AME Blog

Continuous improvement practitioners and leaders know that it is always about the people. Spending Thanksgiving with family and friends reminded me that I also have a work family who deserves the same respect and consideration that my biological family receives. Treating people with dignity and care... More

This week, we celebrate Veterans Day. This is day to reflect on the courage, resilience and sacrifice of those who have served our nation. Veterans Day is a federal holiday for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and... More

I am thrilled that this week, we are all celebrating at the AME 2024 International Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, so my letter will be short. We’ve been waiting all year to connect in person and celebrate AME's 40th birthday! Hundreds of people have been working diligently for the past two years to... More

As we embark on the next chapter of our AME journey, it’s important to acknowledge the balance between our history, what’s happening today and what lies ahead. In fact, in my very first letter to the AME members in January 2020, “Five questions with AME’s new president and CEO,” I committed... More

In last week’s letter, I introduced you to Ari, AME Home Team member Sara O’Hara’s feline coworker. Since that letter went out, Ari now has her own personal fan club. We may have to make her the official AME mascot with all the attention she is garnering. This prompted me to think about how everyone... More

Last week was a whirlwind of excitement for AME. We kicked off the week with the AME Champions Club event in Cleveland, Ohio. Thanks to Marc Kuzik, AME Champions Cub volunteer director, and Rick Wiltse, AME Cleveland Consortia facilitator, we experienced a week of incredible learning, sharing and growing. We... More

One of our board members, Billy Ray Taylor, recently shared his thoughts on the fear of missing out (FOMO). We were specifically talking about the AME conference, how valuable it is and why everyone should attend.FOMO is a feeling we all encounter from time to time, especially in today’s fast-paced,... More

This week, I would like to reflect on the amazing AME Home Team, the ones who do all the heavy lifting with little recognition. They keep AME going, and in our busy lives, we can sometimes forget to express our gratitude to and for them. I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for... More

August 8 was Happiness Happens Day, a day to celebrate all things happy. I spent last weekend at my favorite staycation in the North Carolina Outer Banks, which always makes me happy. What also makes me happy is to know that in a few short months, we will be gathering to celebrate AME’s 40th birthday... More

This week has provided a lot of “opportunities.”  As you know, AME has a small and extremely talented AME Home Team accomplishing amazing things in collaboration with our dedicated and equally talented AME volunteers. At times, the work in front of us all seems insurmountable.  Particularly now,... More

“You have achieved excellence as a leader when people will follow you anywhere, if only out of curiosity.” I love this phrase attributed to four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell. Powell shared that for a leader to be successful, one must foster open communication,... More

Many AME members live in Canada or the United States, so for most of you, this week is a celebration of Canada Day and U.S. Independence Day. These two celebrations remind me of the importance of honoring and remembering our successes. Hundreds of years ago, the United States declared independence and... More

Did you know Flag Day in the USA was last Friday, June 14? It commemorates the adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, during the Revolutionary War. The flag, known as the "Stars and Stripes," has 13 alternating red and white stripes and a blue field with 13 white... More

AME Consortia membership is one of the most valuable parts of AME. An AME Consortium is a group of local companies that collaborate to develop broad, deep and accelerated lean-CI progress better, faster and easier than they can do alone. These dynamic practitioner-to-practitioner networks are designed... More

Of all the federal holidays we celebrate, Memorial Day is both cheerful and somber. It is a day of observance focused on remembering and thanking the countless Americans in uniform who have given their lives for this country. Memorial Day is truly about acknowledging those heroic individuals and the... More