Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence.

What is it?

Where does it come from?

Can it help elevate competence in leadership and analytical thinking on the shop floor?

Generally, emotional intelligence is self-awareness. It is the ability for an individual to be aware of how they function socially. But not just that, it is further carried to mean one’s ability to function not only socially, but effectively, of which social function is a component, in the business environment. People with emotional intelligence are typically willing to accept accountability, are open and honest and often exhibit self-deprecating humor, which endears them to others. Those with emotional intelligence also have the ability to get results. They are competent subject matter experts (SMEs) in their area of expertise, but they are also able to achieve results through others, regardless of whether their leadership is formal (supervision) or informal (thought or team leaders).

Research has shown that emotional intelligence can be both inherent and acquired. Acquisition however is often challenging and dependent on self-awareness, which is a component of emotional intelligence. Odd as this seems it is a cycle that is dependent on itself, and difficult to change. However, open and honest feedback thoughtfully rendered, can jumpstart the unaware, and help them to the desire to become self aware. Whether inherent or acquired, experts seem to agree that emotional intelligence requires constant development.

To enable one to elevate competence in leadership and analytical thinking on the shop floor, the first step is to recognize the issue of the lack of self-awareness. The second step is to identify what is required to overcome the problem. The third step is to take action to overcome the problem. Finally, one must evaluate the results of the action and in so doing, recognition of additional developmental gaps will become evident.

Emotional intelligence CAN elevate competence in leadership and analytical thinking on the shop floor. In order for this to take place the steps cited in the prior paragraph must be followed. It is not typically the habit of operators on the shop floor to think of themselves as leaders and analytical thinkers. However, they too can leverage the tools that are often used by the managers who supervise them. The cycle begins with operators evaluating what need they have to improve themselves through introspection, feedback or other means. They then identify the tools and the plan that will help close that gap. After identifying the tools, they then take action to develop themselves using the tools identified. Upon completion of the action, the process begins again with not only identification of additional gaps, but also evaluating how well the last action executed filled the previous identified gaps.

When I was an operator, I learned the importance of honest feedback from my peers and from my supervision. However, I was completely unaware and had to literally be “shocked” into realizing this was important for me to understand in order to develop myself in the way I wanted. In short, I was completely oblivious. I've since given myself to soliciting and evaluating feedback often. Fortunately at the time I worked for an organization that also provided me the tools and training for development. I was able to identify and act, developing my skills as I moved through the process. I eventually won the trust of many of my peers (this is often a very difficult task among operators), such that I could get open and honest feedback in evaluating whether I had learned what I needed, and what they thought I might do next to further improve myself. I also had a mentor, which was necessary to my long term development, which provided coaching and feedback as well.

I am no rocket scientist. However, I work now several extremely bright and talented scientists. I am currently engaged in informal leadership, leading a cross-functional team that has global impact in the organization for which I work. I’ve been very fortunate and it’s been a long road since being an operator on the shop floor. The key was in understanding what needed to be done to make it all happen. Now my passion is to help others like myself understand those same concepts as well. To understand the value and need for…

Emotional Intelligence.

Skilled = Sguild = Skilled

Skilled = Sguild = Skilled.

What does that mean?

You've seen the new name of this blog, "Sguild Labor". You've read my discussion with respect to my passion for development of shop floor resources in leadership (this includes communication), and analytical thinking as a means of driving competitiveness of American labor.

I am a professional that believes in the development of systems and processes that drive results. There are many processes for the development of shop floor resources. These ship floor resources are also often referred to as labor, hourly or non-exempt (from overtime) personnel.

In the early days of our country, colleges and universities did not provide education for the shop floor. There were no community colleges, nor were their trade schools. What did exist was the guild system. It was through the guild system that trades were learned and passed on. Printers, cart wrights, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, silversmiths; I could go on, but you get the idea. In the guild system, if you made horse shoes for your horses, but you were not a blacksmith, you were considered a novice. If you wanted to learn the trade, you started as an apprentice to someone who knew the trade and was an established artisan in the trade. Eventually, as your skill developed you would become a practicing journeyman. In the guild system, once you were established as an artisan, having patrons of note, you were identified as a master craftsman.

The guild system is, for the most part, now gone. However, as a model for developing leadership and analytical thinking on the shop floor, there is clear relevance. There are novices working to build their skills, there are apprentices focused on the development of their skills. There are journeymen that have developed their skills and are working to make a contribution. Finally, their are master craftsmen who are leading process improvements on the shop floor.

The guild system also had some informal aspects. First there was a mentoring process. This was typically the relationship between the apprentice and the craftsman to whom the apprentice was indentured. Although indentured servitude is a thing of the past, the mentoring relationship is not. Second, before an apprentice could become a journeyman, validation of the skills learned would have to take place. The apprentice would have to prove competence in their chosen craft.

It is my opinion the old artisan guild system has something of substance to offer in the development of shop floor resources to become skilled in leadership and analytical thinking. By leveraging the guild system a process can be established to facilitate that end. Thus...

Skilled = Sguild = Skilled.

Passion Rooted in Experience

In my last post I alluded to my passion for elevating the leadership and analytical skills of the labor force. My passion is rooted in experience.

I was late to the game. I spent my 20's chasing a fast buck. In my early thirties I came to realize that I was, for the most part, chasing a pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow. Once reality set in, I realized next that I needed to get grounded quickly. I needed to develop a solid income and solid marketable and transferable skills.

My quest began by getting the first job I could find. I lived by the adage to...

Call no work low that is honest. Honest toil never degrades.

The job I took was in the brine room of a plant that makes Swiss cheese. It was not enough to cover my expenses so I took assignments from a temporary agency, working in a process cheese plant when work was available and I could squeeze it in. Stability, although visible on the horizon, eluded me. Eventually, an opportunity on the production line of a fitness equipment manufacturer opened up and I was hired. The pay, supplemented by my temporary assignments, was enough to provide the beginnings of stability. I was now prepared for my next step and enrolled in the university located in the community.

At the time, among the best paying jobs in the community were permanent assignments at the cheese processing plant to which I was being temporarily assigned from time to time. Eventually, after nearly a year, I was able to get on permanently. I quit working at the fitness equipment manufacturer and also no longer had the need to accept temporary work assignments to supplement my income. Stability had been achieved.

As it turned out, working for the company owning the cheese processing plant was one of the best things that could have happened to me. As an operator, I was trained on root cause analysis, the basics of business, process variation, team dynamics and other forms of leadership and analytical thinking. We certified by taking a proficiency test, executing an approved project. I participated on a process improvement project that increased productivity by a significant amount.

This company realized the value of enabling shop floor resources (labor) through training. This company also realized the value of empowering their employees through the opportunity to validate the training they received and allowing them to execute projects using their new found skills. This company realized that this not only provided their employees with the satisfaction of being engaged and part of the business, but it also helped the bottom line.

I had an extraordinary experience as I participated in this culture as an operator. I found further value by integrating what I was doing on the shop floor with my education as an undergraduate majoring in production management.

It has now been over 20 years since those days. Over the years I've developed a deep sensitivity for the talent on the shop floor. It is from the shop floor that I come. I recognize that this is where the rubber meets the road. I realize that there is vast talent that if tapped into appropriately, can yield huge dividends to the company for which these resources are employed. The key is to enable, through training and empowerment, shop floor resources around the country.

I did it, by the wisdom of a company for which I worked. If I did it, I believe most others can do it as well.

My passion is rooted in experience.

New Look, New Mission, New Post

Change.

It's inevitable. Sometimes it's joyful and refreshing. Other times it is intense and overwhelming. Particularly when it is imposed. The one thing that will never change, is that change will always exist.

The value of change is that it presents opportunity. In order to harness that opportunity, preparation is required.

American labor is facing change. Change due to offshore outsourcing. Change due to technological improvements in manufacturing. But change nonetheless.

Not long after his administration took office, Indiana Governor Mike Pence announced his intent to focus on elevating the capability of the Indiana labor force to attract manufacturing to that state. High tech manufacturing. Manufacturing that requires labor to communicate, lead and analyze.

In a November 2012 issue of Fortune Magazine, an Op-Ed by Nina Easton spoke of the need for a strategy similar to that adopted by Governor Pence. The article shares alarming data supporting that "There are millions of jobs coming online that American workers aren't equipped to fill." As of the date of the article, 3 million jobs have remained unfilled for 19 months, a vacancy equivalent to 6% unemployment. Further, a 2012 ManpowerGroup employer survey suggests roughly 50% of jobs applied for could not be filled due to lack of skill. Approximately 33% of employers "...complain that applicants lack technical competence and hard skills...". A proportion that appears to be increasing.

Think of the advent of smart phones and tablets. These are an outward manifestation of a deeper, larger and more subtle increase in technology, and the manufacture of technological goods and distribution of technological services. From smart phones and tablets we are moving to smart appliances, smart cars and smart homes. There are myriads of applications as technology grows exponentially and with lightning speed. Parts and components of all these technological necessities and conveniences use precision equipment and technique to manufacture, requiring a labor force able to analyze issues, identify improvements, communicate their need and lead process improvement for results.

In the aggregate, can our labor force do that? Who can? That is an easy answer. Look to where the jobs are outsourced. Countries that can court and retain American manufacturers of such devices have been able to meet manufacturing demand by positioning themselves with an educated, cost effective work force. Not in all cases, mind you. There are still brute force labor shops, but on the economic landscape, there is an increase in the education of the overseas competitive work force, while in America, there is a decline.

Change.

It's inevitable. Sometimes it's joyful and refreshing. Other times it is intense and overwhelming. Particularly when it is imposed. The one thing that will never change, is that change will always exist.

The question is, can and will American labor accept it, embrace it and leverage it for competitive advantage to bring jobs back to our country, our regions, our states, our cities and our homes.

I am passionate about helping to facilitate that end. In an effort to help drive this passion I too am embracing change. It has been some years since I have generated regular posts on this blog. I have given my path forward significant consideration. The result of which will bear fruit on this blog with a New Look, New Mission and New Post.

Change. The train is leaving the station. We can get on board or get left behind.