(168b) How to Work Best with Non-Engineers: Real Advice from a Real Operator

Have you ever formulated the best engineering solution to an operational issue? Used all of your engineering knowledge to solve a problem that will revolutionize the way that your facility will operate from now until the end of time? Only to walk into your control room to explain it to the Process Technicians or Operators, and they look at you like you are from another planet? The communication gap between the “thinkers” and the “doers” in an industrial facility is a common trope, but one rooted in truth. These misunderstandings generally result from a simple language barrier, body language, work history issue - or a combination of all three. Taking the time to understand the mindset of a Process Technician or an Operator will pay dividends in the execution of the next big idea you come up with. Merging the worlds of the “thinkers” and the “doers” at your facility can be done if you take a little time to understand your audience and what motivates them.

When a portion of the plant is failing or not running efficiently, it generally is due to faulty equipment, technology issues, or budget constraints. As an engineer, you are charged with making the plant money and doing so safely. Consider this example: you have identified a problem with an ethylene dryer. You ran the calculations and have come to the conclusion that the residence time for the ethylene is too short. You have approached management with the great idea of a bigger dryer with more throughput, and it will only cost $1 million and 3 months of downtime. Management balks at the cost and downtime, so your next option is to alter the flows to and from the dryer to increase the residence time. The next step is to talk to Sam, the board operator for A Shift. Sam is well known for being a stickler for the rules and only doing what the code allows, and you know he won’t like this idea.

What do you do? How do you get Sam to understand that this is going to make his job and his shift mates’ job easier because they won’t have to deal with over saturated ethylene being sent to other facilities downstream? What approach would be best to develop a collaborative relationship rather than a combative one?

Join the presenter, an experienced operator who is skilled at building effective cross-team relationships, as we discuss how to successfully navigate these difficult situations. We will explore how to appeal to non-engineering work practices, utilize your operations team’s hands-on knowledge, and come to a mutual understanding of how everyone benefits when you work together.