I must be asking the wrong questions…

I have been in the welding industry for over 30 years and the farther along I get, the more questions I have. When I first started welding I was given the electrode holder and rod and was told to “weld”. I asked the mechanic what settings to use, and was told it’s set “weld”. I was asking the wrong question(s). I remember being frustrated and intimidated that I was not able to “weld”. The mechanics tasked with mentoring would give me advice like “speed up” or we weld “hot” here. You better figure it out. Again, I was asking the wrong questions. I felt like I had to “weld” a lot to figure it out. I also observed that no two mechanics were alike. Each person had their unique style, opinions and methods. If I wanted to get better I had to “learn” from watching and thinking about what they were doing and trying to apply what worked to everything else. I learned that their methods were only applicable to the material and product that we were working on. When those variables changed they changed. No warning, no explanation, just a new set of procedures. If you didn’t pay attention you missed how to “do it.” Again I was asking the wrong questions.

I am convinced that entry-level employees need to be equipped with “questions” so that their journey is better and hopefully more enjoyable.

My hope is that they will not be met with sarcasm and a genuine “just weld” response.

Again I am asking the wrong question(s)

“why” is welding so difficult to manage? In my experience, it has a lot to do with turnover at the top. When welders are promoted to managers they are performing tasks that their welding training never prepared them for. I experience many of these welders struggling in their new roles. Management is a world of collaboration and welders typically are not good at that and need a lot of training.

In their new roles their responsibilities have shifted to being held accountable for results and there is a good chance that results being achieved are below what they were when they were “welding”

Why is this: you know how to weld and no one else here knows how to do that, so you are best equipped to lead them. I don’t think this is true. We need to ask different questions. But, in my experience asking mangers questions the ones I do are not “right”. Ex. Do you have a welding procedure? Do your welders have procedures to guide them? Are they monitored?

Again many of my questions are answered as I don’t know, or it’s in the main office locked up…

I go into a lot of places and the secret sauce is kept a secret even from the people who are tasked with “helping” such as inspectors, welders, helpers etc.

I have asked on numerous occasions, what are your operating perimeters, and what are your welders qualified to do? I struggle with why these are the wrong question(s).

My observations have convinced me that when the process is not tracked or documented there are a lot of challenges. This is especially true when the 5-10-15 year welder is promoted or leaves the company and the next newbie isn’t given the “secret sauce” even if the next one up is a “veteran welder” after all they were hired to “weld”

These observations continue beyond manufacturing as I have experienced these challenges in construction, teaching etc.

(In particular, as an inspector. Asking questions is highly frowned upon).

Final thoughts:

We champion those who are “successful” and think wow, how did they do that etc..

This has me thinking about how I want to make sure that what I do is documented and scripted. Not to be followed but merely to be available to the next person in line to review and hopefully have a glimpse as to “why” I did what I did. And if it helps make their job a little easier, what a win that will be!

My best memories working have been when the team is in sync, working towards a common goal and information is freely shared.

It was my colleagues that asked questions that taught me I should have been asking more questions!!

They are they best teammates and teachers I have had the privilege to work with!

I am a huge Ted Lasso fan:

Quote by Walt Whitman..

“Be curious, not judgmental”

Happy Welding!