's a great perspective because uh one of the things that I had to adjust is the fact that again, that because people come from different organizations that perhaps did not have the culture, the skill sets, the camaraderie, the synergy, uh, may come to a new organization and have those habits, whereas they have done things so much uh in a way uh or expressed themselves or did not participate, failed to communicate and all that. And sometimes as as a manager, trying to navigate those waters and and become uh empathetic in a sense that I'm the type of individual that I like to see the positive in everybody. You know, I see them uh as a diamond in the rough, so to speak. Yes, they have great hard skills, but there's some soft skills that they need to work on. And uh you you talked about finding the right tool sets on how to do this. Uh also age, age, um, age groups have also been uh a challenge for me because some it's easier for me, obviously, to speak at someone at my age andor at a lesser age. But then when you're speaking to uh uh an engineer that came back to the workforce and it's a 15 years you're senior, and that you're trying to say, hey, you point out some opportunities for growth, opportunities for this new culture or this new world that has different strategies, different mindset. We're talking about the technologically uh methods. We're working with AI now and all these other tools, that's robotics and all that, and they've got this old school mindset of how things should be done. Right. And I've always done it this way. For them to to acclimate and to be influenced uh to to to do right, to to join the group has always been a an art to to to for any manager. Right, right, right.

Speaker 3 49:25

And I think it goes back to uh being able to communicate to those individuals the why. Correct. You know, and and if if you if you can't explain to them the why, uh it's important for them to adventure into these new technologies, um and and and explain to them so they can they can they can buy into it. And then then from that standpoint, it's still very difficult because they're they're caught in their old ways, is to actually walk them through and nurture them and get them to uh express themselves as they go through that. So it really takes uh it takes a mentor to help somebody create a new habit. Correct. And and the only way the new habits are going to be created is by identifying for them and identifying the the why and also through through time, through uh through practice, through actually uh demonstrate doing it over and over again until it becomes a new habit.

Speaker 50:20

Do do you do you mentor? I mean, because you only have certain amount of days with with an individual. Do you have has have you in your profession, Georgia Tech, or you're in your profession, mentored someone a little bit longer?

Speaker 3 50:33

Uh those are the projects I really love. Okay. I've got a company in the Augusta area that uh has contracted me just to come in uh uh six times a year, every other month, and just have lunch with them. Nice. And it gives me a chance to to to uh pose to them some new tools, some new techniques, some new thoughts on how to treat people, especially the issue of of listening and and and the leadership role of engaging your people and making them feel valued.

unknown 51:03

Right.

Speaker 51:03

Correct. That's that's so important in any organization. What would you say? What would you say uh is is the difference between someone that has the uh aspiration and desire for continuous growth, continuous development, both professionally and personally, and that individual that is more so stagnant in a in a sort of mindset, you know, that perhaps they had great habits starting their career, uh, and then gradually throughout the years, for X X reason uh we don't know, but has remained stagnant. What do you think it differentiates between a powerful motivated leader with a mindset for growth and a person that said threw in the towel and said, I'm just gonna stay in this plateau?

Speaker 3 51:51

Well, uh there's there's a big uh that becomes challenging uh because those habits are hard to change and hard to break. Um if there's a place for those individuals in the organization where they can be stagnant and just perform work, that's that that's that's one thing. If it if if if there's if there's um a need for the company to put people in places where they're they're more accepting of change and and more accepting of um of of growth and and and learning new things, then uh then there just needs to be some honesty, really. Um in in which case uh either helping that individual um you know um with their career decisions, where they're where they're where they're gonna go, being honest with them, helping them out and do those things. So um then it becomes a why uh because uh if there's if there's an issue that the company uh is is moving in a direction and they don't want to move in that direction, um they they need to to to understand that the the company also has to survive too. So it it there there's there is there's there's a why saying um my job is gonna depend on it. Oh that's and just have to give them the the opportunity to understand that, be honest with them.

Speaker 53:10

So there's specific, I know there's an array of of strategies and methodologies from setting the the classroom to preparing the material to getting the feedback, finding that the difficult why am I here, why have I been brought in to to teach, to coach, to mentor. Then you find out their personality traits, uh their engagement level uh within that organization. And with I I think that that those specific maybe training blitz or the frequency visiting every other month uh gives you that that uh world of experience uh that you have so much uh so much experience to to enter into a new environment that despite the fact that you don't know the people, it might be a new company, it might be uh in a different area or a different industry, but your hex your experience over so many companies that you have worked, may perhaps nonprofit organizations, or have you been to to nonprofits? Yes, I have a for-profit, nonprofit, uh, and probably everything in between, small companies, maybe 30 from 500 or a thousand. What's the biggest company that uh that you have done?

Speaker 3 54:23

Well, we mean a lot of the companies now that we're working with, even in Augusta, uh working uh you know, a thousand employees, that kind of thing. Oh, a thousand employees. Uh the the issue is that one of the things that um Jordan Tech tries to do, and what I try to do, is stay ahead of the game when it comes to certain standards, certain changes that may occur. So that um when when when uh for example, the the the quality management system standard ISO 9001 now is gonna become uh moved from 2015 to 2026. Correct, yes. Until you're aware of that. So uh it's it's being able to help companies understand the the changes that occur. So it's it's it's it's being willing to change myself and to to stay ahead of the game and be and and uh and and have value in what I can offer the companies is is is the way to do that.

Speaker 55:09

Yeah, you know what one of the things that uh it was very interesting when we got the invitation to go to the boat. Yes, yes, yes, that was fun. Yes. That was uh um uh in the here in uh in Augusta, it was uh I'm not sure if I'm saying this correctly, it was a boat ride toward the canal, uh the ferry, whatnot, and how you were able to bring uh different uh operations managers, CEOs, uh functional managers all together for a meet and greet. And it was so beneficial because uh there was one of the exercises was what are your what's your why? What's your pain? You know, how can you grow? Exactly. And then within that small activity, what um action items and or activities, uh countermeasures could we uh propose and be creative in order to solve that particular issue? And it was very interesting for me and very beneficial because we work from different industries, yes, and yet uh we were able to put that aside and see the human side and the leadership side of each and every one of us in order to come together to solve common issues regardless of the industry. How often do you guys do such an activity?

Speaker 3 56:22

Yeah, we try to do that on the we have a thing called a consortium, and we're made up of about 13 different companies, and each company is willing to have us come into their location. And we try to do is try to try to identify those companies who have are exemplary in some area, whether it's quality, safety, environment, uh process improvement, implemented some robotics and things like that. So um, and again, that's a way that the companies can share with each other and and and uh and um uh interject new visions for each other uh by by doing that. Um uh it is interesting, like you said, the the the the area that it came down to was was the area that we focus in a lot is leadership. Leadership. It's just leadership, you know, workforce development and and trying to uh address the changing needs of the workforce. Correct, yes. And so uh a big part of the changing needs of the workforce is is is not the type of workers coming in, but it's the type of management style that's been around for a long time and the way we've done it.

Speaker 57:19

Oh wow, that's that's that's I mean, that's a different perspective on how to to uh to look at things, absolutely.

Speaker 3 57:26

Exactly. Was there Mike and the Stone Cipher, and uh in his presentation, somebody says, if only we could get some workers, these young workers coming in and and and uh and willing to work hard. And uh he turned around and says, Yeah, and you know what they're saying? If only we get managers that understand me.

Speaker 57:47

Oh wow, yes, it's a definitely a new a new generation. Sometimes when I when I look at major global uh players, and and uh of course we look at Oracle and Apple and Google and and so many other industries, you know, when you look at the leadership, uh, you know, senior leadership, our individuals that are probably 25, maybe 27, you know. They they they you know the the younger generation will call that those individuals old. Wow, you're 27 years old, you're 28 years old. But uh, you know, I'm I am generations different generations, but I'm that type of leader. I I'm a very dynamic leader, and there's there's so much that uh that that can be done. Uh you know, that old mindset uh uh it's it's really evaporating, it's it's no longer effective in in this uh day and age of how the world's working with AI, technology, automation, and so forth. And this this new generation it has the boldness to ask why and to ask questions. Back in the day, it was more you you receive instructions, you have a manager behind a desk just giving the instructions, you did you do this this time, this manner, and so forth. Well, now it's more participative, more malleable, uh, I would say. And uh so adapting to the times, and um, I'm a constant learner. If you see all the all these books behind you, have got something that says the power of habit, other people's habit. I mean, I'm uh you know, I I try to to learn because this is the challenge for us managers for this day and age. You have a uh a young workforce that comes, but they're very technologically driven, uh through whether it be through social media, everything's computer, everything's animated, everything's a laptop and tablets, everything is courses online. Uh, we didn't we didn't have that as as I was growing up. Um I come from the beeper era, but uh uh uh but nowadays the the the they want information faster. Yes, yes uh they don't want some, you know, they they need uh a visual presentation, uh something that they can engage in and interact with and immediate feedback uh on that. And uh I'm I'm I'm glad that you you you embrace that and you and in your training, uh they they get it. They get it all. They get the visual, they get the participated, they get the teamwork, they they get the the immediate feedback. And those are the things that uh I guess that's the challenge for for Mr. Elliott is going to these companies and having to maybe open the mindset of the new m old school management styles.

Speaker 3 1:00:20

That's that's our biggest thing we try to do, is and that's where the that's where the uh the changing role of the leader is to have all the right questions, not all the right answers. To allow those those young people to participate and engage, and even the other ones, so that they they feel that there's they're that they're they're valued and that there's um and and and they learn from themselves. They can discover the answer instead of having to be told the answer. Oh, absolutely. It's a big thing too. So yeah, and um, you know, we've we've got to be realistic. Um our uh my generation, the baby boomers, I'm I'm probably 10% of the baby boomers left in the workforce right now. Okay. 72 years old. I'm gonna work until I'm 75. I feel good, I feel good, but uh I recognize I recognize the the the differences and and the importance of of of uh allowing these individuals. And what's happening with this young generation is that they're they're just not tolerant. We're we're where individuals uh in the baby boom generation, they're tolerant of being treated wrong. They're tolerant of uh not being communicated to. Uh they're tolerant of that. The these young these young ones coming in are not tolerant of that because they recognize that there's competition out there. If you don't let me grow now, my my next door neighbor is going to take my job and I'll never get to it. So they they they recognize the the uh the pyramid effect, and that it gets smaller as you get as you as you grow that pyramid. And so they recognize that that if you can't if you can't help me grow and develop and learn now, then I'm I'm I'm actually falling behind my competition.

Speaker 1:02:00

Oh, that's that's a very interesting perspective. You know, when nowadays I see more and more younger and younger entrepreneurs. I see millions and more. They're hungry. Oh, absolutely. I mean, I won't say overnight millionaires, but when you look at through social media and the new products, whether you're in in music or in producing a specific brand or product, uh these these young entrepreneurs uh are definitely hungry, uh are definitely definitely ambitious. Uh they they're goal-oriented, their why, that their why is is clear to them, and uh they don't give up as easily, meaning that uh they they they'll do whatever they need to do in order to to find out how to do things. Yes. And they'll find the information whether through all these uh AI platforms that uh you know you now you know whether YouTube or Chat GPT or Gemini or Cloud or so many things that there's instant information, where now we probably paid for courses, you know, back in the day to try to how do I fix my motor and how do I do this, for them that information is uh very interesting. Uh I would like to end with uh always this question because if if someone is wants to be follow your footsteps and wants to become an instructor and and and be malleable enough to enter a workforce that's very different nowadays, uh very technologically driven, what kind of leaderships skill sets would they need to acquire or develop, perhaps enhance in order to become an effective instructor, uh an effective individual that can come in to any company regardless of the uh of the background with of technology, again, whether it be medical, pharmaceutical, automotive, and everything in in between, in order to become that effective instructor, what skill sets would that person need in order to run a career successfully?

Speaker 3 1:04:03

Well, I I think uh one of the the two areas, the interpersonal skills and then the technical skills. Um and both of both are important. Uh one thing I found as I was going through and became a journalist is how how do I have a deep end of my pool so that uh there's something that some somebody would be willing to pay me for.

Speaker 2 1:04:24

Okay.

Speaker 3 1:04:25

Uh therefore I focused in on the area of quality, like you, like you have, and made a career of it. And I've been we've been both been very successful. So somehow at some point, uh I you you need to have that deep into your pool that you become the the expert that people will are willing to listen to. And then from that, then you have to have you have to be a generalist also. You have to understand how uh all the other um systems, management systems come together to do that. But uh, in order for you to go in and and and instruct others on how to do things, you have to be uh you have to have that experience, that knowledge. So a big part of it is to is to once you find out what your deep end is gonna be, do everything you can do, whether it's uh going to school or getting a job and getting experience. Sometimes it's it's worth um it's worth taking a job that's paying less if it's gonna give you the experience in the area that you want to develop in and grow in. That's interesting. I have a co-worker that says it's an investment.

Speaker 1:05:21

It's an investment. You have to invest to progress.

Speaker 3 1:05:24

I I love that term. Yeah, you invest to it.

Speaker 1:05:27

But you are the product. I mean, that you it's it's about how much you invest, how much you take the time to to be disciplined to do that. Yeah. That's that's that's well w again. That's this this has been a lot. I I love the fact that you you have shown us that when you approach a company, first of all, you do the research of the company. That you try to you, of course, there's some conversations and emails and phone calls in between to try to find out their why of uh what what's the purpose of the pain. What's what what's your pain? Uh what's the subject matter? Based on that information, you tailor your presentation and the the student materials and all the class materials. Fourth, you you gauge the room to find out what are these different personality types in order to engage them by going around the room, asking them you know what are their hobbies, what do they do. And once you have somewhat broken the ice and presented your your uh your you're starting to present your your class material, how you engage them in order to bring synergy, uh camaraderie. And for those that are uh still resistant to change, may may fall in line with the golden objective. I love the fact that you you mentioned uh to have the group uh define that current state and and come to an agreement to what does this future state look like and have buy-in in agreement with the action items needed in order to take that into fruition. Exactly. Uh, I love the fact that you mentioned honesty, that you have to be honest with one another and practice uh uh trust trust and empathy and sympathy and and to work as uh as one unit uh in order to ensure that once the the class is over, or maybe one day, whether it be one day or three-day event, that the you know there's a complete satisfaction about the course material and about their internal performance. Because, you know, uh Mr. Elliott has to move on to another project and they stay there and they have to work with the those uh action items that are still pending because they're waiting on XYZ, but at least they they they found a person that was instrumental and foundational about uh having uh putting things aligned so that they can be successful. I want to thank you for for uh coming to this podcast. And and I know we can talk for hours because it's a wealth of knowledge, it's a lot of years, and and I know I'm gonna pick your brain after we're we're said and done. But this has been uh Daniel Badillo with Mr. Elliot Price from Georgia MEP. Uh, there's so much to give. Next time we're gonna talk about the nonprofit and all he's all he's doing in the community. Uh, once again, thank you for all your support through Spotify, Apple Podcasts. Watch us on that YouTube channel. Go ahead and subscribe and hit that notification bell. I will see you on the next episode.