More Than Just Equipment

It's not always the operator's fault.

Aug. 3, 2021

2 min read

Jon is an ace tech. When something breaks, he can fix it faster than anybody. Yet, operators are seldom happy to see him. Unlike Jon, Richard is just reasonably good. It sometimes takes him a while to properly diagnose and repair equipment that went down. But when he shows up, the operator of that equipment usually breaks into a big grin. This seems backward. Why isn’t it the other way around?

It’s probably because Jon always looks for something the operator did wrong to cause the breakdown. Even if a cause is only marginally likely, he goes with it. He will proceed to lecture the operator on the error (real or not), how much it cost the company, and how carelessness isn’t very professional.

Richard, on the other hand, always asks questions and listens intently. If he finds something the operator may have done to contribute to the failure, he says something like, “It’s probably not anybody’s fault, but I noticed X and it may have contributed to the problem. Do you think you can keep an eye out for that and let me know if it pops up?”

Approaching a situation tactfully often works better than playing the blame game.

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.