Ever wonder why your Christmas lights seem to have a mind of their own? Then take this jolly – and very educational – journey into the colorful world of making sure your holiday illumination stays illuminated. Augury Solutions Architect Cliff West lights the way!

Twinkling Troublemakers

Picture this: You pull out your carefully stored Christmas lights, excited to deck the halls, only to find a tangled mess of un-festive cheerlessness. Don’t worry – it’s not just you! These twinkling troublemakers have a secret science that makes them more complicated than your uncle’s politically charged Xmas dinner conversation.

Over at Augury’s bustling online community, The Endpoint, I’ve written an article that the season was screaming for: ‘Untangling the Mystery of Christmas Lights: Why They Fail and How to Fix Them’.

The shocking truth is that Christmas lights are like a delicate electrical chain gang. Each light is connected in a series, which means they’re basically holding hands in a long, fragile line. When one light goes out, it creates a domino effect of darkness that can drive even the jolliest elf mad! 

Seasonal Cheer On Hold…

Here’s the nerdy (but cool) part: Each bulb has a sneaky little backup system called a shunt. When a bulb’s filament dies, the shunt is supposed to create a secret electrical bypass, keeping the rest of the lights shining bright. But here’s the catch – every time a bulb is bypassed with the shunt, it increases the current in the circuit, making more bulbs likely to burn out.

The mathematics of light strand reliability is hilariously depressing. Assuming each bulb has a 99% chance of working, a strand of 50 bulbs only has a 60% chance of fully functioning. Stretch that to 150 bulbs, and you’re looking at a mere 22% chance of a complete, working light strand!

It’s A Christmas Miracle!

Pro tip: Invest in a Light Keeper Pro. It’s like a Christmas light doctor who can diagnose and sometimes resurrect your dying decorations. It can detect voltage and even send a high-voltage pulse to revive stubborn shunts.

The moral of the story? Replacing bulbs as they fail is key. And maybe, just maybe, cut those Christmas lights some slack. They’re working harder than you think to spread a little holiday cheer!

So, the next time your lights go out, remember: it’s not user error – it’s reliability statistics with a dash of holiday mischief!

Read the full in-depth article: ‘Untangling the Mystery of Christmas Lights: Why They Fail and How to Fix Them’.

The post A Tangled Tale of Christmas Light Reliability appeared first on Augury.

There’s no such thing as 9-to-5 when you work at a global company. But it doesn’t mean you need to fall for an associated brand of calendar creep as you deal with different time zones and work cultures – not to mention 24-7 accessibility. So, how do you protect yourself for the sake of your personal health, and achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency?

 

Do you remember the good old days of good old-fashioned calendar creep? It was a time when your calendar was packed with too many non-essential meetings. Sure, a full calendar can give the illusion you’re having an efficient day. But are you having an effective one?

You could fight back easily enough by being vigilant: questioning the cadence of regular meetings (Can we make this weekly, bi-weekly?), wondering if you are really required (Was I cc:ed or actually needed?), or rethinking the parameters (Maybe do it over lunch?). These lines of inquiry would help you prioritize and ensure each meeting had an actual purpose for you being there.  

But lately, there seems to be a newer brand of calendar creep. It’s a little more ephemeral, targets those working at global companies, and was triggered by how digitally accessible we’ve all become.  

There’s Nothing Wrong With Shaking Things Up

Anytime you work at a global company, you must be flexible: typical working hours are unrealistic. There will always be conflicting time zones, holidays, seasons, and work styles.

When starting my career, I had a project with an office in Asia. We were exactly 12 hours apart. Whenever we met, it would be 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., and we would swap back and forth. It worked well because we agreed on it and felt that the burden was both minimal and shared. 

We tried to make it feel like a unique event and not a routine occurrence.

Later in my career, my global team (in multiple countries and time zones) would meet as a whole every quarter. The only time that truly worked was 5 a.m. Eastern. Again, this was a bit of a burden to some but we made it work by doing our best: setting the calendar dates far enough in advance for the team to make personal schedule adjustments, offering a hotel to those who had longer commutes, and making sure that the conference room was stocked with coffee, lots of coffee. We would also make sure to tell the team it was totally acceptable if they needed or wanted to leave early that day. In other words, we tried to make it feel like a unique event and not a routine occurrence.

Yes, You Can Make An Exception, But…

However, during COVID-19, it all changed. Booking a Zoom became essential. What would have been a quick hallway conversation or pop-in now required finding a slot on a calendar. But sometimes, there were no slots, and when time was of the essence, you would reach out to arrange something earlier, later, or over the weekend.

And this is where the new calendar creep was born. Because once you make an exception, there’s the danger of it becoming the rule – that working nights and weekends becomes the new normal.   

Calendar creep doesn’t sound all that scary until it is.

Have We Become Too Accessible?

Meanwhile, mobile access has continued to spread, and email is always with us via either your laptop or your phone. I loathe the day they put Wi-Fi on the airplane – it used to be the perfect out-of-office. Is nothing sacred? Before, I could use the time to catch up on work (or not). But now it’s expected to utilize the Wi-Fi and be available.

Would you miss a doctor’s appointment for a meeting that could be scheduled later?

Calendar creep doesn’t sound all that scary until it is. It can become a real problem if it begins to affect your personal life or your health. Perhaps a family member holds a mirror up by asking if you will be on the phone again after dinner. Or it may start with a compromise: you forgo yoga to take a call. And that’s okay occasionally, but if yoga is your therapy, it’s another story. Would you miss a doctor’s appointment for a meeting that could be scheduled later?

It’s a slippery slope.  

So, How Do You Fix It? Who’s Responsible?

So, how do we confront this new brand of creep? I see the solution as a three-way tango. 

First, the company must set some norms regarding respect for each other’s time. For instance, you can set out some basic expectations regarding hours and productivity. Leaders must also lead by example, for instance, by learning how to schedule their messages to go out during acceptable working hours – and thereby not feed the expectation you need to be available 24-7. We also need to do everything to keep our hands off holiday days – and not catch ourselves using  phrases like “Just this once” or “No worries, it’ll be super quick”. 

Then there’s the person booking the appointment. They should show empathy and understanding for the people they invite and respect someone’s time and calendar. It’s not always easy or efficient, but rather than just sending an invite, maybe asking permission before booking is a way to get buy-in from the person you are requesting. 

People who get frustrated with calendar creep may not have set their boundaries.

Yes, It’s Mostly On You 

However, the real responsibility lies with the person who accepts or declines an invite. The creep will continue if you don’t speak up or block out those no-go areas. People who get frustrated with calendar creep may not have set their boundaries. Start with something small like blocking your calendar with focus times. See how it goes and build from there.

Some tools can help – for instance, you can expand your toolbox to include not just auto-accept but also auto-decline. You should also have some standard responses available to provide the reason for your decline. “I am unable to make it at that time as my calendar is already previously booked.” “Let’s move this to a time that works better with both of our schedules.” “I see that there’s already a qualified group attending. Please proceed without me and send me the notes to review post-meeting.”  

You still have a job to do.

But It’s Still A Dynamic Business World

Let’s be honest, you can’t just decline-decline-decline. You still have a job to do. So, you have to own your own work/life balance by knowing your own non-negotiable times, while at the same time being available, engaged and productive. 

It’s a tightrope. But at least we can walk it together, and as a result make everyone’s day both efficient and effective.

Read more from Augury’s VP of People, Danelle DiLibero.

The post The New Face Of Calendar Creep – And What To Do About It appeared first on Augury.

It’s not just geo-political upheaval that creates chaos in the workplace. Whatever the cause, make it personal, not political, advises Danelle Dilibero, Augury’s VP of People. “And always be prepared – and then be prepared to pivot immediately.”

1) There Will Always Be A Crisis. Make That Playbook

Whether working during and after 9-11 in NYC or now with a company with more than half its workforce based in a war zone, I’ve unfortunately become experienced at working in intense environments. 

But I also know there’s always a crisis going on, whether global or personal. It could be a pandemic or a broken heart. Quiet times don’t mean everyone is okay. You always need to be ready to give support. We must always be mindful of the chaos people are going through and try to be available. 

“Quiet times don’t mean everyone is okay.”

Some challenges have playbooks ready. With other challenges, you can perhaps draw advice and guidance from members of your network. However, not all situations are the same, and it’s important to remember that crisis management training only goes so far. 

I mean, how many companies had a ‘Global Pandemic Playbook’ ready in 2020?

2) Make It Personal, Not Political

Not all situations are created equal, nor do they require the same response. But we need to consider how we can provide the tools and resources to our employees so they feel supported and safe while still being able to run our business. 

“How does a company broach the topic without taking a side?”

Public topics can certainly divide people. Just look at the US elections. No matter the outcome, you can assume that half of your employees will be disappointed. How does a company broach the topic without taking a side? We do this by making it personal, not political. 

Companies, based on their public opinion or strategy, may provide space for employees to discuss these topics and allow for healthy debate. Others may opt to keep politics out of the workplace and not take a stance in either camp. Whichever direction the company chooses, it’s important for companies to acknowledge that the event is occurring and allow for team members to exercise their rights. 

For instance, rather than posting about politics, provide team members with information about local polling hours and offer additional time away from work to accommodate for longer than usual lines. 

3) Remember: Every Situation And Person Is Different

When it comes to a business continuity plan, you should prepare, prepare, prepare, and then be prepared to pivot. The best-laid plans do not work in every situation. By regarding your plan as a resource and not a guide, you should be able to throw it away and really pivot to the problem at hand.

You can’t strive to solve every problem, just most problems, and you can’t strive to solve for every person, just most people. But you do have to keep toeing the line on the bigger picture: the business’s overall ethics, strategy, and plans. 

“The team needs to know there are many options. And if you can’t be there directly for your employee because they are unavailable, be there for their family.” 

Meanwhile, you need to be available to your people. You need to offer many different types of resources – whether it’s an employee assistance program, an on-site therapist, someone they could speak to, or the ability to access benefits or take time off. The team needs to know there are many options. And if you can’t be there directly for your employee because they are unavailable, be there for their family. 

You need to listen and be open to feedback because your offer may not work for that person or situation. You may have to pivot more than once to find out what can work. 

At the end of the day, it’s also about keeping the business afloat and moving forward – keeping us innovative and at the forefront of our customers’ minds as a place they want to continue working with.  

4) Communicate Without Fear

If you have a message to share, don’t delay. There’s the fear that the more senior you get, the more likely your words get on the front pages. Communications during an emergency require an immediate response. Typos are acceptable. It’s about informing people about what they need to know. ASAP.  

“So be prepared and be there for your people.”

People must know where to find our communications. In fact, the more places, the better: email, Slack, text, WhatsApp, an internal emergency call system, etcetera. It’s good to overcommunicate and say things in multiple ways, forms, and mediums so your team members can absorb the message in the way that fits them best.

And it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. It could be something as simple as announcing we are closing the office early because snow is making the roads dangerous.

Be prepared to be there for your people. In that way, you are also there for your business. 

I shared many of these thoughts during the webinar ‘Optimizing Talent Acquisition and Management in Turbulent Times – Strategies for Success’. Tune in! 

The post The Safe Workplace: 4 Key Insights To Help Deal With Turbulent Times  appeared first on Augury.

Christopher Morrison is the Field Operations Delivery Lead at Augury. He narrowly escaped the aftermath of Hurricane Helena after driving from a site survey in New London, North Carolina. And thanks to his work kit – a mobile power supply and an Augury router – he made it home to his wife and child. There’s a lesson here: you never know what’s around the next corner… 

Friday, October 7, 2024

I just completed site surveys of two sites of 210 machines in New London, North Carolina. I start to make my way home to  Dunlap, Tennessee. The roads are not too crazy as I began my journey at dawn. I go down the 26 freeway, and it abruptly stops. I don’t mean we are creeping down the highway at one mph; I mean fully stopped. And it stops for about an hour and a half. 

“But the third roadblock is the most frightening: draped power lines over the road like a spiderweb.” 

At 1:30 pm, the highway starts moving, and I see we are all getting off at the next exit. My cell phone now has no signal, and I am working off of offline Waze for navigation. After I exit and start to drive, I run into three roadblocks of three different types. The first is four monster trees that fell and broke the pavement: making it uncrossable. The second road has a freaking river going across it, and a 1990s model Chevy 1500 is stuck in the water three-quarters of the way across (meanwhile, my Audi A4 is not precisely an offroad vehicle). But the third roadblock is the most frightening: draped power lines over the road like a spiderweb. 

I somehow return to a small town (Asheville) and get a room for the night since all the roads are impassable. The hotel has no water, no signal, and no power. And I am on the third floor. It’s very musty, with no airflow or sound in my room (my ears ring like crazy). I have had no food that day. The local gas station is cash-only (for food, the gas cannot be pumped due to no power). Then I discover I broke my father’s golden traveling rule: “Always carry a hundred bucks in small bills for emergencies.”

“Then I discover I broke my father’s golden traveling rule: ‘Always carry a hundred bucks in small bills for emergencies.'”

Saturday, October 8, 2024

I wake up at dawn, and on autopilot, I get in the car, move down the newly opened 26, and hop onto the 40. There is no way to know that the 40 freeway was washed out and not there anymore. I U-turn back to the closest town (Canton) to find a place to wait until cell service and power were back up. On that trip, though, I gain two bars of service in Maggie Valley and first phone my wife. Then I let my manager know that due to the circumstances,  I might be late to Dallas on Monday. He says okay since there’s nothing he can do.

I find a hotel in Canton and got a room. This hotel has water but still no power or cell service. I move my gear into the room and sit to think for about 20 minutes. I look at my bag and think, ‘Hey, at least I can charge my phone with my mobile power supply for powering routers… WAIT!’ I run to the lobby and make a challenge to the front desk (I didn’t have to, but making a challenge public is a motivating factor). 

“One bar!!! Yes! I run to my room, grab my portable power supply and Augury router, set it up right where I am sitting, and use Wi-Fi to call and let my wife know I found a hotel and a safe place.”

When doing site surveys and installs for my job, I constantly look for signals. I walk the property and adjoining properties, searching for at least one bar. I am frustrated when I can’t locate the signal, so I sit by the pool and look at my phone… One bar!!! Yes! I run to my room, grab my portable power supply and Augury router, set it up right where I am sitting, and use Wi-Fi to call and let my wife know I found a hotel and a safe place. 

I can’t tell you how the faces looked when my phone starts dialing. The whole hotel stares at me as I talk to my wife on the phone. After I give her the update, I ask if anyone else would like to check in with their families. They do, and the sad part is the people calling loved ones in the area: I have to let them know that just because you have a signal doesn’t mean they do too. Some guests are successful, and some aren’t.

“He is in the same position as me: no cash or gas. I offer the sandwich to his wife and child and she grabs it from me with a quickness.”

It’s 2.30 pm, and my stomach is hurting pretty bad. I am outside, being a dirty cigarette smoker, and see the owner of the hotel. I see he was an Indian man, and I start to speak Hindi to him; he smiles and quickly grabs his wife to talk to me as well. During the conversation, he asks if I wanted a sandwich. Hell, yes, I do. He gives me the sandwich, and I look at it for a few seconds and think about one of the families I met at the hotel when I first arrived. The man is a gov auditor and Afghanistan veteran who has his wife and special-needs child with him. He is in the same position as me: no cash or gas. I offer the sandwich to his wife and child and she grabs it from me with a quickness.

Then, I walk back to where I was standing, and another hotel guest saw the whole thing go down, and he gives me a hot Polish Sausage and two pieces of white bread. I devour it and feel a rush of energy. One of the hotel guests comes and says that in the next town over, they have a gas station that takes only cash, a Publix with internet, and an ATM. I take the risk (gas was at 30 miles). We find the Publix, and they do have emergency power, but still no signal. That means no ATM and no gas. 

We make the trip back to the hotel. We don’t have navigation and get directions from a parallel car on the road at 35 miles an hour (crazy). When I pull into the hotel parking lot, the gauge says five miles until empty. Now, you can talk about getting defeated and feeling hopeless. I wait until darkness to hit the rack. At about 10 pm, the lights come on! Yes! I get a knock on the door from the Afghanistan veteran telling me that the gas station across the street has gas. I ask if it was cash-only, and he says yes. I thanked him and went to sleep. 

“I can’t describe the feeling when the card works and the gas starts pumping. One hundred thousand pounds are lifted off me, and I can breathe again!”

Sunday, October 9, 2024

I wake up at dawn, set up the router, and call my wife. She was planning on getting 30 gallons of gas and coming to rescue me with her friend. I tell her to stand by and let me check the situation. When I leave the hotel, I see a man getting kerosene for his truck! Good sign! I ask the man, half-motivated, if it was still cash-only. He said, “Nope, used my card.” Running, and I mean running, to the car and got in the gas line. I can’t describe the feeling when the card works and the gas starts pumping. One hundred thousand pounds are lifted off me, and I can breathe again! 

After filling up, I use the router to call my wife (the cell signal is still down, and I don’t know how the gas station trick worked). My wife, being the navigator she is, gives me my route home. Once again, I use the router to Google map my route home. I get on the 74 and take off. After Canton, the roads are not too terrible, but for 100 miles, I have no cellular service and see a hundred abandoned cars on the road. After a short 4½ hour drive, I’m home in my house hugging my wife and son. I am so grateful.

“Are you still alive?”

Without my power supply and router, I wouldn’t have been able to communicate or charge my phone. I am fortunate to have escaped the destruction. Some are less lucky. The radio was right: the destruction was of biblical proportions, and it was overall a terrifying experience. 

When people at the hotel broke down and started to lose it, I kept asking them, “Are you still alive?” It shakes them into thinking, “Yes, I am, and I am grateful to be here.”


Please donate to the Hurricane Helena relief effort. Take care of each other and stay motivated.

The post After Hurricane Helene: Navigating The Chaos appeared first on Augury.

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s theme is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” We decided to ask Alvaro Cuba, manufacturing veteran and co-host of the Manufacturing Meet Up podcast, about his career journey from Peru to the U.S. and how he’s helped shape the future for other Hispanic Americans.

Alvaro Cuba’s love of engineering started at an early age. From cars to clocks, he wanted to understand how everything worked. He also wanted to improve everything – always looking for a more efficient way to complete a task. “Even the small things,” he says with a laugh. “I looked for a better, faster way to make my bed.” When he was old enough to head off to university, he didn’t hesitate to enroll at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in Lima.

Moving to Lima was an important step for Alvaro. Growing up in Arequipa, a city nestled in the Andes, he appreciated the beauty of its family, culture, architecture, and food. But he also had an adventurous spirit and a desire to see what life was like outside his traditional community. 

“When I was a teenager, I spent a year in the U.S. as an international student,” Alvaro says. “I lived in Oregon, and it was a life-changing experience. When I came home, I realized how much I valued experiencing new people, places, and things.” 

Alvaro knew that studying and living in Lima would provide the platform he needed to pursue global career opportunities after graduation.

Growth Mindset

After earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering, Alvaro landed his first job with the global agribusiness company Bunge. Responsible for the energy and water supply for a huge manufacturing plant, he quickly realized how much he hadn’t learned in school. He went back to his alma mater and took the dean to task (you can hear him talk about that here.)

But lesson learned: after talking to the dean, Alvaro realized he was taught to think, solve problems, and find opportunities. He excelled in his role, eventually managing a staff of 16 people and delivering power services (steam, hydrogen, compressed air, and soft and de-mineralized water) to nine production plants. Bunge recognized his efforts and encouraged him to tackle a new challenge, as operations director of Nettalco, their largest textiles business in Peru, after training him in Brazil.

During this time, Alvaro learned how to manufacture cotton into yarn and yarn into fabric, as well as dyeing, cutting, knitting, and producing the final product. He also learned more about the people side of business, managing a much larger staff. But when Bunge began selling off units that weren’t directly related to their core business, Alvaro knew the time had come for him to move on and build his career somewhere else.

Pivot to Logistics, Procurement…and More

Alvaro’s next adventure took him out of manufacturing and into the world of commercial business. “Engineering encompasses everything from the supplier all the way to the shelf,” he says. “I was willing and open to try new things, so I began working for Carsa Group. They had several companies on the wholesaler and retailer sides. I got involved in procurement, supply chain, warehousing, transportation, customer service… and then I went to the ‘dark side’, working in sales and marketing,” he says with a laugh. Eventually, Alvaro became General Manager of one of the companies.

His work with Carsa in the automobile, electronic appliances, and apartment stores businesses exposed him to other countries and cultures. “It was the first time I started to be in contact with the wider world–with suppliers and operators from North America, Europe, and Asia. In addition to their presence in Peru, Carsa also had operations in Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia.”

Dot Com Detour

Alvaro was happy in his role, but the world was changing. It was becoming increasingly high-tech, and those innovations captured his interest.

“I told my wife, ‘The Internet is the future, and I want to be a pioneer’”, says Alvaro. So with his family’s blessing, he quit his job and went all in on the World Wide Web. Creating B2B, B2C, and hiring portals was exciting, and the company he worked for began making successful inroads in Peru. “But the dot come bubble popped here, just like it did everywhere else,” Alvaro remembers. It was time to blaze another new trail.

“Krafting” a New Path

Alvaro’s next adventure came with Kraft Foods. With his deep supply chain experience, they approached him to create and manage a new function. After just a year, he was asked if he’d relocate to Costa Rica and manage the supply chain for their Caribbean and Central American business. He and his family jumped at the chance.

“We spent three fantastic years in Costa Rica,” Alvaro recalls. And while it wasn’t always easy, the family focused on all the positives that came with their move.

“There are two kinds of thinking: a set mindset and a growth mindset. And to be successful at pioneering or shaping the future, a growth mindset is essential. You need to be willing to bring new ideas into the mixture, and think in new ways to solve problems,” he shares.

That growth mindset led to amazing opportunities for Alvaro. As he took on increasingly challenging roles, he moved again – to Brazil, Peru, Miami, New Jersey, Chicago, and Canada. Highlights of this time include:

• Leading a multifunctional team in northeast Brazil, reinventing how to conduct business there
• Merging Cadbury and Kraft’s supply chains in Canada…and then splitting them when Kraft decoupled from Mondelēz
• Joining Mondelēz and leading the Integrated Supply Chain team for Latin America from Miami while implementing TPM across the region
• Retiring from Mondelēz as SVP, Integrated Supply Chain for North America while based in New Jersey

In all, Alvaro moved seven times in 17 years. He served as a GM and an Operations – Supply Chain leader at country, regional, and worldwide levels. At every turn, diverse cultures, roles, and industries always enriched Alvaro’s perspective, providing him with a wealth of experiences and opportunities to learn and grow.

“More importantly, I have made friends for life all around the world,” Alvaro says.

Retired…Sort Of

Today, Alvaro and his wife Teresa live in Miami, while his children live in Canada and Finland. Although some people like to take it easy during retirement, the same cannot be said for Alvaro. In addition to co-hosting the Manufacturing Meet Up podcast and traveling six months out of the year, he sits on several boards and provides strategic business consulting. He is also an active volunteer with non-profits focused on social-environmental causes worldwide. His curiosity and openness to new experiences have led to new hobbies: Alvaro is learning to golf and surf.

He also has a passion for mentoring. 

“When I was working, I led Latin Councils in different opportunities, and I still mentor several people today,” Alvaro says. “Diversity is so important to business because the diversity of experiences and perspectives helps everyone look together at solving problems in a different way and come up with better options. For example, running a plant in Brazil is different than running a plant in the U.S. If a technician or manager from a Brazilian plant comes to the U.S. to work, that person will need to adapt. But that person will also bring new ideas of how to operate the U.S. plant. And vice versa: if they go back to Brazil, they will bring different ideas and approaches back to their original plant…everyone wins”

While the diversity of ideas is important, Alvaro’s mentorship of Hispanic manufacturing professionals goes deeper. 

“Sometimes, companies recruit talent but don’t provide the right coaching or guidance. I have seen cases where after just one month, people return to their home country because the culture shock was too much. An office in the U.S. is completely different than an office in Beijing or France or Peru. If you don’t help people read the culture and understand the nuances, they will struggle to be successful. So helping people through that will have a ripple effect, and give them the confidence to bring their diverse experiences, perspectives, and knowledge to the table to improve the business.”

Final Thoughts: Be Open, Be Curious, and Go for Growth

“Imagine if at any point in my career I had said ‘no, I’m not open to the next opportunity.’” Alvaro muses. “It would have been fine, but it would have also meant missing all the experiences that have been so enriching. Life brings us so many possibilities. By keeping an open mind and saying yes to the opportunities offered to me, I am always learning and growing.

I also believe curiosity is important. I am always looking at things, thinking about how they work, and how they can be made easier, faster, and/or better. Being curious and sharing that curiosity with others opens the door to collaboration, brainstorming, and growth.

I hope my career has paved the way for other Hispanics in the U.S. – and I am excited through mentorship to shape the future together.”

For more insights from Alvaro and co-host Ed Ballina, watch Manufacturing Meet Up on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcatcher below.
Apple
Spotify
Amazon Music
iHeart Radio
YouTube Music (formerly Google Play)

The post Paving the Way for Future Generations appeared first on Augury.

Dave Penrith spent 35 years at Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods manufacturers. He started as an apprentice on the floor and worked up to Chief Engineer. In his last role, he was fundamental in rolling out various AI-driven digital transformation projects. We always love talking to this Fast-Track Maverick, so we decided it was time for another chat – and this time, we’d focus more on the training and reskilling involved when driving innovation on the factory floor. Read and learn!

What sort of AI tech is the industry generally seeing?

Dave: Data analytics and data mining, which involve an algorithm extracting relevant data and contextualizing it for use, are two of the leading AI technologies in the manufacturing landscape today. These solutions are already changing manufacturing as we know it, and it’s just the beginning. 

AI drives faster, more varied, broader data analytics and, ultimately, more powerful execution. It is also a game-changer for manufacturing improvement programs. At first, there was a misconception that AI would replace the need for manufacturing improvement programs, but really, it has augmented these initiatives to be more impactful than ever before.   

Can you elaborate on how AI aligns with more old-school manufacturing improvement programs?

Typical objectives of manufacturing improvement programs include tackling quality control, optimizing processes, driving efficiency, managing inventory, empowering people, boosting yield, etc. Before the prevalence of AI, there was a lot of guesswork in how these programs moved towards these goals and inconsistencies between tenured industry talent. Current AI algorithms are more exact in their prescriptive insights. They can power more complex data analytics so manufacturers can see their progress toward these initiatives in real-time. 

Manufacturing talent involved in these improvement programs will have an augmented role with AI copilots, helping them drive more impactful results.

Read more industry insights from Dave Penrith: ‘If People Feel Safe, They Fly‘ 

Can you describe some of your first-hand experiences in bringing AI to manufacturing?

I have experience working with industrial AI solutions that tackle machine reliability (Augury’s Machine Health) and optimize production lines (Augury’s Process Health). When I worked for a global manufacturer, I also used AI to build a fully closed-loop digital twin on a piece of processing equipment. This project involved leveraging a comprehensive data set to assess the equipment’s trends and anomalies and building an algorithm to control the setpoints. We then took the human out of the loop and gave the algorithm complete equipment control.  

What new skills are needed for these types of AI?

Though the industry is often focused on bridging the technical skills gap, hard skills are not the problem. These skills can be defined and learned. Instead, I urge manufacturers to focus on soft skills first. I’ve talked to many companies about AI; some need help understanding it.

For this reason, these organizations are scared rather than curious. They also hope they can buy AI off the shelf, and it will do its job. Instead of giving in to fear, these companies must embrace curiosity and educate themselves on augmenting their people strategy with AI. 

“When adopting a disruptive technology like AI, some leaders get too focused on the technology when it’s the people’s journey that decides the pace of technological advancement.”

What has been your specific role in training manufacturing workers for AI?

I have extensive experience helping manufacturers build comprehensive upskilling initiatives. At my last company, I led a massive digital transformation, a common reason a manufacturer will kick off a complex upskilling initiative. At first glance, this digital transformation might seem straightforward because we developed the technology and capabilities in just a few days. However, technology is not the challenging aspect of these projects. It’s the people. This project required us to enact large-scale organizational changes, including upskilling existing staff and onboarding apprentices with digital expertise.  

I often lean on this experience when I advise other organizations undergoing similar transformations. When adopting a disruptive technology like AI, some leaders get too focused on the technology when it’s the people’s journey that decides the pace of technological advancement. It’s critical to look at an organization from top to bottom, understand the age-old problems you’re trying to solve for your people, and decide which tools will address them.   

“As an industry, we swing between old and new rather than operating somewhere in the middle. It’s time to break out of a pendulum mindset.”

How are companies re-training staff for AI on the factory floor?

Companies must do more re-training, which is the first gap we must fill. It’s essential to treat AI for what it is – a significant change – and then deploy robust training as part of your change management strategy. All too often, companies are anxious about a new AI initiative and believe they can buy AI and start reaping the benefits immediately. Instead, these organizations should look at what the most forward-thinking industry players are doing: taking a blended approach by adopting AI, adding new tech talent to their benches, and upskilling current employees. 

This approach works so well because it sits at the intersection of tradition and innovation. As an industry, we swing between old and new rather than operating somewhere in the middle. It’s time to break out of a pendulum mindset. AI and your most esteemed data scientists cannot solve deep machine problems if they work in a silo. But combining these experts and AI tools like Augury’s Machine Health with machinery engineers will solve problems. 

“In addition to helping end-users understand how the technology will improve their role without eliminating it, leaders must show confidence and support by providing a robust technology budget. As much as organizations invest in tech, they must also invest in the people training needed to adopt it.”

Can you offer some examples of companies taking this “blended approach”? What companies are incorporating AI into manufacturing well, and how?

Those successfully incorporating AI into manufacturing have gotten buy-in at all levels – from the C-suite to the factory floor and everywhere in between. These organizations have led a culture shift to show how AI can unlock untapped potential within manufacturing.

Large industrial manufacturers typically give their individual sites some autonomy to make their own decisions, so it’s essential to involve all levels in the change management aspect of AI rollout. Representation across departments and sites can ensure teams feel represented in their local cultures and can maintain their autonomy. 

In addition to helping end-users understand how the technology will improve their role without eliminating it, leaders must show confidence and support by providing a robust technology budget. As much as organizations invest in tech, they must also invest in the people training needed to adopt it.

Quite a few companies have successfully incorporated AI into manufacturing. You can check out a handful of customers’ success stories on Augury’s website. These testimonials show how certain companies generate buy-in across levels to transform operations, reduce downtime, boost productivity, and achieve rapid value and significant ROI in less than a year.

What skills are workers commonly being trained in, and how?

Manufacturing leaders train their teams on basic data handling and data science, going through advanced data science. But most will try to help their teams establish foundational knowledge first. One way to help workers develop this initial base is to allow them to look at data from different perspectives and learn from experience. 

One low-risk way I’ve done this in the past is by giving my teams access to business intelligence tools that allow them to display data sets in new ways. This approach enables workers to connect the dots between insights, quickly identify new patterns, become increasingly interested, and start self-learning. Once manufacturing leaders ignite curiosity in their workforces, they should provide additional training and educational materials to help their teams deepen their data science skills.  

“Time investment also varies by company and role, but spending too much time upskilling teams on new tech is impossible.”

Let’s talk about the bottom line. How much time and money are companies investing in AI, and why?

Budgets vary by company, but data from Augury’s latest State of Production Health Report indicates that AI budgets are on the rise across the industry. This study surveyed 500 executives across the U.S. and Europe with global revenues of $100M+ and found that 63% are increasing AI spending. These executives identified upskilling their workforces as a top manufacturing objective for leveraging AI, followed by increasing capacity and streamlining supply chain visibility. 80% are also optimistic that AI will positively impact workforce upskilling efforts.

Time investment also varies by company and role, but spending too much time upskilling teams on new tech is impossible. However, leaders mustn’t invest all their resources in upskilling their IT team to learn AI skills and ignore the rest of their workforce. Establishing a center of excellence that houses AI best practices is fine, but AI drives the most impact on the factory floor, so leaders must train those who will directly use AI. 

How are workers being trained to use Augury’s Machine Health?

Augury’s approach is robust, with multiple teams working on strategically, technically, and educationally to enable change management. The Customer Success Team works with manufacturing workers to develop long-term strategies for their success, whether optimizing maintenance budgets, increasing uptime, or improving workforce efficiency. The reliability success team helps users understand their asset criticality. It gives context to the machine alerts they receive and the recommended actions so that workers can trust the outputs. Augury’s team of category 3 and 4 (CAT III and IV) vibration analysts collaborate and provide feedback to workers in real-time to align with customers’ business objectives.

“Technology partners can undoubtedly participate in this process, working with manufacturers to gain confidence in their AI models, best practices, and training to upskill and educate manufacturing talent.”

Augury also offers customers access to The Endpoint, an online community where workers can connect with a network of peers to share success and information. The Endpoint also hosts an array of educational resources, with 200+ hours of technical training and on-demand tutorials so manufacturers can learn at their own pace. 

You talked earlier about organizations being “scared rather than curious” about AI… How can we help manufacturers become more curious and open to AI’s possibilities?

This comes naturally with validating the solution. Technology partners can undoubtedly participate in this process, working with manufacturers to gain confidence in their AI models, best practices, and training to upskill and educate manufacturing talent. And once a manufacturer understands AI’s measurable positive impact on their People, Profits, and Planet initiatives, why would they ever want to turn back?


 Read more industry insights from Dave Penrith: ‘If People Feel Safe, They Fly‘.

The post How Do You Prepare Manufacturing Workers For AI? appeared first on Augury.

It’s a real thing: many customers are so won over by Augury’s technology they end up working for the company. What’s going on? In the second part of a series, we hear from convert Clifton Green, now Augury’s Manager of Implementation, about why he crossed over to the Augury side. “I went from being detractor to promoter to joining the team.”

In 2017, I was working at a large manufacturer. I was originally brought in to modernize their maintenance side – to basically help them get out of the 1980s. I first began at one of their key plants but it quickly turned into covering the company’s whole reliability network. 

At one point, I was tasked with finding a predictive maintenance solution along with two other guys, a Senior VP and a Senior Director, with me being the only guy with any vibration analysis experience. In the end, we talked to about 13 different companies, and I was convinced we had seen every solution on the market.

Read part 1: 
Augury’s Manager of Reliability Operations Christian Smith
about why he crossed over to the Augury side.

Wildly Unbelievable

But then Augury showed up. I found the sales pitch wildly unbelievable. It was like a fever dream that came to life – something we could only have wished existed. After we gave the sales guy some data around some of our key values like run-time and downtime hours, he came back with an incredible return-on-investment number. I phoned the Senior VP and told him that I thought this sales guy was full of horse doo-doo – that he was just throwing numbers at us so we’d buy it. I assumed if this really existed, I would have already known about it. Later, they sent another out to my office to convince me it was feasible. And the rest is history.  

Okay, I’m Now A Believer

We did three pilot sites with the plan of rolling it out after a year if these were successful. But after two months, we just decided not to waste time and put it everywhere. It changed everything: we could plan everything instead of just fighting fires as they came up.

And a couple of months after that, when I already had one foot out of the door of this company, I called this other guy to say, “If Augury is hiring let me know, because I need to work there.” And the rest is even more history. 

Read the first part of a series where we hear from convert Christian Smith, now Augury’s Manager of Reliability Operations, about why he crossed over to the Augury side.

The post Why Do So Many Former Customers Now Work For Augury? (2) appeared first on Augury.

The Automation Pyramid has served us well in representing the different layers of automation in a typical factory. However, some argue the Pyramid is now hindering progress in achieving Industry 4.0. Augury System Sales Engineer Jordan Sprunger believes the Pyramid is far from having lived out its usefulness. “It remains the key to understanding what happens in a factory when introducing innovation.”

Out To Share The Big Picture

My faith in the Automation Pyramid is fully restored – yes, it needs to evolve, but it doesn’t need to disappear. Whether I am talking to colleagues or customers, it’s often a shortcut to mutual understanding. 

Take my colleagues, for example. While Augury specializes in helping manufacturers improve their production, we are a deep-tech company with a focus on Machine Health and Process Health. However,  modern manufacturers use many technologies both legacy and cutting-edge, and the Pyramid helps us understand the entire scope of our customers’ digital ecosystem.  

At the same time, our customers sometimes ask us questions that are antithetical to how our solution is built. I wanted to help bridge these gaps. And in the process, I rediscovered the power of the Automation Pyramid.   

The Big Picture

Almost 30 years ago, the ISA95 Enterprise-Control System Integration standards were established to solve an important issue in manufacturing: having a standardized way to communicate between the varying protocols and interfaces of a manufacturing company’s different levels. Successful in its aim, the pyramid-shaped system was soon widely adopted.

Part of the Automation Pyramid’s appeal is its structural clarity, which provides a straightforward view of the different levels involved in automation. From the field level at the bottom to the enterprise level at the top, the model offers a logical framework for understanding how various components interact. And this clarity is invaluable for both seasoned professionals and newcomers to the industry – and particularly when these two groups come together to collaborate. 

If It Isn’t Broken, Why Fix It?

However, as we progress deeper into Industry 4.0, it’s assumed that the traditional hierarchal pyramid model will be replaced by a network-structure architecture – a structure more in keeping with the digital IoT world we live in. But, we’re not there yet. The Pyramid still has too many obvious advantages besides just structural clarity and wide-scale use. 

For instance, in an era of increasing cybersecurity threats, the segmentation provided by the pyramid model allows for more effective security measures. Each level has its own security protocols, creating multiple layers of protection for critical systems. 

The Art Of Looping In Innovation

At the same time, data no longer flows in a strictly hierarchical manner. For instance, in the case of how Augury’s Machine Health Solution is architected, we actually jump from the base to the tip. Our sensors capture the temperature and vibration data coming from the machines at level zero. But instead of getting bottlenecked by moving through levels 1 to 3 up the pyramid, we go outside the regular path and go straight up to a cloud which, for all intents and purposes, is Level Five – where all the AI magic actually happens. 

Meanwhile, our customers are asking for some magic back down at Level Two or Three. So we have to loop that data – along with the actionable insights – back in where the actual action is. This is the level that plant personnel, operators and reliability engineers operate so our insights need to meet them where they work – for instance by triggering automatic work orders when the Machine Health Solution identifies an issue.

This rethinking of the architecture, where all these Level Zero devices can send all their data to a central broker and then to any device or application at any level, is why some industry insiders are saying ‘The Pyramid is dead’ and only slowing us down in achieving Industry 4.0. 

As we speak, concepts like edge computing and cloud integration are being seamlessly integrated into the existing framework – enhancing its capabilities without dismantling its core structure.

Tapping Into The Greater Ecosystem – And A Brighter Future

But the fact is the Pyramid’s standardization can facilitate integration of new technologies and can help maintain compatibility between systems from different vendors. And hence, rather than becoming obsolete, the Automation Pyramid is evolving to incorporate new technologies – like what Augury has to offer.

Thankfully, these enhancements promise easier access to data at all levels and that the insights generated can be routed to the right personnel at the right level. This leaves manufacturers free to choose best-in-class solutions for their particular challenges. And you can rest assured that these insights drive value.

In other words, while the underlying technologies and protocols are evolving within the Pyramid, the basic foundational concepts remain. As we speak, concepts like edge computing and cloud integration are being seamlessly integrated into the existing framework – enhancing its capabilities without dismantling its core structure.

This is why many argue for a continued hybrid model that adds an industrial edge computing software layer – one that collects the data from anywhere whether OT or IT. As the underlying technologies may change, the concepts presented by the Automation Pyramid remain relevant to manufacturers operations. Thankfully, these enhancements promise easier access to data at all levels and that the insights generated can be routed to the right personnel at the right level. This leaves manufacturers free to choose best-in-class solutions for their particular challenges. And you can rest assured that these insights drive value.

In other words, it’s about embracing a broader vision.   

The Proof Is In The A-Ha’s

However, personally, the best proof for the enduring usefulness of the Automation Pyramid took place last month. I had the luxury of meeting over 100 of my colleagues in person during an offsite at a lakeside camping ground. As I gave my presentation on the Automation Pyramid using the delicious case study of an ice cream factory, I saw many eyes light up. Later, I was approached by many colleagues who thanked me for providing them with the “big picture”.

Mission accomplished. 

Case closed.

The post The Automation Pyramid Is Dead. Long Live the Automation Pyramid appeared first on Augury.

What is the perfect working and gathering space for a growing company? “Well, let’s start by not calling it an office,” says Danelle Dilibero, Augury’s VP of People, who has a global workforce wishing to collaborate in person more often. “Instead, we need to ask questions like ‘Is on-site the new off-site?’ and ‘How do we balance remote working with the human drive for direct contact?”

Avoiding The O-Word

The perfect working space comes down to the old saying that one-size doesn’t fit all. For certain jobs and/or people, working from home has provided the perfect balance of flexibility and productivity. For other jobs and/or people, it’s better – or even required if you are, say, a nurse – to be in-person. But for most, there’s an aspiration for a Goldilocks-Just-Rightness between the two. 

So, how do we accommodate all the flavors as we try to formulate a future-resistant gathering place for a growing organization?

Let’s start with the basics. Why might we need a shared workplace? Basically, there are two reasons: 

1. To offer a place to work to those who need it. After all, not everyone’s home is a comfortable or safe place to work. This is a very pragmatic reason. And also a very passive one.
2. To create a place for hospitable collaboration. We want our teams to get together for activity and bonding (and occasionally for all the teams to get together for a proper party). In this scenario, it’s less about daily working tasks and more about being actively together in the name of fostering organic conversations and decision making.

Did you notice I went three paragraphs without using the word “office”? Indeed, too many people think the productivity solution is in getting everyone back in the office – Greece is even bringing in the option of a six-day work week. At Augury, we know this won’t work for us. 

Better Together, But…

I’m not for or against working fully remotely, or returning to the office five days a week. Either can work in certain situations. Each company’s needs are unique to its business and people. In other words, this idea of “one size doesn’t fit all” also refers to companies – with each company needing to find its own way to work optimally.

In the case of Augury, we are a people-first company. We’re also a global company with employees spread thin worldwide. At the same time, I recently witnessed the power – and need – of bringing people together. Humans  are built to bond. And, we should also admit the enforced remote working brought on by COVID was also very artificial. 

So yes, we at Augury are committed to the middle path: hybrid. But how do you make that feel as natural as possible? Well, now we have a clean slate to rethink how to make the best of both scenarios. So, let’s take the time to get it right. 

“I certainly experienced that camp as a return to each other. But how do you capture this for the long-term?”

Augury at Camp: Capturing Fireflies

Earlier this year, we had an offsite where over 100 global employees came together at a lakefront camp. It was only about a third  of our company, but we had never done anything like this before. 

While we bonded over hikes and campfires, we also had a full schedule of training and workshops. Over the last three years, our company has evolved  with new team members, new customers, and new offerings and it was a good time to catch-up. For some attendees, this was the first time meeting face to face. Not only did relationships form, but I overheard someone say, “I just learned more in 30 minutes than I would have reading 30 Slack messages on this topic.”

As a recent joiner myself, I could relate. And I certainly experienced that camp as a return to each other. But how do you capture this for the long-term?  

“A long-term space should feel like home. The coffee is always waiting. That cool lunch spot is around the corner. In fact, that cool lunch spot could be in the space itself.”

A Home, Not A Hotel

This return-to-each-other mindset aligns with the number one reason people book coworking spaces in the US. According to a recent study, it’s not about getting out of the kitchen or changing the scenery. It’s about collaborating with colleagues. 

But a daily booking of a coworking space can give off a sterile vibe. You can often get lost in the logistics of the new: getting there, finding the best coffee, connecting to the Wifi and reserving a phone booth for the private conversation.

A long-term space should feel like home. The coffee is always waiting. That cool lunch spot is around the corner. In fact, that cool lunch spot could be in the space itself. 

Calibrating The Perfect Balance

Happily, Augury already has an in-house pioneer. Our spot in Haifa, Israel, where most of our R&D team is located, set up its own hybrid space that actively sought the balance between working from home and the magic that happens when the people we are working with come together to work in a shared space.

According to the designer, Augury’s Creative Manager Adi Shaul, “We still recognize the advantages of remote work – in terms of its potential to improve workflow, adapt to the global nature of our company, and benefit the life/work balance. During the pandemic, we certainly adapted more quickly to this remote working – and partying – than most companies. However, we also recognize the advantages of shared workspace in terms of inspiring team camaraderie and innovation.”

In short, each team has two set days a week – and of course, everyone is welcome to come more often. The space accommodates changing needs – from quiet areas to flexibility to open everything up for larger parties and gatherings.

Meanwhile, everyone comes for one set day every month. This day is different from other days – it truly represents that expression ‘onsite is the new offsite’. It’s the day of the all-hands office meeting. If there’s a holiday that month, this is the time they celebrate. There’s usually a special lunch or activity. It’s a day that’s very community-based and collaborative. It’s a day many look forward to. 

Not many companies can draw such direct inspiration. At the same time, this scenario works for Haifa – and it remains a work in progress. The US side of our organization is dispersed, and diverse, and this must be accounted for. 

“It’s a place where you feel comfortable putting down your bags. It’s a place where you feel ‘anchored yet not chained’.” 

Homebase As Anchor

So in our journey in finding the right formulation for our homebase locations, we already know a few things.

In short, we want to create an anchor for our employees. We want a place to feel a sense of a community outside of our home communities. And you certainly don’t get that same sense of community Slacking back and forth all day. This is a place that’s definitely not sterile or random. It’s a place where you feel comfortable putting down your bags. It’s a place where you feel “anchored yet not chained”. 

So, how do you find, bottle, and scale that?

We’re working on it. So, stay tuned…

Read more from Danelle: ‘How To Grow A Larger And More Diverse Manufacturing Workforce’.

The post Returning To Each Other – Not The Office appeared first on Augury.

‘People First’ is Augury’s principal value. And during Pride Month we tune our ears more to how we can be better allies to the LGBTQ+ community – as individuals, as a company and as part of the wider manufacturing industry. This is what we (re-)learned.

A version of this article was originally published on June 24, 2022.

At Augury, when machines talk, we listen. However, it’s people that we really listen to – whether it’s our clients, partners or colleagues. Through various sessions and gatherings over Pride Month, we’ve tried to listen even more carefully to the journeys of people from the LGBTQ+ community – especially now in this age of corporate rainbow-washing. Here are some of the stories and insights that seemed to particularly resonate. However, these observations are only the tip of the rainbow-colored iceberg.

1) Speak Up

You should speak up if you feel disrespected or uncomfortable about a certain behavior. You should also speak up if you see this is happening with someone else.

2) It’s Not Just About ‘The Bedroom’

People are more than just their gender or orientation. We all have our own unique preferences and personal lives. We are all people who want to be authentic and to live and express ourselves freely. Meanwhile, on the job, we unite under the same vision and mission. We have work to do. We should not be distracted by what people may think, or cautious about who we are. Let’s focus on solving the problems in this world that need solving. And enjoy ourselves while doing it.

3) Acronyms Matter And Don’t Matter

We use the LGBTQ+ label – while emphasizing the +. Some of Augury’s detail-obsessed engineers have even memorized the expanded acronym LGBTQQIP2SAA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Pansexual, Two-Spirit, Asexual and Allies). While no one likes being put in a box, labels can have advantages: it “names your struggle” and gives you a vocabulary to talk about it. And through talking,  you build a sense of community, solidarity and belonging.

Some of Augury’s detail-obsessed engineers have even memorized the expanded acronym LGBTQQIP2SAA.

4) Empathy Starts At Home

One of our colleagues has two teenage children who recently came out. She was very supportive and also offered her home as an open and safe place to any of her children’s friends who may also come out. Amazing. So the question becomes: How do you best apply this level of openness and acceptance to a work environment?

5) Why No Pink In The Rainbow Flag?

Because many of us are manufacturing nerds, many loved this story behind why the iconic Rainbow Flag lost a stripe due to a manufacturing issue. The pink selected was a non-standard colour in flag fabric production and deemed too costly to produce. We also loved this quotation from the flag’s designer Gilbert Baker: “Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible, to live in the truth, as I say, to get out of the lie. A flag really fit that mission, because that’s a way of proclaiming your visibility or saying, ‘This is who I am!’”

6) History Tells Stories

Besides the ever-expanding Rainbow Flag, there are many important stories in the history of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Stonewall in the US or the largest Pride parade in the Middle East. But there’s still much room for improvement – including in the workplace.

There’s also that history waiting to be written in, for example, those 70 countries where consensual same-sex activity is still criminalized.

Or imagine the tragedy of the AIDS pandemic through the filter of Covid-19: the combination therapy for HIV infection that now saves millions of lives every year took 15 years to develop. Now imagine, if the Covid-19 vaccines took that long to be developed. In fact, the vaccine development timeline was considerably shortened thanks to lessons learned during the fight against AIDS. We’ve certainly come a long way.

So what are the stories that Augury can tell that can adjust attitudes in the shortest time frame possible?

7) Upholding The Dividends Of Diversity

Augury knows from experience that diversity brings value – that a range of unique perspectives creates our particular brand of agility. We also know that a happy workplace creates an inspired workplace – which also creates value and retains talent. This is important for us. As a company, we need to continually create clarity around how we can promote these values. But we also have to be ready to properly deal with situations that may go against these values. That’s the test…

Augury knows from experience that diversity brings value – that a range of unique perspectives creates our particular brand of agility.

8) Lots of Information Out There. Use It.

For both individuals and organizations, there’s a lot of information out there – covering everything from creating support groups, to becoming a better ally to the community, to best practices when it comes to coming out in the workplace (if you choose to do so). You can start here.

9) Choose Your Battles. Not.

You can probably use your time better than trying to convince a set-in-their-ways 80-something of the advantages of being more open to others. That said, never look upon it as a battle. If you dig, you’ll probably find you have more in common with that 80-something than you thought.

Enjoy the ride.

10) Empathy-Building Is A Lifetime Project

Getting angry doesn’t work. Exchanging personal stories does. Whether it’s someone explaining the challenges they face in coming out in the workplace, or someone who grew up surrounded by homophobic language. It’s about taking the time to acknowledge and accept differences. No one size fits all. Everyone has their own journey – and it’s often radically different from one’s own. Stop, Listen, Learn. And don’t be afraid of asking questions (you can always apologize if you ask it in an insensitive way). In short: enjoy the ride.

11) If It’s Good For The LGBTQ+ Community, It’s Good For The Rest

At the end of the day, aren’t we all just looking for acceptance? Don’t we all just want to fit in without worrying about whether we fit in?

Do Reach Out…

Especially if you happen to be a rainbow flag manufacturer. We have a few ideas on how you can ramp up production – and maybe even how you can finally loop in some pink.

Learn more about working at Augury.

The post When People Talk, We Listen (11 Reasons To Be An LGBTQ+ Ally) appeared first on Augury.