May

22

No More Flat Tires

Post Category: Blog Posts, Church Leadership, Leadership, Makes You Think 

Photos of a radical new tire design have been floating around the net recently. These innovation could redefine transportation by changing how “the rubber meets the road.”

This integrated tire/wheel combination was designed by Michelin and is called a TWEEL (tire/wheel). It represents signifcant changes in the future of mobility.

Imagine what this could mean:

  • Not having to fill up your tires at the gas station
  • No more flat tires on the side of the road
  • No more dangerous blow-outs while you’re driving down the expressway.

This technology is still being developed and could be years away (assuming it’s even viable at all). But it represents an important reminder for all of us.

NEVER STOP QUESTIONING THE PROCESS!

The way it’s “always been done” isn’t necessarily the best way. It may just be the only way we know right now. It’s simple innovations like an airless tire that can redefine an entire industry and change our day to day lives.

I don’t care what you do or where you work I GUARANTEE that there are things you or your organization do that can be improved upon. There are probably processes that can be replaced or even eliminated that no one has thought to change.

Ask yourself these questions of yourself or your organization on a daily basis:

  • What things do I do that can be improved?
  • How can I simplify complex tasks?
  • What processes can be eliminated entirely?
  • What am I doing right now that is no longer relevant my clients or industry?
  • Am I doing things the way that I am because it’s the best way to do it or because it’s the way I’ve always done it?

Never underestimate the power of paradigm shifts and NEVER stop looking for them.

Comments

9 Responses to “No More Flat Tires”

  1. CJ Mills on May 22nd, 2008 10:09 am

    Can you get this in chrome? Maybe with spinners?

    By the way, I love the phrase “paradigm shift.” I wish I could use it more often…

    CJ Millss last blog post..Leave A Comment For Asher

  2. jason on May 22nd, 2008 10:40 am

    great post and i love the questions you asked.

    jasons last blog post..Happy Birthday Reece!

  3. Dean on May 22nd, 2008 10:49 am

    Well said Brad. It’s nice to (finally) see a company looking at innovating a technology that hasn’t truly been updated for a century. It’s amazing to see how some technologies have advanced so rapidly (most things internet/computer related) while things in other fields (automotive being a marquee example) have been more or less stagnant.

  4. Brad Ruggles on May 22nd, 2008 10:58 am

    CJ - Thank you for your comment. And imagine what a paradigm shift chrome spinners on an airless tire would be! (do you like how I slipped paradigm shift in there again?)

    Dean - yeah, it’s interesting how some companies are more innovative than others. I think it has to do with the size of the industry and the leadership in place. The more freedom employees are given to think out of the box the better chance there is for innovative ideas to come together.

    - Brad

  5. Jason Ruggles on May 22nd, 2008 12:52 pm

    I guess nobody told them to stop trying to reinvent the wheel. OHHHHHH!

    That JUST happened!

    (I bet you wish you’da thought of that one!) ;)

  6. Brad Ruggles on May 22nd, 2008 1:54 pm

    Jason, you’re right. I do wish I had thought of that! Nice one.

    - Brad

  7. CJ Mills on May 22nd, 2008 2:09 pm

    I guess nobody told them to stop trying to reinvent the wheel. OHHHHHH!

    If I could go back in time, I would have said that earlier…MAN that was good…

    CJ Mills // http://www.visualtrademark.com

    CJ Millss last blog post..Leave A Comment For Asher

  8. rebecca(the great) on May 30th, 2008 3:29 pm

    Jason Ruggles just made my life.

    rebecca(the great)s last blog post..Our little corner of the church, stepping up, and hope

  9. Erika on July 15th, 2008 6:08 pm

    Wish i would have had one of these while i was on my way back home from Westfield….haha.
    i had quite the trip that didnt make me to happy.

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