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Bosses—the good, the bad, and the clueless

Bosses. At some time, we all have them. Like teachers, they can make a huge difference—positive or negative—in our lives. They can motivate and encourage us to achieve more, or they can beat us down. If yours falls into the latter category, your best bet likely is to look for another job.

Bosses in manufacturing were the topic of a recent blog post by Senior Editor Tim Heston and the topic discussed in the August “Fabricating Update” enewsletter. In his post, Heston wrote about a conversation he had with Jonathan Martin, a lawyer experienced in employment law, regarding how the new rules might result in employee lawsuits.

Law complexities aside, Martin said that when legal disputes in manufacturing and other businesses arise, “usually, it’s not about ‘what.’ It’s about ‘who.’

“It’s not based on you violating the law. It’s based on somebody being ticked off and going to a lawyer. It’s that simple, and it’s pure human psychology.”

According to Martin, avoiding the situation involves identifying people who have trouble interacting with others. First on the list of the problematic personality types the lawyer cited is: “I’m the boss, and don’t you forget it.” (You can read about the other types in Heston’s brief post.)

In the newsletter, we asked fabricators to share their thoughts on bosses. Some who responded named names and heaped high praise on good bosses. Some discussed the attributes they feel are essential for a good boss, especially in the fabrication world.

Robert M. said, “The best boss I've ever had was Larry R. at (a company) in Fremont California.

“What made Larry so good was that if you were competent, he backed off and gave you all the room necessary to do your work. If you made a mistake on a part, he would have you fix it on your own without his intervention. If the problem was bigger, he would tell you about it once, you felt it, and made the necessary corrections.

“I would have died working for Larry, but the company was sold to a different management that was too difficult to get along with.”

Gene B. said, “My best boss ever was the chief chemist who also doubled as the production manager at an agrichemicals plant in Billings, Montana. His attitude was: ‘I am here to give you what you need to do your job better.’ Tim was an inspiration and a true leader, not a pusher.

“When his friend from school days took over as production manager, the few of us who worked there were pretty nervous, but Denny continued in the same vein. Denny and Tim were both the kind of bosses who would make sure they worked harder and longer than anyone else, took fewer breaks, and always had a good word to say about a worker.

“Thirty-nine years later, those two men are still affecting my life daily. I often ask myself how either one them would handle a situation and the answer becomes so simple it seems as if they are standing beside me and smiling.

“On the few occasions since then that I have had a bad boss, either the boss or I did not last long at the job. It seems to me that basic training for all bosses should include how not to be just a team player, but a team builder. American industry will never truly be great again until we can all be members of a team instead of individuals out for ourselves.”

Scott D. likened employees to tools that require the proper use and care by management. He said, “Many bosses in the fabrication world lack in the needed skills to become an effective boss. They were promoted due to experience or skill displayed at work. Now, they are no longer production employees and must be good stewards of a company’s most valuable asset, its people. Being a good steward in this manner means beginning to handle the people in front of them in the same way that they were previously handling the tools in production. Like a tool, people must be ‘used,’ or they get ‘rusty,’ and they require maintenance, much like a machine.

“If you abuse an employee you are going to break him. People can perform at a high level if they feel productive and are productive. They need to be appreciated and structured so they can be a part of your success.

“They also need to be adequately paid for their energy and skill.

“I have had bosses that began to feel threatened if employees were more educated or more efficient than they were. This is a problem that many companies face in management, but it should be looked at differently. After all, we should not look to limit an employee for being successful but rather look to spread his talents to others surrounding them.

“A group of people with a common goal and willingness to achieve together can be unstoppable. Efficiency and productivity bring profit, and that is the goal of every good company.”