Wayne Barthule

Layoffs are becoming disturbingly common, reducing costs at the expense of people's lives and well-being. Caring for the people in your company, not just with lip service but through genuine actions, is one of the most valuable principles an enterprise can uphold. Unfortunately, it seems we are normalizing people as just numbers. When this happens, a company and its leaders might believe that profits will increase and productivity will thrive. However, the reality is that morale tanks, people question if they are next, and creativity and productivity suffer because psychological safety is gone. It's true, layoffs are sometimes a necessary evil, but the truth is that layoffs are often a failure in management, not in the individual contributors. Real success starts with valuing people over shareholders value—because a thriving team builds a thriving company. Promoting a culture that genuinely values people starts with prioritizing the product, customers, and team over short-term financial gains. Here are key steps to fostering such a culture: 1. **Strong Leadership**: Leaders must embody the values they want to instill. They should prioritize long-term stability and make decisions that protect and support their teams. 2. **Financial Prudence**: Ensure that the company's finances are managed responsibly. This means building a solid financial foundation that can withstand economic downturns and investing in areas that support sustainable growth. 3. **Safety and Support**: Create a work environment where employees feel safe and supported. This includes not only physical safety but also job security, mental well-being, and a healthy work-life balance. 4. **Transparent Communication**: Foster open and honest communication within the organization. Employees should feel heard and valued, with clear channels for feedback and concerns. 5. **Recognition and Development**: Regularly recognize and reward employees for their contributions. Invest in their professional development to help them grow and succeed within the company. 6. **Customer Focus**: Emphasize the importance of delivering quality products and services to customers. A satisfied customer base is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team. By prioritizing these elements, you create a culture where employees feel valued and motivated, ultimately leading to a more resilient and successful organization. Which companies you believe still put people first?

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Check out the latest press release on our hiring efforts to find great engineering talent. If that's you or you know someone, check out invent.ge/engineering

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Check out the latest press release on our hiring efforts to find great engineering talent. If that's you or you know someone, check out invent.ge/engineering

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Navigating Tough Decisions in a Male-Dominated Space: The Balancing Act of Compassion & Composure Ever had to pull yourself together, put on the “mommy face,” and step into the fire? Delivering difficult news like layoffs to a male colleague is one of the hardest challenges mid-career women in male-dominated environments can face. We juggle the weight of decisions with the need for composure, knowing we have to manage the emotional fallout—both theirs and ours. But how do you maintain resilience and command respect in these situations? 1️⃣ Prepare, then detach emotionally: Layoffs are tough, but the decisions are rooted in business. Take the time to prepare your words, but once you’re in that room, focus on the facts, not the emotions. 2️⃣ Assertive empathy: Acknowledge their feelings without letting guilt steer the conversation. It’s possible to be empathetic while being firm—this shows strength. It’s okay to feel heavy afterward. But remember, in these tough moments, you’re proving you belong at that table. 💪 How have you handled tough conversations in your career? #WomenInSTEM #CareerResilience #LeadershipInAction #ToughConversations #CareerGrowth

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It was great to learn more about the future of standards in aerospace at #WCQI2024

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Check out the latest press release on our hiring efforts to find great engineering talent. If that's you or you know someone, check out invent.ge/engineering

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Check out the latest press release on our hiring efforts to find great engineering talent. If that's you or you know someone, check out invent.ge/engineering

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Hayfever season is upon us once again. I first developed this allergy in my mid-30s, which came as a horrible surprise as I’ve always been outdoorsy. My principle nemesis is Buddleia, which is grown ornamentally but also is a prolific weed in urban areas. I’m on the antihistamines from the start of April until the end of September usually, but last year was odd and I actually had to extend that to the end of October. Hayfever is expensive… but, but, but… If we look at Boots, the widespread pharmacy in the UK, we can find a price for each of the leading branded hayfever drugs. I’ve summarised this on the left in the table below. This is not a paid promotion. But looking on chemist-4-u.com I’ve found generic alternatives of the identical drugs as a fraction of the price. Piriteze (Cetirizine Hydrochloride) is the cheapest, dropping from 39p a pill to 2p when going for the identical generic alternative. Unfortunately, Cetirizine Hydrochloride drives me loopy so I’ve settled on Claratyn (Loratadine). The generic version drops the price from 37p to 3p a pill. That’s much easier to swallow. The generic of Allevia (Fexofenadine) doesn’t drop as much, and if you favour Benadryl (Acrivastine) then bad luck because I couldn’t find an alternative. If my eyes really itch I use Sodium Cromoglicate too, especially to help me sleep. My final tip is that there has been an established link between allergic rhinitis and vitamin D deficiency (https://lnkd.in/dPMuiEFv). Which is ironic because hayfever make you want to stay indoors, and the action of UV light on the skin is how vitamin D is produced in our bodies. Since I’ve started taking vitamin D daily, my hayfever symptoms have been significantly reduced in severity. I use Nutrition Geeks 1000ui daily vitamin D because it has minimal packaging and is pretty cost effective.

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Check out the latest press release on our hiring efforts to find great engineering talent. If that's you or you know someone, check out invent.ge/engineering

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🕳️ Rocket Facts! 🕳️ #88: Voids One of my wonderful coworkers and snacky-snack dealers, Jennifer Farfel, gave me a preview candy yesterday in advance of today’s office trick-or-treat festivities.  Specifically, she gave me a Ring Pop.  As I slowly ate that Ring Pop over the course of what felt like several hours, I happened upon a tiny little air bubble trapped within the sugary goodness.  And you know what I thought when I looked at that tiny little bubble?  “FUCKIN’ VOID!!!” Like many solid objects that started their lives as liquid slurries – hard candy, Spam, Chicken McNuggets, pencil erasers, cement – solid rocket propellant is prone to trapping air bubbles when it cures.  Air can be introduced as either a product of off-gassing from chemical reactions happening the propellant itself, or just from literally trapping air as propellant falls into motors an piles up during cast.  Bubbles in erasers and candy are generally harmless and McBubbles in McNuggets are…best to just pretend those aren’t really there.  But, bubbles in propellant (voids, as we industry swells call them) have the potential to be catastrophic. While all voids in propellant are bad because they displace propellant, reduce impulse, and make ballisticians sad, their real potential for causing problems is the effect they can have on structural integrity.  Voids in regions of propellant where structural margins are low can act as nucleation points for cracks to form – especially under cold temperature conditions where the propellant wants to both shrink and become less flexible.  Cracks can make for lots of unexpected surface area, which can lead to lots of unexpected pressure, which can lead to lots of unexpected pieces of rocket. There are several manufacturing techniques that can be used to minimize porosity, or voidiness, in rocket motors.  Propellant can be mixed and cast under vacuum to suck out any trapped gasses.  Hole plates or slit plates can be employed to thin the propellant into ribbons or strands as it’s being cast to make it easier for trapped gasses to get sucked out by the vacuum.  And, my personal favorite:  shaking!  Like Shakira with a healthy caffeine buzz and a Hitachi Magic Wand, big-ass shaker tables can be used to vibrate motors, forcing bubbles to percolate up through the much denser propellant and work their way out before the propellant cures and traps them.  At the end of the day, the goal is no bubs, Bub. As a person who drinks 8-ish cokes a day and somehow hasn’t died from it, I have a solid appreciation for bubbles when they’re in their proper places – in soft drinks, in beer, in McBubble Nuggets, and subsequently, in mah belleh.  But, those empty devils gots no business being in rocket motors.  I like propellant like I like my Earth: flat. 😈 #RocketFacts #StemUncensored

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🔍 Finding the right talent is crucial! When it comes to defense projects, having the best experts on your team isn't just a nice-to-have—it's essential. At X-Force, we specialize in providing top talent for senior and expert-level roles that make a significant impact on your defense initiatives. Our extensive experience and focused expertise ensure we understand your needs and match you with professionals who can drive success. Whether it's high-tech simulations, advanced systems engineering, or critical cybersecurity roles, our network of subject matter experts is unparalleled. These professionals aren't just filling roles; they are enhancing capabilities, ensuring security, and propelling projects forward. We know that behind every successful defense project is a dedicated team of skilled individuals, and our mission is to provide you with nothing less than the best. Reach out to see how X-Force can be a force multiplier for your team. Let's elevate your projects together. https://xforce.net #TopTalent #DefenseIndustry #NationalSecurity

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May brings us a bevy of recognitions that, given the current state of world affairs can seem heavily at odds. Many know May as Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Hawaiian Heritage Month, but it's also Jewish American Heritage Month and Military Appreciation Month. As we watch events unfold in the Holy Land and see passionate activitism at home and abroad meet stern and violent opposition and generate understandbly heated discussions about American diplomatic and military strategies in Isreal and elsewhere, it can feel like expressing mutual support and appreciation for our military, Jewish people, and Palestinian self determination are impossibly conflicted. However, if are to succeed as a cross-cultural, multi-racial, and principled society based on freedom and equality, that should not and cannot be the case. We must resist reactive and siloed perspectives on these issues and acknowledge the nuance of the situation. We can honor and appreciate the sacrifice of our individual soldiers and support personnel and their families even if we don't agree with the way our national leadership deploys them and funds foreign allies. We can honor and amplify the culture, voices, and history of the Jewish people in America and around the world, and we can combat and stand against Antisemitic statements and sentiments while still divesting from the actions of Israeli leaders. We can speak and protest in support of Palestinian rights, safety, and legitimacy, and call for ceasefire without condoning the tactics of Hamas or other groups. People too often dismiss DEIA efforts and identity recognitions as "divisive" but they aren't inherently, and if we are to succeed sustainably as a nation and a society, they CANNOT be. We MUST speak boldly to the experiences of specific marginalized groups and work collaboratively toward solutions that seek peace, stability, and security for all people. Such a strategy benefits everyone. If we refuse to acknowledge identities and we refuse to hear the concerns of specific groups, then we only prolong the motives that underpin social strife and breed conflict. A lasting solution demands comprehensive, Affirmative, deliberate, and cooperative action. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻 #DiversityMatters #AAPIHeritageMonth #JewishHeritageMonth #MilitaryAppreciationMonth

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✨Ways to help with the recent Tesla layoffs…. If you’ve ever experienced a layoff, then you know it’s takes leveraging every connection to find your next role. Here are ways to help 👇 ☕️ Schedule in-person coffee dates with those in your network 📩 Invite folks along to any networking events to make new introductions 🤝 Provide trustee referrals to your organizations open roles 🧠 Take this time to upskilling using additional resources 👍 Get active on LinkedIn by sharing or commenting Please reach out if you have are looking for new opportunities within aerospace! #layoffs #teslalayoffs #openroles #networking #workforcedevelopment #talentsolutions

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Life is a journey, rich with opportunities to grow, connect, and contribute. Too often, we get caught in the grind, postponing our passions and dreams for "someday." But someday isn’t promised. The courage to truly live—to embrace challenges, celebrate victories, and pursue what sets our souls on fire—is what transforms existence into something extraordinary. I’ll admit, this is easier said than done. Like many, I struggle to push past fear and take those leaps. But I’m learning that growth starts when we dare to step outside our comfort zones. I am using this as reminder to: take that leap, make that call, start that project. Don't wait for the perfect time—it rarely comes. Choose today to begin living fully. #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration #Mindset #LiveFully #Purpose #GrowthMindset #Motivation #CareerDevelopment #Authenticity

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