Hayden Baehl ’18 LABB 2016-Week four has concluded; unfortunately, it is all downhill from here. Looking back on the last four weeks, I have really enjoyed the program. The LABB program thus far has been a great resource to me. I have acquired a broad, extensive range of knowledge that will be beneficial to me regardless of my professional career, moreover, I have also befriended many fellow LABB interns, and I value each and every relationship. Though I have enjoyed quality time with my fellow LABB interns, week four challenged my colleagues and me. Negotiating is a very daunting task regardless of the other party, friends or not. Trying to come to an agreement where each side must give a little is not easy, several times the two parties did not reach a consensus. However, I truly benefited from the experience.
The highlight of the week came on Thursday and Friday when we were going through LEAN certification. The experience and the knowledge that I gained going through the course in itself was very self-rewarding. When I learned that LEAN was a philosophy more than a technique, I realized that being a Wabash Man gives us, Wabash Men, a leg up on the competition. LEAN manufacturing is not about knowing the information but more so about thinking critically and knowing how to apply the philosophy to day-to-day operations. My favorite part of the week was venturing out into Crawfordsville and going to Dairy Queen. Stojan, Nolan, Connor and I evaluated the process from the time we walked in to the restaurant to the time the food we left. This experience allowed us to apply our knowledge to the real world. The LEAN certification was very appropriate because many of us in LABB have aspirations to one day owning our own business. Furthermore, if one wants to bootstrap their startup or acquired company, one will need to apply the LEAN to make sure that the business is minimizing waste and optimizing capital, thus maximizing profits. Lastly, I am eagerly waiting the final three weeks where we will be presenting our business pitch and consulting project.
