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Podcast: Best practices are fine, but hop on the fad bandwagon to give your plant pizzazz

July 5, 2024
In this episode of Great Question (which is presented as satire), learn why you should adopt untested, unproven, and unsupported gimmicks at your factory.

Captain Unreliability is a satire of the state of the manufacturing industry in America today and is written by an industry professional known for using humor to get the point across. In his columns, The Captain covers a range of topics, including the art of avoiding work, creating a culture of unreliability, and why a reliability program is like a toilet. In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Alexis Gajewski, senior content strategist for Plant Services, a sister brand to Smart Industry, shares The Captain’s thoughts on fads and why all complex problems can be solved by embracing The Next Big Thing as the solution.

Below is an excerpt from the podcast:

Hello, and welcome to Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. I’m Alexis Gajewski, senior content strategist for Plant Services. You may remember me from such podcast episodes as last week’s roundup of the top products from June. We wanted to bring you, our loyal listeners, a more lighthearted episode. We’d like to introduce you to one of our most popular columns, Captain Unreliability.

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Written by an industry professional known for using humor to get his point across, this comical series takes a satirical look at the state of the manufacturing industry in the U.S. So if you’re enroute to a water park, heating up the grill for you BBQ bash, or waiting for the fireworks display to start, put on your headphones and enjoy. Today’s Captain Unreliability column is called "Why chasing fads is the key to corporate success."

In the fast-paced world of business, staying ahead of the curve is essential. That's why savvy organizations are constantly on the lookout for the next big fad that promises to revolutionize the way they work.

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From management techniques to productivity tools, the allure of the latest trend is irresistible. But why settle for tried-and-true methods when you can jump on the fad bandwagon and ride it all the way to the top? Here's why the next fad will be the saving grace for organizations everywhere.

Fads are always right. Let's face it, fads wouldn't be fads if they weren't right, right? Just because something is untested, unproven, and unsupported by any actual evidence doesn't mean it won't work. In fact, the more outrageous and outlandish the fad, the more likely it is to be the next big thing. So why waste time on boring old proven methods when you can dive headfirst into the unknown with the latest fad?

About the Author

Scott Achelpohl

I've come to Smart Industry after stints in business-to-business journalism covering U.S. trucking and transportation for FleetOwner, a sister website and magazine of SI’s at Endeavor Business Media, and branches of the U.S. military for Navy League of the United States. I'm a graduate of the University of Kansas and the William Allen White School of Journalism with many years of media experience inside and outside B2B journalism. I'm a wordsmith by nature, and I edit Smart Industry and report and write all kinds of news and interactive media on the digital transformation of manufacturing.