Voices: Human Capital
Human Capital is a monthly column for plant managers, department managers, supervisors and aspiring leaders. This column provides a blend of leadership and organizational development concepts with practical applications and insight. Look for Plant Services Contributing Editor Tom Moriarty for leadership topics to expand your leadership toolkit.
Leadership for the long-timers
Managing teams that have been “doing this for decades”? Strive for mutual respect, says Tom Moriarty.
Dec 3, 2018
Every time I get in front of a crowd, I invite people to share a leadership situation they’ve encountered that I might be able to use as a basis for this column. (That goes for you readers, as well; feel free to send me your ideas.) During the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) Annual Conference in October, I gave a one-day version of my Getting Traction Through Productive Leadership workshop. The attendees were a good mix of young supervisors and more “experienced” managers. And yes, when I use the term “experienced,” I mean older folks.
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The 5 styles of conflict management
Nov 12, 2018Which one you choose depends on the situation's urgency and your long-term goals, according to Tom Moriarty.How to diagnose your plant's organizational problems
Oct 23, 2018Looking to identify your top opportunities for improvement? Tom Moriarty says take a strategic approach.Taking the HI-ROAD: Managing conflict in the workplace
Sep 11, 2018Tom Moriarty says de-escalate tense situations and resolve conflicts with this proven approach.Managers: How not to be a jerk at work
Aug 22, 2018Tom Moriarty says to be a better leader, recognize your influence on how people feel about their job.Two attitude-changing questions for those you supervise
Jul 9, 2018Tom Moriarty explores why giving your reports ownership over some decisions can benefit you both.Productive leadership: A matter of respect
Jun 4, 2018Tom Moriarty says being a productive leader demands showing respect for yourself as well as your team.Why good leaders are more crucial than ever for your plant
May 15, 2018Tom Moriarty says strong leadership can go a long way in minimizing the impact of a tight labor market.Why your plant is like a rock band
Apr 9, 2018Tom Moriarty says stay in tune and don’t let competing egos threaten the harmony of your organization.Help your brain be more productive
Mar 12, 2018Tom Moriarty says work with nature, not against it, to improve retention of new data and information.Leadership: You get out what you put in
Jan 30, 2018Tom Moriarty says deliver the resources and accountability needed to meet your mission.Why guidance is critical to a good management system
Jan 8, 2018Tom Moriarty says a bad system will defeat good leaders, so create a structure that supports success.Leadership: How to cede control and not go crazy
Dec 12, 2017Tom Moriarty explores what you need to successfully empower your team to make decisions and take action.The power of consistency in leadership
Nov 28, 2017Tom Moriarty says leaders create principles with which they want to be consistent and stick to them.Leadership best practices: Dealing with counterpunches
Oct 23, 2017Tom Moriarty say learn how to defuse tense situations when you’re trying to correct behaviors.Responsibility is yours for the taking
Aug 30, 2017Tom Moriarty says recognize and own your situation – it’s the only way you’ll get out of it.‘I get it...my boss doesn’t’
Aug 23, 2017Is your boss risk-averse? Tom Moriarty explains how to boost chances of getting projects approved.Why 'culture change' efforts fail
Jul 5, 2017Tom Moriarty says focus on the process rather than the desired outcome to drive the changes you seek.How to listen, understand, and leverage different generations' strengths
Jun 6, 2017Tom Moriarty says leaders would do their best to listen across generations and avoid snap judgments.Work prioritization problems: How to stay out of the 'Twilight Zone'
May 1, 2017Tom Moriarty says avoid gray areas by keeping team objectives consistent and linked to the big picture.Who's deciding who does what?
Mar 31, 2017Tom Moriarty says set priorities and boundaries for task allocation to optimize everyone’s time.Don't train in vain. Follow these 5 steps to achieve leadership training success.
Mar 1, 2017Tom Moriarty explains that goals for leadership training often clash with reality. Here’s how to prevent that.Stop one-and-done leadership training
Feb 7, 2017Tom Moriarty says don’t take the generic route if you want to to ensure your leadership training actually works.A canine lesson on leadership
Jan 3, 2017Tom Moriarty explains what a dog's run-in with a staircase teaches about assigning new tasks.Why can’t I get my project approved?
Dec 1, 2016Tom Moriarty explores why you may need to challenge leadership to get things done.How to lead employees who are less open to being led
Oct 31, 2016Tom Moriarty says every relationship between a leader and a follower has a dynamic level of trust; it varies with each interaction.How to be a macro-manager: Know the true condition of the plant without micro-managing your workers
Oct 4, 2016Tom Moriarty explains how to strike the right balance between staying aware but not always taking direct action.Does your organization have leaders who understand and can champion PdM’s value?
Aug 31, 2016Tom Moriarty explores the leadership imperative for PdM.What golf teaches us about maintenance: There are no quick fixes
Aug 1, 2016Tom Moriarty says you can't fix a swing – or a persistent problem in your plant – overnight.Buzz-worthy: How does leadership pollinate at your plant?
Jul 5, 2016Tom Moriarty says when it comes to cultivating leaders, is your plant bearing fruit or withering away?Profits sinking? Put down the violin and support your maintenance team
Jun 14, 2016Tom Moriarty says plant leaders owe it to their teams to understand and support the maintenance role.Workforce retention: Should I stay or should I go?
May 2, 2016Tom Moriarty considers the question, "Who’s most likely to be looking for the exit at your plant?" The answer may surprise you.The connection between training and motivation
Apr 4, 2016Tom Moriarty says data from leadership survey point toward a direct correlation between the two.How motivated is your team?
Mar 1, 2016Who on your team is most revved up? Hint: probably not your supervisors, says Tom Moriarty.Workers want actions, not words
Feb 8, 2016Team members seek personal investment, not just a pat on the back, Tom Moriarty writes.Leadership matters: How effective is your plant's team?
Jan 5, 2016Tom Moriarty says your response probably depends on your role.Manufacturing leadership survey results: First look
Dec 1, 2015Tom Moriarty says half of supervisors and managers may not be getting sufficient leadership training.Fix your leadership pipeline
Nov 2, 2015Are you identifying the people who’d be right for – and who want – supervisory roles?You vs. your machines: Who's in charge?
Oct 6, 2015Do you control your assets or do your assets control you? Tom Moriarty says that if PM and CM tasks aren't getting done, it might be time for a maintenance strategy reboot.4 ways to conquer critical moments
Aug 31, 2015Tom Moriarty says be more productive and satisfied by taking responsibility for your circumstances.3 steps to optimize leadership training
Aug 2, 2015Tom Moriarty says invest in future leaders when they most need training and support.Help wanted: Leadership survey
Jul 13, 2015Tom Moriarty says give us your take on leadership and workforce management issues at your plant.Making the move to managing others
Jun 25, 2015Tom Moriarty says don’t fear delegation, and seize opportunities to build business relationships.Getting value from leadership training
May 11, 2015Tom Moriarty explains how to quantify the value of increased productivity and retention, reduced grievances.'We have too much to do!'
Mar 26, 2015Preventive maintenance not getting done? Track your labor efficiencyAre you making the right assumptions about the people you work with?
Mar 11, 2015Tom Moriarty says send the right verbal and non-verbal messages to drive high team performance.Do you know who your prospective leaders are?
Jan 19, 2015Tom Moriarty says grow leadership from within.Getting ROI from condition monitoring
Jan 19, 2015Tom Moriarty says plan and schedule interventions before catastrophic failure occurs.Is your suggestion box generating the best results?
Nov 21, 2014Tom Moriarty explains how to build a strong suggestion program.What steps must you take before terminating an employee?
Oct 2, 2014Tom Moriarty says take the necessary steps to empower employees before you dismiss them.What causes a system meltdown?
Sep 29, 2014Tom Moriarty says that RCA tells us no failure is due to one particular event.Managers aren’t paid to take the easy path. You need to do the hard things.
Aug 15, 2014Managers will try anything easy that doesn’t work before they will try anything hard that does.Being right isn’t enough to get the job done
Aug 15, 2014Tom Moriarty says getting people behind your idea takes more than just facts.Selling your ideas to help make improvements in the workplace
Jun 22, 2014Tom Moriarty says convey the benefits and convince decision makers.Better maintenance decisions through wise resource usage
May 19, 2014Tom Moriarty says listen to others to minimize risk.Silly Putty and the fluid workplace
Apr 3, 2014Tom Moriarty says apply force to keep your organization properly shaped.Understanding the 3 types of needs: Achievement, affiliation, and power
Mar 29, 2014Tom Moriarty says understand people’s needs to assign duties and motivate them.3 responses to unfulfilled needs
Feb 27, 2014Tom Moriarty says don’t let maladaptive behavior trump abandonment and substitution.Gripes go up, never down
Jan 27, 2014Tom Moriarty says leadership means conveying commitment to the mission.Assess 3 work environment parameters and apply leadership tendencies
Jan 6, 2014Tom Moriarty says know yourself so that you can lead your team.Make certain job candidates are the right fit for the position
Dec 2, 2013Tom Moriarty explains how to improve your chances of hiring the right person for the job.What you need to know before implementing change management
Nov 11, 2013Tom Moriarty says managers need skills and aligned values prior to a new system implementation.Is an open door policy ruining your day?
Oct 10, 2013Tom Moriarty says don't let unimportant issues interrupt your day and your personal life.3 valid reasons to ask for your team's opinions
Sep 16, 2013Tom Moriarty says harness your team's ideas by asking questions.Do you have the support of HR when it comes to disciplining workers?
Aug 12, 2013Tom Moriarty says supervisors and HR must be on the same page for disciplinary actions.Flexible leadership helps prevent collisions at your plant
Jul 23, 2013Tom Moriarty says execute corrective maneuvers to avoid approaching collisions.Is your plant performance based on truth or tradition?
Jun 17, 2013Tom Moriarty explores how culture can impede change warranted by factual evidence.Understanding the Five Whats of plant performance improvement
May 22, 2013Tom Moriarty says develop a framework for understanding and communicating the challenges and benefits of performance improvement.How one team used the ProAct method to identify the real root causes of a catastrophic failure
Apr 12, 2013Tom Moriarty says failures occur as a result of a series of events, not a single event.Why complacency is the enemy of safety
Mar 13, 2013Tom Moriarty says cutting corners is human nature, and that's bad for safety.Direction of change
Feb 11, 2013Tom Moriarty says develop your sphere of influence to initiate change.Let your organizational structure shape your plant culture
Jan 11, 2013Tom Moriarty says culture is set by leadership.Empower your workers to solve problems
Dec 14, 2012Tom Moriarty says the types of problems that you solve for your crew say a lot about the type of leader you are.The responsibility of leadership
Nov 15, 2012Tom Moriarty says your workers are your responsibility, so make sure they know.Stop reactive work management practices
Oct 3, 2012Tom Moriarty says commit to effective work management practices to improve productivity.How to implement a new work management process
Sep 20, 2012Tom Moriarty says new process implementation requires change management on all levels.Ambiguity: The enemy of workplace efficiency
Aug 15, 2012Tom Moriarty says improve organizational effectiveness by removing ambiguity.Increase efficiency to raise productivity
Jul 12, 2012Tom Moriarty says remove barriers that hinder craftsmen performance.Deploy maintenance resources with customer service in mind
Jun 7, 2012Tom Moriarty says an optimized process is a satisfied process.From vision to plant-floor practice
May 17, 2012Tom Moriarty says use job descriptions to let employees know what's expected.Engineering and purchasing can work together
Apr 19, 2012Tom Moriarty says trust and collaboration trump finger-pointing.Take equipment reliability to a higher level
Mar 19, 2012Tom Moriarty explains how a baseball movie plot based on a true story translates to the plant floor.See change from workers' perspectives
Feb 15, 2012Tom Moriarty explains how the nature of strategic projects is going to change.Informed recommendations
Jan 11, 2012Tom Moriarty says better information means better decisions about safety, regulatory compliance and production rates.Where business schools fail
Dec 12, 2011Tom Moriarty says traditional philosophy can be counterproductive.More effective work management
Nov 21, 2011Tom Moriarty says invest labor resources in maintenance, reliability and optimized production.How to become a more efficient manager
Oct 25, 2011Tom Moriarty stresses the importance of prioritization, time management and delegation.Revolutionary maintenance
Sep 20, 2011Tom Moriarty says plant maintenance teams can learn from George Washington's Continental Army.Ideas for sale
Aug 16, 2011Tom Moriarty says new plant initiatives require heady salesmanship from maintenance managers.Strategy implementation requires rules of engagement
Jul 21, 2011Tom Moriarty says use engagement to overcome the obstacles that prevent you from implementing your plan.7 sources of leadership power
Jun 14, 2011Tom Moriarty explains the difference between personal power and position power.Supervisors and managers must provide feedback to team members
May 19, 2011Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says feedback encourages employees to continue with the right behaviors.Plant maintenance teams need support to achieve desired results
Apr 18, 2011Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says employees need support to meet expectations.How do you get employees to do what you want?
Mar 11, 2011Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says workers need guidance, support and feedback to tell them what you want.Give employees the chance to prove their skills by delegating responsibility
Feb 15, 2011Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says build your staff's confidence in themselves and in you.Use employee evaluations to define expectations, feedback and performance
Jan 21, 2011Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says performance evaluations help team members to do their best.Culture change requires top-down commitment and vigilance
Dec 10, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says leadership sets the culture.Effective policies require collaboration, reflection and resources to monitor compliance
Nov 8, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says determine the reasonableness of policies you impose.Value-added work leads to higher ROI
Oct 8, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says derive accurate values to determine maintenance efficiency.Embrace reality and correct plant upset problems
Sep 13, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, explains why owning your circumstances is the honorable thing to do.Never do work that's below your pay grade
Aug 5, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, explores the phenomenon of performing actions at the wrong level.Practical labor rates
Jul 12, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says they exceed base pay rates and, therefore, should be controlled.Improve your chances of winning approval for improvement projects
Jun 3, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, offers advices for getting past the bean counters.Integrity: Doing what's right because it's the right thing to do
May 10, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says integrity means doing your best even when no one else will know.Where does it say that?
Apr 7, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says process discipline relies on flow charts, RASI tables and guides.Lessons from history
Mar 8, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, explores politics, egos and plain-old bad decisions.Lighten up
Feb 5, 2010Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, pens a note to senior managers on data drag and its effects on your staff.Supervisors and self-directed work teams
Dec 28, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says setting a reasonable span of control is the most effective approach.Actions speak louder with words
Dec 3, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, believes that in the absence of full disclosure, people assume the worst.Two things your boss needs to know
Nov 5, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, explains how providing them can help your career.Put a spotlight on reducing wasted effort
Oct 9, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says put a focused spotlight on reducing wasted effort.Develop workers with time saved by top performers
Sep 16, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says the time we gain from top performers allows us to develop the others.A call for fortitude
Aug 12, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says when fortitude is required, nothing else can take its place.Discipline the few poor workers that poison your labor pool
Jul 15, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says bite the bullet and discipline the few that poison the labor pool.The point behind common understanding
May 27, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, contributing editor, says its absence leads to a defective communication pipeline.Gain respect by giving respect
Apr 29, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, shows that you can gain respect from your plant-floor employees by giving respect.Motivated maintenance
Apr 7, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, challenges you to understand the difference between maintenance and motivation.Mentorship helps new leaders bloom
Mar 10, 2009Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, details the nuggets of knowledge that all good leaders know and practice.Three leadership imperatives
Feb 10, 2009'Human Capital' columnist Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, says don't lose sight of a trio that applies to every tier in the corporate hierarchy.What is the cost of poor leadership?
Jan 13, 2009New 'Human Capital' columnist Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, writes that the cost of poor leadership can be measured in dollars and cents.