Linchpins are critically important portions of a machine. A cog is that portion, which is disposable. Think of your printer. The toner or ink cartridge is a cog. They have a predictable life span and designed to be replaced easily. The mounting mechanism for the toner or ink is critical to producing quality documents. If that portion breaks you may need to replace the printer.
Cost does not determine which of the two are Linchpins. Well-paid employees become cogs if they fail to meet objectives and goals or are easily replaced. A minimum wage worker could be a Linchpin when their dependable actions influence and support the success of a project.
While working as a project manager, I had a large project, which included the replacement of parts in a variety of light fixtures. The light fixtures operated on either 120 volts or 277 volts. The ballasts were also specific to the six different types of fixtures in the project. My seasoned electricians cost $47.23 per hour. They were to do most of the work. My material handler cost $12.03 per hour. His job was to deliver new parts to the electricians and remove the old parts for disposal. Which workers do you think were linchpins? If you chose the material handler you are correct. If this one person did not do his job properly, it would delay production, possibly damage the fixture, and or create a fire in the building.
This project also came with additional incentives to complete it on or before the given time frame. My contract indicated that I would be penalized $5,000 per day for time over runs; but I could also receive $300 per day for finishing early. I am glad to say that we collected an additional $4,500 on the project and my material handler was the only person to receive a $100 gift certificate to a fine local restaurant. He was the linchpin!
- Who are the linchpins in your organization?
- What have you done to show your appreciation?
Ken Bear Cole
A Second Look Business Consulting LLC
