Solving Problems

I have been telling stories about the progress of my relationship with my superintendent. I came to the factory 14 years after he started so it was not easy for me to slip into their system. We have been doing fine working together. It has gone better now that he already put me into picture of what is happening around the plant and his jobs and in full detail.<>

I never forced him to follow me, instead I showed him that though I am more than 10 years younger than him, I have the capability to make things happen, get root cause faster for machines and solve problems even on personal matters. I am also the mediator when they cannot tell if the main problem is electrical or his division – mechanical.

Now that he is more open to my ideas, I also make sure he grows in terms of management. It is not that easy for him as he was a hands-on person but with the aid of my stories and experiences, he is little by little moving out of it and moving a step higher. We had a lot of chat made especially on how to handle things around the plant, not only problems but also the people around us. We also have chats on what improvements he wants. He also wanted to learn AutoCAD and I helped him with it also.

Every time there are thing(s) that bothers him or problem that he needs answer, he would approach me. I like the way he starts our conversation, that is, he would tell me that he has a problem and he is sure I can solve it in 1, 2 or just 5 minutes.

“The quickest way to gain leadership: problem solving”
- John Maxwell
Developing the leader within you.

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First Lessons

One thing that DMR kept on telling me, even until I came to PNG when I asked for some advice is “You cannot manage what you do not understand”. I have never understood it at first but I tried to remember it as I can sense that there is something big on those words of him. DMR is a generalist and not a specialist so he studies at least basics of the things that he handles. In our department in Franklin Baker, when any men under him are stuck in a problem, he is usually the person who has the answer.<>

Another thing that I learned when I just started working is that it is best to start from the bottom so that when you acquire a better/higher position, your men cannot make a fool of you. This is very evident as I have faced some subordinates that are good in their field i.e. air-conditioning. I really have to strive hard, learn the basics and later learned how industrial refrigeration and air-con works as it part of the Facilities department. After learning them, I can easily tell how to handle that part of our division.

In GlaxoSmithKline, I also have been a follower where my supervisor doesn’t have any idea on the division (facilities) he is handling and has no plans of learning things on his own and want everything to be “spoon fed” to him. He is bossy. I did not give him anything unless he asks. And a lot of trouble happened since then. Due to this, he was again transferred to other area where he is more competent. I have not been a good follower then and changed later, but the main thing that I learned then was that you should know at least basics of the area you have to handle or at least try to learn them.

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Sticker

In Philippines, we have a means of transportation called a tricycle. It used to load 3 to 5 person and is used mostly in short destination only. When going to other places alone, I would rather commute instead of using the car. Going out of the subdivision or compound in Cainta, Rizal where I previously lived and worked, would require riding it. In it, there are stickers of jokes and quotes and there is one that I liked and is still in my head up to now.

In that sticker are the words: “There is no useless person; you can use him as a bad example.” I just smiled at the first time that I read it but as I see that quotation for some time, and as I see some bad habits of some of my co-workers, I began to change... just a bit though. I would promise my self then, not to do the things that I think are not good habits. The words are a bit rude that is probably why the phase were not written in books that I have read, but this one has changed me a bit on how to see people with bad habits. One thing that is advised when talking to difficult people is to ignore them, but with it I see them differently. I would usually tag them as a bad example. Especially if it is procrastination, I would check how they do it and do the opposite.

Before, it was not easy for me to tell if I don’t like other people’s attitude so I keep them and just tell my self not to do as they do. Nowadays, I would try to tell people their bad habits so that they would be aware. It is up to them if they will change them or not. I already have ways of telling it to other people without offending them.

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