Fleet Maintenance - 32

MANAGEMENT
»The "zone" can be impacted by
anything needed for the job missing, or
through conflict and interruptions.
179072504 | Mikhail Dmitriev | Dreamstime

Essential
maintenance
preparation
is needed to
reduce problems
and stress.

Getting in the zone
Fostering ideal working conditions can help
maintenance personnel reach a state of deep
concentration and job satisfaction.
Sports figures talk about those moments
in the game where the crowd and almost everything else disappears, and it is just them, the
ball, the goal, and the opponent. They refer to
that state as being "in the zone." It is not about
winning or losing, but when everything else
disappears, the actions they take are all there
is. Philosophers and theologians have been
discussing this state for centuries.
Religious figures call it a state of grace.
Philosophers like Martin Buber call it an I-Thou
relationship. Zen archers say you become one
with the arrow and the target.
Maybe the months of being home and socially distanced are making me crazy, but I will
tie this to maintenance. Some things seem to
be true about the "zone," or whatever you call
it. You can't make it happen; it just happens.
You also can't make it happen for someone else.

Joel Levitt

PRESIDENT OF SPRINGFIELD RESOURCES
Joel Levitt is the president of Springfield Resources, a
management consulting firm that services a variety of
clients on a wide range of maintenance issues. Levitt
has trained more than 17,000 maintenance leaders
from more than 3,000 organizations in 38 countries. He
is also the creator of Laser-Focused Training, a flexible
training program that provides specific, targeted training on your schedule.

32 Fleet Maintenance | July 2020

You can't teach it directly, and it might never
happen for a person.
Maintenance folks also have a zone. Ask
them if they have ever been working and
everything external disappeared. It was just
them, their tools, and the machine. If you tried
to delve further, you would find that you (as an
identity) also disappear - what a state.
When in that state, annoyances go away. If
something broke through and annoyed you,
the "zone" would collapse and you would go
back to a normal existence.
How does this state occur? Indeed, the worker is skilled (possibly deeply skilled); they are
operating in an area of strength; their mental
state is conducive to the "zone" happening. The
preparation is complete; their tools are sharp,
charged up, and clean; the parts are correct
and fit where they go. They have all relevant
drawings, lifting gear, PPE, and everything else.
The "zone" can be impacted by anything
needed for the job missing, or through conflict
and interruptions. W.E. Deming (the quality
guru) says one of the greatest motivators for
people is their pride in a job well done. I think
that satisfaction, smooth-running maintenance
jobs, and being "in the zone" are interrelated.
The question that can motivate employees
toward the "zone" is: What can I do to make
the maintenance effort more "zone-like?"

Remember, you can't make someone slip into
their "zone." What you can do is simple to talk
about, but not simple to execute. At the very
least, you can motivate pride in a job well done.
Your goal is for the workers to be motivated
by the job well done. When possible, let the
person who started the job finish it. This might
not always be possible, but do it when you can.
Another key is to remember that essential
maintenance preparation is needed to reduce
problems and stress.
It does not matter who does the prep work if
someone takes a quiet minute to list the parts,
tools, and anything else needed. Even thinking
through the job with a bit of choreography is
helpful. Of course, formal planning and scheduling efforts are ideal for large shops, but a
trained technician and a quiet minute can do
for a smaller shop.
Every repair has 13 elements that must be
considered. Most jobs only need a few of the
13, but all must be found. The elements are:
Ü Job steps
Ü Labor skills, hours, and crew size
Ü Spare parts and materials
Ü Specialized tools
Ü Heavy equipment
Ü Identification of hazard and mitigation (use
of PPE)
Ü Specific lockouts
Ü Custody and control of the asset
Ü Safe access, safe work platforms, and safe
conditions
Ü Up-to-date drawings and wiring diagrams
Ü Proper waste handling and management
Ü Detailed plan for testing and commissioning
Ü Site cleanup, returns, paperwork
Every one of these items that are handled
and supplied before the job commences is one
more interruption that won't occur during
the job.
The "zone" cannot be dragged out of people.
We can build a more nurturing environment
with fewer interruptions; everything is
supplied and available, and there are fewer
surprises.

Fleet Maintenance

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