Will Sampson talks about building a team for positive change. His guest is Bob Stonehill, general manager of Fixtur-World in Baxter, Tennessee, a Six Sigma lean black belt, and author of a book on constructive culture.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
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Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Intro:
Welcome to this episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast. Join us as we explore the business of woodworking big and small and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
Today’s episode is sponsored by FDMC magazine. My guest is Bob Stonehill, general manager of Fixtur-World in Baxter, Tennessee, and author of a book on constructive culture. But first I want to talk about:
Building a team for positive change
One of the most interesting experiences in my career came when I was hired for a new management position and was told on my first day on the job, that I would probably want to fire two members of my team. Now, I’ve never been one of those “my way or the highway” kind of guys. I believe in working with people to make them more productive. Sometimes in the process I learn that “my way” might not be the best way, and that knowledge typically benefits the organization.
So, with the two allegedly problem members of the team, I started paying closer attention to what they were doing, how they were doing it, and any complaints or suggestions they had. I’m proud to say those two people soon became the most productive team members I had.
Of course, it doesn’t always work out that way. I have had to fire a number of employees over the years. It’s not fun, but sometimes you have to help someone find a job that’s a better fit for them rather than letting them slow down or even sabotage the efforts of your team.
This situation is even more critical if you are trying to make significant changes in your operation, such as introducing lean manufacturing methods or adopting new manufacturing processes and products. It gets old really fast to hear people repeat, “We don’t do it that way.”
But what can you do about the folks offering friction, other than to just let them go? Two things I’ve found that most times work is to first try to listen to their complaints and suggestions. Second, is to set up change that can be empirically measured. It’s awfully hard to argue with change that can be measured with math and data. Are we producing more good parts in less time with the new method? Are we meeting deadlines and delivering work on time?
Even something so subjective as “quality” can often be measured. Are there fewer returns or reworks? Are customers willing to pay more for a better product? Or is the supposed increased quality just overproducing and not really adding customer-perceived value to the product?
Often people are like a fussy edgebander. It takes just the right combination of adjustments to make it work smoothly. Then when you change to different edgebanding or different substrates, you need to adjust again. People need just the right combination of inputs, too.
I firmly believe it’s worth the time to try to make those adjustments until the whole team is working smoothly. I’ve had more luck building a better team from inside than hoping to find the right replacement for a recalcitrant employee. After all, you still have to train the new recruit.
Before we get to our interview with Bob Stonehill, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor.
FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Now, let’s meet Bob Stonehill.