Post by norrisbuffalo on Apr 6, 2016 17:36:41 GMT -8
I work in the oil & gas industry and right now things are crap. I could do a 2000 word thread on that alone but suffice it to say this isn't my first rodeo and I've seen it up and down. Election years are always flat and personally, if the whole thing tanks and some Croatian kid discovers graviton particles and unleashes free energy on the world I'd happily move on to a new field but for now, I am in charge of a dwindling number of employees who need their jobs and also need something to do.
Above me, hover owners who see monthly sales, billables and expenses. Below float guys with mortgages, car payments and kids who need braces. Circling around me In the middle is all the stuff I need done. Some of it has a hefty profit margin, some of it is emptying trash cans, and a lot of it is stuff I would normally do myself but I need to keep people busy.
In these times I find that leadership changes. When we are busy as Hell every knows they have to get stuff done they rush to meet the challenge. But they focus on the things they know how to do and how they have been trained to do them. When we are slow people drag things out to fill the day. Keeping up a productive tempo when there's very little work is like telling a kid to clean his room. He picks up his dirty cloths and says "I'm done, Dad can I watch TV?" you say "No. You didn't pick up your toys." I find myself having to micro-manage more than ever but I have learned a trick. Don't act like you're checking up on guys who want to make a task last all day. Show up 4 times per day and ask if they need anything. I know it sounds touchy-feely but be supportive they will eventually tell you what is holding them up. 9 times out of 10 its just some stupid insecurity because they don't have experience with a particular task. Make sure they know that you are aware of the things that are pains in their asses and do anything you can to improve those things. Guys who would be resistant to any change when things are busy are anxious to learn something new when things are slow. People want to be useful, they want to accomplish stuff. Even when it's faster to do it yourself, stand there and play the roll of the helpful instructor and let them do it. I have guys who are functionally illiterate learning to use the shop computers for the first time in forever because me and my staff have the time to offer some explanations and they have time to learn. Guys who were totally scatter brained before are now learning to organize things and be methodical because they have time to do it twice or three times if needs be.
I am using slow times to teach lessons that will be worth money and time in the future.
Does the boss appreciate this? He appreciates being told that SOMETHING is happening and progress is being made. He appreciates knowing that he's paying for his employees to become better employees even if they aren't cranking out products. People like accomplishment. We're simple like that.
So, if you are in an industry like mine where things are currently slow you can still find productivity and improvement without producing an invoice assuming you aren't in debt. That's another topic for another day.
Above me, hover owners who see monthly sales, billables and expenses. Below float guys with mortgages, car payments and kids who need braces. Circling around me In the middle is all the stuff I need done. Some of it has a hefty profit margin, some of it is emptying trash cans, and a lot of it is stuff I would normally do myself but I need to keep people busy.
In these times I find that leadership changes. When we are busy as Hell every knows they have to get stuff done they rush to meet the challenge. But they focus on the things they know how to do and how they have been trained to do them. When we are slow people drag things out to fill the day. Keeping up a productive tempo when there's very little work is like telling a kid to clean his room. He picks up his dirty cloths and says "I'm done, Dad can I watch TV?" you say "No. You didn't pick up your toys." I find myself having to micro-manage more than ever but I have learned a trick. Don't act like you're checking up on guys who want to make a task last all day. Show up 4 times per day and ask if they need anything. I know it sounds touchy-feely but be supportive they will eventually tell you what is holding them up. 9 times out of 10 its just some stupid insecurity because they don't have experience with a particular task. Make sure they know that you are aware of the things that are pains in their asses and do anything you can to improve those things. Guys who would be resistant to any change when things are busy are anxious to learn something new when things are slow. People want to be useful, they want to accomplish stuff. Even when it's faster to do it yourself, stand there and play the roll of the helpful instructor and let them do it. I have guys who are functionally illiterate learning to use the shop computers for the first time in forever because me and my staff have the time to offer some explanations and they have time to learn. Guys who were totally scatter brained before are now learning to organize things and be methodical because they have time to do it twice or three times if needs be.
I am using slow times to teach lessons that will be worth money and time in the future.
Does the boss appreciate this? He appreciates being told that SOMETHING is happening and progress is being made. He appreciates knowing that he's paying for his employees to become better employees even if they aren't cranking out products. People like accomplishment. We're simple like that.
So, if you are in an industry like mine where things are currently slow you can still find productivity and improvement without producing an invoice assuming you aren't in debt. That's another topic for another day.
