About
I manage a cargo tank repair shop, but I didn't spend long on the floor to get here. I started as a shop helper, then welder, and within a year I was shop foreman, then service manager. A year later, shop manager. I learned the trade by doing it, and by making plenty of mistakes. I got to where I am today not because of decades of experience, but because of my willingness to learn and collaborate with others.
My job now is different. I build training programs, write procedures, and run performance reviews. I make the calls on people, quality, and where the shop is headed. I didn't learn to lead from a textbook. I learned by getting things wrong and writing down what I'd do differently.
That's what this site is about. There's plenty out there on how to weld and repair equipment. There's a lot less for the guy who gets promoted fast, then finds himself responsible for the people doing the work. You go from learning the job to building the team, setting the standard, and deciding what happens next, often before you feel ready. I was one of those guys.
This site is where I put the lessons together: running a shop, developing technicians, and becoming a better leader without losing sight of the work. I'm still learning. The difference now is I write it down, and try to leave the next guy a better map than the one I had.
Compare notes