Norm Howe's blog

Good Managers Despise Brown-Nosers

Posted on Aug 19th, 2026 by Norm Howe

basic trainingI had told my drill sergeant exactly the wrong thing.  When he had inquired (at 120 decibels) why I was joking around during hand-to-hand combat instruction, I had told him that I had mastered all the moves and didn’t need to practice any more.

That had earned me 20 pushups and a requirement to stand in the back of the class holding up a wooden rifle with bayonet that we had used in the training.  I had to hold the small end with my arm straight out.  As I stood there, shoulder aching, my anger at the Army festered.

Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Mindless Meetings

Posted on Jun 1st, 2026 by Norm Howe

magnific_ bored-diverse-group-of-employ_rloRMUGxtc.pngThe worst part of a worthless meeting is not the wasted time in the meeting itself.  It’s the spawn of that meeting.  It’s the meetings that it will beget.

You know how it begins.  A problem comes up, usually at another meeting.  Of course it needs to be solved asap.  Everyone looks at you because it’s probably your fault.  Paralyzed with fear, your mouth blurts out, “Oh yeah.  We have a meeting scheduled on that.”

Well, now you have to set up a meeting.  You send out desperate, emails, slacks, texts to anyone who might know something about the subject.  Some of them actually do show up, bleary-eyed and confused about the topic of the meeting.  None of them have prepared for it.  Critical people are missing.  At best you are able to explain the problem to those who remain conscious through the meeting, and then you schedule another meeting.

There is another way.  We discovered it quite by accident.

Not everyting is in the manual, Norm

Posted on Feb 3rd, 2026 by Norm Howe

The big boss from Germany was in town to kick the tires and spread the corporate gospel.  I had recently been bumped up to production manager at our little pharmaceutical plant in the Midwest and I busied myself with paperwork while he was talking to the plant manager.

We had been meeting our production targets and the quality was good, so I had hope that this was just a routine visit.  Eventually the grey eminence of Dr. Blickensdorf heaved-to outside my door.  He was not happy.

Using the Latest/Greatest Tool

Posted on Jan 19th, 2026 by Norm Howe

If you are not innovating you are dying.  There’s always some magical new tool coming down the pike and you’d better start using it or you’re going to get beat.  The latest, of course, is AI.  Here at VCI we’ve heard from companies that top management has told everyone, “If you use a computer, you will be replaced by AI.”

Scary words,

Petroleum is Natural

Posted on Aug 21st, 2025 by Norm Howe

Q.  How are botulism, salmonella, petroleum, and black widow spider venom alike?

A.  They are all natural and they’re all toxic.

BTW, the image on the right is a natural product extraction plant.

US-FDA has announced a plan to phase out synthetic food dyes…and we’re all supposed to feel safer.  Assuming that a product is benign, much less, healthy just because it’s natural is beyond stupid.  The purpose of this post is to show you why, and to outline what should be done instead.

Fear Kills Innovation

Posted on Jul 29th, 2025 by Norm Howe

QA departments can sometimes appear to resist innovation.  In Quality we want to reduce variation.  Any change in the process upsets our control charts and sends our OCD brains into a tizzy.  However…

We also know that if we are not innovating, we are dying.  In this sped up world, stagnation leads to strangulation.  Operational excellence is great, necessary even, but, by itself, it will not keep us in business long term.  So, we have a dilemma, right?  Well, NO.

The Virtuous Quality Cycle: How to Start it Rolling

Posted on Jun 12th, 2025 by Norm Howe

In our consulting work we have helped out many companies.  They span the gamut of knowledge of FDA regulations and general business experience.  Most of them are struggling with the regulations (Go figure.  That’s why they call us.)  So, if you’re struggling with regulatory compliance, you’re in a very large club.  Don’t feel bad.

There are, however, companies who are not struggling.  Not many, but we’ve seen enough of them to recognize a pattern.  These companies are rolling on a virtuous cycle of quality. 

The Amygdala Hijack

Posted on May 14th, 2025 by Norm Howe

It’s Monday morning.  You’re riding in the bike lane trying to get to work, checking over your shoulder for trucks coming up from behind.  Out of nowhere a car backs out of a driveway on the right.  Before you can think, you’ve already darted into the traffic lane and steered around the rampaging commuter.

Fortunately, there was nobody racing from behind and you didn’t get hit.  Now you can quickly swerve back into the bike lane.  Before you can collect your thoughts, your body has sweated though your clothes even on this cold morning.  “How did I survive that?” you think, after your heartrate returns to normal.

What Makes a Leader?

Posted on Apr 19th, 2025 by Norm Howe

This post is primarily targeted at Quality Managers, but it could equally apply to any kind of leader.  LEADERSHIP, rather than MANAGEMENTSHIP, is more important for Quality Managers than most others. 

Although Quality Managers may perch atop a substantial orgchart, in many organizations they have a miniscule (or no) staff.  They have to make their decisions count through influence and persuasion. 

So, in general, ITS MORE IMPORTANT FOR QUALITY MANAGERS TO LEAD THAN OTHER MANAGERS.

Abolish FDA?

Posted on Jan 7th, 2025 by Norm Howe

The perennial talk about privatizing FDA is in the air again.  What do they want to do?  ABOLISH THE FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION.  You need to be prepared for what’s coming.  Your health is at stake.

As you read this, keep in mind that ALL DRUGS HAVE SIDE EFFECTS.  Paracelsus said, “It is simply the dose that distinguishes between a poison and a remedy.”

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