Turbo Leadership Systems^™

Tell the truth

Will, Loft Supervisor for a barge manufacturer, told our Leadership Development Lab (LDL):

“In 1985 I was a Field Engineer (Surveyor) working for a South Carolina based company temporarily stationed here in Portland, Oregon. We were here to construct the first ever modular oil refinery. After its construction, it was to be transported to Barrow, Alaska to be joined together and put to work. My immediate supervisor, the Field Engineer Superintendent, was head of the department. Our responsibilities included machinery and piping alignment, setting imbeds, pouring elevations, structural alignment, plumbing and leveling, and project layout.

“One day the Millwright Superintendent came to us because he needed Arco to sign off on the crane track settings on the #1 module. A coworker who had recently quit the project had taken the elevations approximately three months earlier and had signed off for our departments, but all the records of the final shots had been lost. As a result, the tracks needed to be reshot. The Millwright Superintendent pulled me aside and told me he didn’t care how, but he wanted me to end up with recorded shots that showed the #1 module crane tracks to be within the proper tolerances.

“I took the shots, and as it turned out, they were quite a bit out of tolerance. When I reported this to the Millwright Superintendent, he was very angry with me for honestly reporting the facts. He questioned my abilities and accuracy, and even took it to my supervisor and then to the Project Superintendent, which resulted in my supervisor being required to re-shoot the crane tracks himself. His reading agreed with the results I had attained, meaning that the tracks were in fact out of tolerance.

“As a result, we began to monitor the support columns on each module. We discovered as we began to maintain records that as weight was added, the support columns would tend to change. By researching the records and tracing the

changes in the base back to the approximate date of the original signoff, we were able to show that the crane tracks were flat three months prior and we were able to get Arco to sign off.

“The lesson I learned from this experience is that I never have to sacrifice my ethical standards. I learned that by maintaining accurate records, going that extra mile, not condemning another person because of their standards, we can achieve our desired objectives and gain total respect from our customer through honest actions.

“The action I call you to take is always Lead From High Ideals - Leadership Principle #1, act courageously, and remain true to yourself. Take a genuine interest in the full scope of your work – Leadership Principle #2.

“The benefit you will gain is greater self-esteem and this will be reflected to the people who work with you and everyone you come in contact with. You will not sink in the mire regardless of the load you are given. You will be aligned with your true self and this alignment will bring out the best in everyone on your team.”

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