Editor's Note Among The Best

A key factor in the decision to place Dartmouth on this exclusive list was the in-plant's daily morning troubleshooting sessions, which it calls "rounds." Everyone on the 19-employee shop meets for 20 to 30 minutes each day to discuss ideas for improving productivity, agree on standard ways for doing tasks, go over upcoming jobs so everyone is prepared, share opinions on possible new equipment and much more. Employees are encouraged to talk about their mistakes without worrying about retribution. As a result, they no longer try to cover up errors, says Jim Leech, director. The meetings, which started about a year ago, have had a profound effect.