Engineers can learn many valuable lessons from the people in their manufacturing facility - operators, mechanics, materials handlers, janitors - by taking the time to get to know them and showing genuine interest in what they have to offer.Early in my career, as I was attempting to trace a waste line through a jumble of piping, one of the old-timers asked about the look of bewilderment on my face. After I explained what I was trying to do, he laughed at my seeming futility and offered to show me its route. That was not his area, so how would he know this? It turned out that he had been a mechanic's helper and was part of the crew that installed the line when its predecessor sprang leaks. His assistance that afternoon saved me several hours and made it possible for me to complete the assignment and go home on time for the weekend.
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