Author: Mike Urgo
I am smiling, because part of me thought about weaving in a pun about being a “tool”, but I would like to think that is too easy for me. Or is it?
Anyways, I put up a poll to see if people wanted to hear about working in groups this week or if I should talk about using the right tool. Using the right tool won out, so I will be talking about group work next week. So, if you are sad, don’t be, just be patient.
Growing up, my dad was always working on something. Whether it was a home improvement project or some kind of small engine, as an engineer, it’s what he loves to do. I was blessed because I had the opportunity to learn so many different skills that many people aren’t exposed to as a kid. It’s served me well as I too can avoid some large contractor costs by handling many home improvement projects on my own and I have been able to help some friends do some stuff around their houses as well.
As a young homeowner one of the things I learned very quickly is that a job can be exponentially more complicated, risky and time-consuming if you do not have the right tool. I have countless examples, but I want to use one that is easy to understand. In our first house, we had a normal backyard and then another yard on the side. With the push mower, it would take me about two hours to finish the yard. At one point I was able to invest in a riding lawn mower. It was wider than the push mower and obviously faster, which cut the time it took to cut the lawn in half.
I like to think of my time as having a dollar value, so the time I got back to spend with the family or do other things was very beneficial (it is also fun to drive the riding mower). This example is one I would attribute to a “soft ROI”, because I wasn’t using the wrong tool for the job, I just improved my tool, which resulted in time back. For a harder ROI, I have boat that I have restored and it’s on an older trailer. The trailer needed new bunker boards, which are the long wooden boards covered in carpet that the boat sits on when on the trailer.
The old boards were held on by bolts that essentially had rusted out and for the life of me, I could not get them off. I tried everything with every tool I had in my arsenal. I had been working at it for hours. One day when talking to my dad, I shared how frustrated I was, and he just laughed. I asked what was so funny and he replied: “Why don’t you just cut them off with a grinder?”. Well, I didn’t have a grinder, but of course he did. So, the next time he visited, he brought the grinder and in minutes the bolts were off, and I was able to install the new bunker boards.
I was kicking myself, because in hindsight I could have ran to the store and got my own grinder for under $200 and have been done with it. But I also could have asked him for his opinion way earlier and avoided the frustration. The lesson here is twofold. In both examples, if you make the investment in the right tool for the job, it can save you a lot of time and effort. It also pays to ask for help and use the resources around you to make sure you are going about the job or task the best way possible. Being open to feedback and other solutions is key. As leaders it is our job to create a culture of comfort, to ask for help and go to bat for our people when there are tools out there that can help them with their tasks.
Now, as someone who ran an IT Finance office, I am not advocating to go purchase every application or SaaS product out there to help your workforce, but I am saying to be open to hearing it and challenging people to think or and look for the return on investment. The same can be said for services. My riding lawn mower is still kicking over ten years later, so I still cut my own lawn. But, I often think it may be worth looking at outsourcing that work to a lawn service if the cost makes sense. In our new house, it takes me almost 90 minutes to take care of the lawn every week or so. If someone could come do it for a price that makes sense and I could get back five or six hours a month, that could be worth it!
It’s all about understanding the value and investing in the right tool to get the job done right and in a timely fashion. Sometimes it just takes some research and analysis to ensure you have the right tool for the job before you jump right into the work. Or, if you notice that things seem to be taking longer or are more difficult than they should be. Those can be red flags to prompt you to stop and look around before continuing to spin your wheels.
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