Executive Global
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Productivity | Strategy | Profitability
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''Working together with anyone in need continues to be the most important thing to do.''
An Interview with Dr. Lynn Johnson
President & Co-Founder, APiS North America, LLC
Our interview with DR. LYNN JOHNSON, President and Co-Founder at APiS North America LLC, examines the impact of Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA), Functional Safety and Risk Analysis for business. Executive Global once again catch up with the co-founder of the pioneering firm revolutionising how clients leverage FMEAs within their risk management and functional safety operations, to improve their products and processes with high quality software products, expert training and consulting.
EG: What has the current global economic climate informed you about the critical importance of Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA) processes to strengthen the integrity of a business?
LMJ: FMEA provides an opportunity to have lean processes, with less waste, both in man hours and materials. It is critical that the FMEA is built on a functional model, as with the IQ-Software, to ensure that each functionality is analysed for its potential risk and how to mitigate that risk.
EG: What are the consequences of companies having a poor Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA) process in place at this challenging time in the global economy?
LMJ: There are many consequences, anywhere from financial to, loss of customer base, or, most critically fatal injury due to a design and/or process failure not identified early enough. Financial loss can come in the form of a product recall or it can be from loss of revenue from lost contracts with OEM customers.
EG: As President and Co-Founder of APiS North America, what has your experience growing the company from a leadership perspective, taught you about the importance of team building?
LMJ: The team building that we have done over the past 4 years has been remarkable. Our team has utilised the changes that have occurred over the course of 2020 and implemented leadership training and weekly discussions of any issues, plans, projects, and outcomes. This has led to a highly productive year and many new opportunities!
EG: APiS North America pays keen attention to customer service and innovative ideas. Why might this now be more important than ever?
LMJ: Our team’s attention to customer service is part of our culture and commitment to our customers. This provided a very strong foundation for APiS North America to continue to serve our customers throughout a global pandemic and economic change. When global travel was disrupted we were immediately available to provide our Basic, Advanced, and Systems IQ-Software training, consulting, and facilitating virtually and were flexible to our customer’s needs. Working together with anyone in need continues to be the most important thing to do.
EG: And how would you compare the marketplace for your North American and South American customers with that of Europe?
LMJ: So many companies are global and have many differences across their teams’ FMEAs and that is where APIS® Inforamtionstechnologien GmbH, our parent company, APiS North America, and APIS Information Technologies (Shanghai) co, Ltd come in with the IQ-Software. The IQ-Software provides global teams the ability to work together to standardise the companies’ FMEAs.
EG: As a multi award-winning executive in the healthcare field, what would you say it takes to succeed in the higher echelons of this industry?
LMJ: In my experience, continuous learning, continuous search for new opportunities, and the ability to pivot when changes are thrown your way provide the most advantageous path to success. Success is also how you define it for yourself, of course. I am excited for each new day to enter the C-suite with renewed energy to move APiS North America and my colleagues to define and achieve their successes.
EG: You also give a lot back to the community and have an illustrious history of contributing within the not-for-profit sector. Do philanthropists generally make better leaders?
LMJ: Our four daughters taught me the most about philanthropy. Our younger generation strives for equality, equity, and emotional balance. It has made me a better leader, in my opinion, so I would say, yes, philanthropists make better, and more fulfilled, leaders.
EG: Having dominated the pharmaceutical and healthcare technology field for a long time, what advice would you give to the next generation of industry professionals?
LMJ: Continually search for new opportunities throughout your endeavours. Read a lot, meet new people, be inquisitive with others, and be humble and ask for guidance. No one comes into a new industry from school as an expert. The next generation is very exciting and has many exciting opportunities. They are going to be a much smarter version of ourselves in many areas. I am very excited by this and passionate about education for this reason. You will be our next leaders, so take care, learn lots, and be great! EG