What a 3rd shift team of union “misfits” taught me about leadership
During my summers between college, I interned at an auto parts manufacturing company. My major was Industrial Management, so getting experience “on the manufacturing floor” was vital to advancing my knowledge. If I was ever to get a job after college, I needed some real-world experience. Nothing I learned at school prepared me for what I experienced in a major union manufacturing plant.
As a student, I read “In Search of Excellence,” and other leading quality-oriented books. I knew of Dr. Deming and the success of his programs. I had a positive ideological outlook on the US manufacturing business. Working in a tier-one parts provider was going to expose me to all that was right with the “Made in the USA” label. I was in for a big surprise.
During the summer, I learned five critical leadership lessons. They are:
- Serve First
- Build Trust
- The Team, The Team, The Team
- Focus On The Outcome
- Discipline Is A Failure Of Leadership
These lessons found me I didn’t seek them out, nor did I do any heroic act to earn them. I was failing as a leader. Before we can get into the learning, we need to first visit with my failure. So first, the bad news. As a leader, I was awful!
“For the times, they are a changin” Bob Dylan
Almost everyone knows the United States automobile manufacturing business suffered in the ’80s and ’90s. Competition from foreign brands intensified, and “Made in the USA” quality seemed to be fading. The plant where I worked was no different. Everyone involved in management felt the heat. Production efficiency (a quality and quantity measurement) was vital and measured every shift.
Every morning began with a management meeting to review production quality and discuss issues and topics around the plant. It was during one of those meetings I was assigned to the 3rd Shift as Production Supervisor. The regular manager was on sick leave for a heart condition. For most of the summer, I would lead the 3rd Shift team. Along with my move to leadership, we were instituting a new quality and efficiency program for all shifts.
The quality and production initiative was vital to the viability of the Press Room. My new department. Product quality needed to improve to stay competitive. If we didn’t improve, management would close the department and outsource the parts. Obviously, jobs would be lost. I remember the General Supervisor saying, while looking directly at me, “You are gonna carry a big stick and pound these guys until we get good parts.” It seemed the plan for improving quality hinged on better discipline. I admit doubt crept in. How was that going to work? The new plan? Write up everyone who runs bad parts. It seemed we were going to war against the production line workers.
Production efficiency was measured on a scale from 0 to 100%. One hundred percent meant the production quality and production was excellent. At the time I was installed, the production efficiency for the 3rd shift hovered around 49%. The company lost money every night; the third shift worked.
The line workers were unionized, and tensions with management were always present for some of the employees. But not all workers fit the negative stereotype. During my time in the plant, I found that most production workers wanted to do a good job.
#management #leadership-skills #lessons-learned #leadership #learning #deep learning
