Work & Life Changes

??My whole life, (besides working for myself - Owner of Dero Used Auto Ltd.) I have always been on the concrete side, in work boots and on my back, not upright in an office position of the workforce, right from the age of 14.?DMK Marine as a deckhand, a relatively small company (9 employees - family run) located at the Port of Saint John .... or to servicing a 3000HP driven PTO on a Detroit Diesel fluid pump (at the time) proudly with the largest company on earth with 74,000 employees world wide from Dubai to Medicine Hat, Alberta - Schlumberger Oilfield Services.

?Being a multifaceted trades person, Heavy Equipment Technician, Microsoft Engineer 2001 server platform and a Heat & Frost Industrial Insulator, in unionized and non-unionized environments,as stated, I have always been a hands-on provider of "fix this" services. Some trades, for the most part, are very multi man/woman oriented, like building ships at SJSL to Working on a 35 man/women team at Suncor, frost insulating a generator system or 4000 feet of piping. That being said, my trade ( HET) Heavy Equipment Technician, 99% of the time, you are working on a piece of equipment solely, one fix at a time, from replacing an alternator, to re-installing a drive-line or even replacing a transmission and all planned maintenance on things from loaders, to transport trucks, again, is one person(ed).

?So 39 years of doing most things solo, but in a trades person aspect and being self sufficient in support and even on the paper side of things, I always considered myself, self managed, which it is except for the delegation of being handed a schematic or work order of related things.... always considered myself self managed, which was always the best part of the trade, self decision making..... Little did I know .....

?So as time goes on, working 10-16 hours a day, 5 to 7 days a week for most of my 17 years in Alberta and being self employed here in New Brunswick at Dero Auto (no time clock - just get it done to make it happen), you get wore out physically, mentally and emotionally and I even made a 150% turn and took on a seated at home position with Bell Canada as a Level 1 Retention Agent during Pandemic times, just to fill the void after "it" swallowed my dealership and my ability to travel to auctions and such, as bills still have to be paid and sitting around with a bank fold of survival does nothing, not with my personality anyways, so it meant a career change.

??I sat and looked for the perfect position, for at least 3 months, it had to be in a lead hand role or related trade role, where my knowledge and love of the trade was implemented, without the physical demand, as my body isn't what used to be and 2.5 years of being seated without movement had taken a toll on my anaerobic health, so my choices seemed very limited.

?The phone rings one morning, it's a call from one of my top 5 favorite companies in Atlantic Canada ! No it wasn't a wrongly dialed number ! Haha .... Darn right I'd like to come in for an interview ! Sat the interview with a well mannered, semi-refined individual, picked my mind, defined the role, talked about past roles etc, shook hands and was told there are a few people they are sitting with, if it pans out, we will contact you.

?Well, whether its God, skill-set, luck, fate, lack of options, I landed the role as a Maintenance Planner / Foreman, for this great multi-faceted company, dealing with everything from Refuse, to Civil Engineering & Construction to Transportation. Wow, I was and still am ecstatic!

The whole reason for this post, is I thought things would get easier and they didn't, not labor wise, but mental wise. Dealing with new software, new environments, new styles of mechanical equipment, processes and procedures everything! The biggest change, is dealing diplomatically with multiple personalities and skill sets, not just brushing elbows anymore (Which I did all my life), but actually delegating, overseeing, guidance in company procedures all aspects, including safety etc etc. A Lot of responsibility to say the least, all good though, because the true mechanical mind loves a challenge. Want to know the hardest part of the employment / career change? Dealing with personalities. Yup, so many different kinds and of course, well, I have never stepped foot in a class dealing with any HR or management related courses, so what to do? Cave at the challenge? Walk into the office and give up? I couldn't do that! I've made it this far and this opportunity, at my age and in a province where jobs are NOT in abundance like Alberta, this chance?with such a great company will never happen again. So I talked to a friend who I have known my whole life and knows my personality and said these special 4 words to me?

~ The One Minute Manager~

?Wow, things changed overnight ! Highly recommended, from changing floor attitudes, to full team relationships, personal to on the job and a respect for everyone involved, making that team work effort a little more easier every day. The book really opens up a lot of things that I didn't really have to deal with before and for even dealing with personalities like mine ! lol

Well, I don't write a lot on here, so I'll leave this small book as it is and close properly.

I would like to take the time to thank those people, who over time were directly overseeing me, in office or on the job site, or even from me watching you from afar, watching your accomplishments and achievements, then and now, making me see that anything is possible, if you guide yourself in the right direction, making proper choices and to surround yourself and watch people who are successful, following their footsteps and placing your feet in their tracks.

?Take the time to read that book, whether you're a VIP in operations, or a team lead on a manufacturing floor, it will change your perspective and life in your workplace, turning your job into a career.

A special thanks to Tammy Archer Hole - I owe ya one!

Mechanically yours,

Eric Robichaud - Dad /Maintenance Planner / Foreman