Leverage relationships outside the shop

Happy new year, and welcome to the winter grind.

In winter, it might seem easier to focus your time on internal matters and rarely leave the shop. Becoming overextended by trying to manage everything can happen to the best of us. You can end up so busy managing others that you forget your own motivational needs.

Throughout the year, find peer groups, trade shows and other reasons to get out of the shop every now and then. For example, in November, a machine tool dealer invited me to a luncheon, equipment demonstrations and a presentation by the company’s CEO. While I could have declined the invitation because I was busy, I decided to check out the event. It was well worth my time. The CEO’s insights were not only motivational but useful. I left with a renewed sense of enthusiasm from being around people who were willing to brainstorm about shop life.

No matter the season, issues like cash flow, employee drama, equipment maintenance, taxes, safety, insurance, maintenance contracts, bad customer drawings and personal devices on the shop floor ensure that this isn’t exactly a 9-to-5 cubicle job.

Maintaining professionalism when faced with challenges is critical, and your mental toughness will be tested. One way to stay inspired is to cultivate a network of relationships among peers and leverage opportunities to confidentially discuss issues. This group may include fellow machine shop managers but ideally should be an assortment of professionals with unique perspectives who have no interest in selling anything to you.