Point to Ponder: It is not mistakes but how they are handled defines persons and the culture of the organization.
Story Line: It was my first job. Our team was working long hours to get the new production line operational. One day with my boss Charlie nearby, I dropped the entire lot of production lot in a very stupid way. As the silicon wafers broke into pieces, I saw my dreams of having the job and get permanent residency in USA shattered away. I apologized. That afternoon I saw the boss going into the General Manager’s office and then the doors shut. Needless to say I couldn’t sleep that entire night and also called my parents and told them that I would be coming home soon.
The next morning when the boss came over and asked if I had a minute, all kinds of thought went through my mind. He reviewed my plan to expedite the replacement production lot and approved it. Not a single word was mentioned about what had happened the previous afternoon.
Late evening on that day while I was on the production floor, the general manager of our division came asked “Have you had dinner?” We went to his favorite Chinese (Jade Garden). That interaction; scene and words have always stayed with me. I told him “Dave, I am sorry for the mistake.” Before I can say further he said “Haven’t we all? How do you think I got where I am at? Without mistakes?” I sincerely offered to pay for the lost production wafers. He laughed and said that mistakes bring experience and to learn from them. He told me that Charlie and he had talked about this incidence. Their conclusion was that I was working too long hours and seemed exhausted. (My routine work hours were from 7AM to 9/10PM every night plus a few hours on the weekend)
With a smile he suggested, “Take a few hours off for extra rest. Work only 12.” Dinner didn’t conclude until he highlighted one by one many valuable contributions and emphasized that I was an asset to his organization.
A few weeks later, my boss called me in his office and handed a piece of paper. That was my first exposure to performance appraisal. He said it was “out of cycle” and the attached piece of paper had some numbers that seemed like my new salary. There was huge % increase number with a note: Policy Exception. I have treasured that note for lifetime.
Reflection: That incidence and many similar ones in my early career are not only unforgettable but they shaped the work philosophy and approach for the career that followed.
The years later I spent 20 years with another company. The founder of that company had told us something very profound in the new hire orientation “When something goes wrong, focus on the problem not the person.”
Being in the industry that pushes the envelope and develops state of the art technologies and products, the problems arose on regular basis. Many of them with potential impact of millions of dollars, two with impact in billions, many relatively smaller and most requiring great sense of urgency.
It was so wonderful working with the people who understood that culture. The time was spent finding real solution to the problems. No finger pointing, no stories about people getting fired in the hallways. Focus on Solution not the persons. That company went on to become world’s #1 in its field.