Who is in charge

The question is asked, have you ever been in charge.

The first thing that came to mind is a Parent, they lead, they hope, giving advice, not always followed or appreciated just as in our own maybe career paths.

A comment in the Information Technology World, as you climb to the top of the Pyramid the more slippery it becomes, followed by, be kind to others you may meet them once again on the way down.

During my working life in the UK, I was always satisfied with the foot soldier role.

My working life in Australia has always been somehow arranged for me to follow. My first job was in a production factory environment, the management were obviously familiar with the American business system. Regular interviews with management, the result of the interview affected my wage structure. A record was kept of attendance as well as an acceptance of working overtime when asked. These interviews also decided the amount of Christmas bonus each employee would receive.

The first time I left the foot soldier ranks was by invite. Minding my own business, I was casually asked if I would like to become a shift work maintenance supervisor. The answer was a definite yes, the wage as well as holiday time increased. Family time and health in general suffered because of the shift rosters, seven days followed by seven afternoon shifts, then the dreaded night shifts. This shift pattern was known as Marriage killers by the tradesperson’s as well as the likes of myself.

Once again, minding my own business, there is a vacancy for a maintenance superintendent, day work as well as a wage increase, a positive yes please answer as well as a happier home life.

My job was to oversee several shift and day workers in a production environment, my hours spent at my place of work increased, including call outs as they were known. A call out example follows, phone rings at midnight, One of the fitters is on the line. He explains the problems they are facing due to a breakdown of a production process. I ask to speak to one of the electricians, he also explains the problems they are faced with. Decision made, up I get, throw on my clothes and drive off into the night, all quite surreal, no other traffic around, I arrive one hour later at the production plant. A dreaded silence awaits me, no machinery sound means that there is a major breakdown happening. My appearance cheers up the crew on the night shift, they are in fault finding mode. The joys of being in charge, not, as I listen to the ideas of the crew as to what is wrong and what needs to be done to fix the problems. It is now time for a being in charge decision, a decision is made as to what next. Armed with the company of two tradesmen I go over all that has been done so far, their appreciation of someone listening to their fault-finding skills cheers them up.

The steps to fix the by now known problem and what needs to done follows. Making myself available by telephone day and night was not what I expected.

This being in charge was not all it was painted out to be.

I climb down into the depths of what can only be called hell, oil and coolant covered hydraulic pumps awaits me, my two trusted helpers follow me. The situation is, if John goes down, we will follow routine.

One hour later all fixed, a joint effort, a shake of hands and smiles all around. Production restarts, John once again drives home and collapses back in bed. This continued for several years, until the industry was closed. The leaving chat with the General Manager, “John, the inner management all agreed that you are indeed an introvert in an extrovert role, I always worried about you when strikes were raising their ugly heads, which side would you be on?” “That aside, thank you for your loyal service”.

Now for a show and tell of our USA and Canada adventures.

A foot soldier once again, my hands on electrical and mechanical maintenance came to the fore as I became familiar with the plants setting up computer systems, assumably to help them with their day-to-day activities. I was free to go to any of the Plants throughout the USA and hold meetings with management and their employees. I reported to a team leader and a manager at this point. Then once again that in charge echo returned, I was to become the team leader of the system application team.

I eventual learned that this so-called team lead role was dodged by anyone who crossed its path. More travelling awaited me, lots of boring meaningless meetings with management.

I realised that I could delegate another member of the team to attend in my place, while I got on with making the forgotten employees feel wanted, all worried about losing their jobs to technology improvements.

I set in motion a weekly meeting of employees of all the Plants that showed an interest in furthering their knowledge of a computerised system that they did not trust or understand.

My own Team members moaned and groaned about being taken out of their comfort zones, their offices and a City they were comfortable in. In this case it was Houston in Texas.

The team consisted of 12 members, equal Female and Male, different personalities for sure, kept me on my team lead toes.

This team were all eager for promotion as if it was a game, maybe it is.

I presented them with a schedule, where they were to go and the content of what they were expected to do, reporting daily in case of problems. There was a lot of grumbling that I ignored.

Was I a good leader? I always think back to some of my decisions and think them through, some gave me satisfaction, others best not mentioned. The real leader was indeed my Wife, she encouraged and guided me through the good and bad times.

Examples, my Wife and I agreed from day one that where I went, she would come with me, the cost did not matter, it was staying with each other for the end of the day chats. There were a few trips, thankfully, mostly overnight where I went on my own. Sitting in a hotel room looking through a window at the night-time lights and wishing I was somewhere else was so sad.

I do not know if the other members of the team appreciated my decision to travel, while they gathered at home base and went out for a meal and a few drinks, did they think about their leader?

One Project required all members of this sometime team to travel away from home base as well as their own homes. All were allowed to travel back to their own homes in the USA, on a regular basis, this did not include Australia, tongue in cheek, of course.

I sat down with my trusty team member, my Wife, and placed them all where we thought they would fit. The reactions when they were told, sometimes priceless, I had to keep on reminding myself, you are in charge John. We Returned to Australia and I retired, until an offer for a project in Queensland for the electrical supply industry. A foot soldier role which suited me fine, a tap on my shoulder, we need you to talk with the employees about their roles when the system is up and running. The meetings were very stressful, all the employees concerned about their futures surfaced once again. Left this 3-month project in one piece, almost, driving off into the sunset was a magnificent feeling. Was I ever in charge? The jury is still out.

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