Nip Impressions logo
Thu, Mar 28, 2024 09:21
Visitor
Home
Click here for Pulp & Paper Radio International
Subscription Central
Must reads for pulp and paper industry professionals
Search
My Profile
Login
Logout
Management Side
Week of 11 May 2015: Unique vs. Weird
Sponsored by Genesis Energy, LP--your exclusive source for NAHS--1-800-422-6274

Listen to this column in your favorite format

iTunes or MP3

I am often telling anyone who will listen that there is a fine line between being "Unique" and being "Weird." Unique is attractive, weird is repulsive. I usually hasten to add, "You are unique, just like everyone else (and every snowflake, I might say)." Wish I had thought of that last quote, but, sadly, it's not mine.

Of course, both unique and weird are somewhat dependent on the views and the experiences of the beholder. However, if you are moving about in a crowd that is similar to yourself in experiences (such as in a pulp or paper mill), you can feel fairly safe that your viewpoint and the viewpoints of those around you are similar.

So, with this bit of knowledge, that is the fine line between unique and weird, what can you do?

If you are preparing your resume as you plan a launch towards a career change, keep it in mind. There are thousands of pieces of advice on how to prepare a resume, some of which I have written, so we won't get into the weeds here. Just test your resume for items that could fall either side of that fine line of unique and weird. Better yet, have two or three of your closest confidants test your resume. Rush right over to the unique side, stay away from the weird.

****

Listen to industry news on Pulp & Paper Radio International!

****

If you happen to lead a team or be in charge of selling a project to upper management, unique ideas and positions can help, too. An innovative solution to a thorny problem that is unique can pay big dividends.

Way back when I was in college, I had a co-op job with a company that made custom machinery for the beverage can industry. We had a warranty problem in a can plant in Virginia. Actually we had 18 problems--six units on three lines had a shaft design that was failing miserably. We developed a solution and one of the regular field service people was sent to fix the problem. In one twenty-four hour shutdown, he got one of the 18 fixed. Next time, because everyone was busy, they sent junior--me--to take the wrath of the customer.

These people worked crazy shifts--two twelves that started and ended at midnight and noon. They were having a 24-hour outage. On the plane on the way to the site, I thought about the problem and realized what was slowing it down was the use of a tool, which, if modified would really speed things up. When I got to the site, I went in the maintenance shop, found some scrap steel and modified the tool (took all of three bar stock cuts and two welds) so it would work much better.

When I came back to our offices, my boss asked me when the next shutdown would be so that we could plan on my return to continue the work. I smiled as I told him I had completed the other 17 repairs in the one 24 hour outage. No return trip was necessary. In fact (I didn't tell him this) the maintenance superintendent at the site tried to hire me on the spot. That is how unique pays off.

Of course, there was a downside to this. All the regular old field service people wanted to strangle me. However, since I had no interest in their jobs anyway, that did not bother me.

****

The mistaken idea that uptime is directly related to market conditions: Mills generally run flat out ... Check out the latest edition of Strategic & Financial Arguments.

****

Yes, there is a downside even to being unique. Peers, competitors and others will be jealous and may take some sort of action detrimental to you.

Weird, on the other hand, has no upside. When I worked for a famous engineering firm in this industry, I started working with our agent in a Latin America country. We were able to develop some business. After a few trips to his country, he thanked me for the way I treated his fellow countrymen--with respect. He told me the story of another person from our company's home office, who came to his country in the summer--wearing a suit that consisted of matching shorts and a short sleeve jacket. Apparently it was purchased this way as a legitimate suit. This weird suit, coupled with the person's condescending behavior, resulted in some very bad meetings with prospects. The attitudes might have been able to be overcome but the suit was just plain weird.

Don't be weird unless you are a rock star. It certainly won't work in the pulp and paper industry.

Can you give us some examples of what you think might be weird or unique? We'll give you a chance in our quiz this week.

Unique safety solutions are great. Find all of them you can.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

You can own your Nip Impressions Library by ordering "Raising EBITDA ... the lessons of Nip Impressions."


Printer-friendly format

 





Powered by Bondware
News Publishing Software

The browser you are using is outdated!

You may not be getting all you can out of your browsing experience
and may be open to security risks!

Consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser or choose on below: