2019 Nov-Dec RETA Breeze

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The Shade Tree Mechanic volume XXXIII

Sharing Secrets My second shift maintenance

So accordin to them business guys, news needs to come from a feller’s direct supervisor. Who woulda thought, huh? So what Bobby has been doin is tellin the guys what’s comin, because Bobby thought they would believe that the changes needed made if the news comes from him. But ya see he was also hedgin his bets. Ifin the change proved to be a bad idea, well I officially announced it, so it was on me. That struck me as a bad idea. But Bobby explained that having me be the bad guy was also good for me. Ya see, since everybody trusts Bobby then Bobby can kinda explain that I’m not a bad sort, just misguided on whatever the bad change was. He could kinda explain things to everybody. He says he can be a friend to both sides. His reports and his manager. I’m thinkin I need to think on this a little more over a beer. I get that even though it seems like sharin secrets and releasin information early is wrong, it does kinda get everybody used to what’s come down the pipe.

share that secret. But maybe the little ones are ok. The tough part may be decidin what secrets are ok to share and which ones ain’t. So, I and Bobby figured out a system. If I think that it’s ok to share something unofficially, I let Bobby know. If it isn’t I let him know not to say anythin. And you know if it’s really important for him not to tell someone, maybe I just don’t tell Bobby. Regardless, I’m not tellin anyone about dad’s car. The shade tree grows outside of the little town of Broughton, Ohio. Where everyone is always welcome, the beer is always cold, and something is always needin fixin.

supervisor drives me crazy. Not because what he does is harmful. What’s done is actually beneficial, but it seems wrong. So Bobby is always sharing secrets. Nothin earth shatterin, but he can’t seem to keep things quiet. Every time, we decide to change somethin in maintenance, like a procedure or sumpin, he tells everybody. Not officially mind you. Oh no, I still gotta hold a meetin to tell everyone officially. But usually Bobby has told everyone and no one is surprised. So’s I told Bobby last week that if keeps doin that, I’m tradin him to the eviscerating supervisor for a Budweiser. Bobby just looked at me and smiled. “Just helpin ya out bossman”. So I shot back “How exactly does that help me?” That’s when I learned that there was more to Bobby than I thought. He started telling me about these business books he’s been readin. How to manage change, how to build teams, how to make everythin run smoother. Well heck, I’m all for things runnin smoother. So I asked him to fill me in. Here is what I learned. See them business fellers did a study and figured out that most fellers trust their supervisor more than their supervisors’ boss. They trust their supervisors’ boss more than the head man at the plant, heck almost nobody trusts him.

It also lets them know that their supervisor (Bobby) is in the know and lookin out for em. Now I’m not thinkin it’s a good idea to share everythin. I mean, when I was a lot younger, my brother

accidently scratched dad’s car one night sneakin out to see his girlfriend, who was my other brother’s ex-girlfriend. I don’t think it would be a good idea to

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