It is not uncommon for management to pay big fees to maintenance consultants while ignoring a set of solution tools they already have.
When Larry complains about wasting time walking back and forth across the plant to do his PM work, is he simply being negative or is he identifying an existing problem? When he makes this complaint at a maintenance meeting and asks, “Why don’t you guys plan a route? UPS drivers don’t double back and forth, so why do you make me do that?” is he being obnoxious or is he identifying the solution to the problem?
What about Pam, Bob, and Zach, who never speak up? Like Larry, they work on the front lines. What do they know that management does not? There is only one way to find out, and that is to ask. Make it easy for people to give you answers, especially ones you may not want to hear. Good, honest answers will produce gains in job satisfaction, productivity, and uptime.
About the Author
Mark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.