All Member Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  Improve or fall behind. Status quo = status failure.

    Posted 09-14-2023 05:51 PM

    Improve or fall behind. Status quo = status failure.

    Do not repeat mistakes but be imperfect.

    We know insanity is repeating an action and expecting different results. This is repeating a mistake. Some do not recognize the same process when somebody states "we've always done it that way and it never fails". The next question should be, has doing it the same way every time improved the process or product? Never fails is also never improves. Comfortable but stagnated and falling behind the competition.
    Be imperfect. Do not let perfection defeat progress. Some situations require perfection such as parachuting. There is no room for error. When drafting a new procedure or policy, installing new equipment, or starting a new process, there is usually some room for error. Apply all the information you have and expect that as soon as the information is tested, defects will be found. While waiting for perfection, which cannot be attained, the competition will move ahead.



    ------------------------------
    Larry James
    Manager: Knowledge and Training
    Enel Green Power North America
    Reno NV
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Improve or fall behind. Status quo = status failure.

    Posted 09-15-2023 08:15 AM

    Spot on, Larry. I've seen situations where people wanted to get everything perfect before they rolled it out. The results is spending a lot more time with the "what if's", only to find out the "what if's" you didn't think of when you go live and get discouraged by "failure".

    Better to use an 80/20 rule. When your design is about 80% right, waste no more time. Start a shakedown cruise. Push your ship in the water, ready to address anything that goes wrong or needs finetuning during the period. Once done, then declare victory. 

    An additional benefit can be participation of the employees using what you're putting in place. Let them know when you start live and solicit their input. They can be part of the final "design", fixing what's needed to be successful, engaging their ownership. 



    ------------------------------
    Mike Palm
    Managing Partner
    Convergent Results
    Cockeysville MD
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Improve or fall behind. Status quo = status failure.

    Posted 09-15-2023 11:47 AM

    Thanks Mike and yes. Regarding procedures, I have recommended reversing 80/20 when nothing is documented. I took over O&M of 17 hydroelectric plants in CA, WA, ID in 2014. The techs knew their plants and how to do the dailies and start or stop them. Breakdowns were all managed as a onetime event. Fix it and move on. One plant was built in 1904 and all had limited to zero standard operating procedures (SOP). I told them write what you know and give it to me even if only 20% or less of what you think it should be. 20% from one tech and 15% from another, etc., It was over a year, but we had 50% to 80% complete SOP for everything and more importantly, they learned how to create and revise SOP. They were also writing maintenance procedures as the repaired breakdowns. They also realized planned work is safer work, statistically about 80%.

    Give a person a fish or teach them how to fish? Often both, but without education, the fish has value for a few hours.



    ------------------------------
    Larry James
    Reno NV
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Improve or fall behind. Status quo = status failure.

    Posted 09-15-2023 08:49 AM
    Hi peers,

          I am looking for a job. I am Mechanical Engineer with more than 10 years of experience in Maintenance Management in oil and gas in Venezuela. I got CMRP Agust 2023. I live in Fort Worth TX but I am willing to relocate.
    Regards
    8179026623
    Roberto Duran 





Related Content