The most valuable asset in any manufacturing organization is the people, and the most vital group is the production floor employees. Without people who are willing to work hard in the heat or cold, performing repetitive tasks at all hours of the day and night, none of us would have a paycheck.

As training professionals, whether based within a single location or multiple sites, this group represents not only your customer base but also a critical supplier of content and SME support. I have learned many valuable lessons over the years through watching others and through my own experiences that I would like to share to assist you on your journey.

Small talk has a big impact. People dont care what you know until they know you care. It only takes a few minutes to build rapport with people. If you work in a single facility, be sure to attend group activities and spend time on the production floor daily and hang out in the break room often. You want to be personable but maintain a healthy boundary of not getting too personal. Take the time to remember a few small facts about each person so you can ask them about their children, hobbies, health, or any other areas of life that are important to them. People might bump into you away from work; even if you dont initially recognize them, always be friendly. Most important, be yourself. People rarely trust phonies. If you are not natural at making small talk then work at your own pace and be a good listener.

Build rapport with boundaries. Take time to get to know the local culture and dont be too eager to jump in too quickly. Each facility has its own brand of humor and sometimes it is exclusive to the natives. In the south, lighthearted ribbing is often a term of endearment. Have a good sense of humor and take it all in stride. Before you shoot back, make sure you are accepted as part of the group and start slowly once you have built rapport.

Be sure to set healthy boundaries. Co-workers may occasionally come to you asking advice about personal matters such as benefits, taxes, or relationships. Some people are indecisive and want to rely on someone they perceive to be in a position of authority to make their decisions for them. This can backfire if they believe you are telling them what to do and it doesnt work out. If they have personal problems you can listen, treat them with respect, express concern, and help direct them to HR or your companys employee assistance program.

This is especially important even if you are a regional or corporate resource because you rely more heavily on local resources and are viewed as a representative of the company. Keep in mind the jokes about corporate people being here to help so make sure you arent guilty of any attitude or actions that make you appear to be distant, removed, or difficult.

Leave Lucky and Rolex at home. I will never forget how my father (with a position at maintenance working for a hospital) described the leaders who worked for his employer. He described them either as ties or suits. For the ones he respected, he described them in terms of how they listened or would come into the maintenance shop to visit.

The leaders who seem to command the greatest respect are those who present themselves as down to earth. Everyone knows people in leadership and salaried roles have different pay scales so there is no need to display signs of wealth by wearing designer jeans or expensive jewelry. It makes you not only appear to be an elitist but also as if you dont want to get dirty. Trust me, lots of the production employees probably own Lucky jeans as well; they just know better than to wear them to work. Wear the team uniform so you can be comfortable on the production floor.

One of the funniest things that ever happened to me was wearing the same shirt as one of the trainees attending a class I was delivering. It created an opportunity to build rapport because we both shopped at the same discount store.

Check your ego at the door. Dont make assumptions about people you dont know. Most people would be surprised if they knew how many production employees have college degrees and have chosen their current role for a variety of reasons. This group of people is a gold mine of resources, knowledge, and skill and theyre probably anxious to find an outlet for challenge. Some of the leaders I have worked with whom have had the greatest impact to their organizations are those who take the time to listen to their employees at all level of the organization. I remember my favorite plant manager used to take his lunch break in one of the employee break rooms and always welcomed anyone in the plant to sit with him.

Honesty is the best policy. Dont think for one minute that there are any secrets across the plant floor. Often people on the floor often know more than you do, so be as honest as you can if someone asks you a question. There are times when information is confidential and people understand that; just make that clear. Being truthful builds trust. If people dont trust you, you will not be successful in working with anyone regardless of their position.

Be careful not to speculate. Depending upon your perceived authority, people may repeat what you say and before you know it the rumor mill has gotten out of control.

Another reminderno gossip! Dont listen to, repeat, or participate in gossip of any form. This is the quickest way to destroy trust. This also applies to you or any of your co-workers sharing opinions about people with whom you work. Everyone deserves the opportunity to make a good first impression so I refuse to listen to comments about others and vice versa.

It is also a good policy never to make promises you cant keep.

Our profession is all about helping others be better at what they do. This is not an individual but a team process and by remembering that you will be much more effective. I may not be able to make people love me but I can sure do a lot to earn their respect.