Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1399684
8 | July - August 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com Reliable Plant 2021: Engineered to Support Your Reliability Initiatives W e all know maintenance represents a highly controllable cost. In fact, future performance and survivability are largely dependent on critical maintenance and reli- ability program initiatives. ose who wait to optimize their practices will ultimately lose out to stiff global competition. e ultimate outcome is the sum of our choices. Will we be leaders or laggards? Leading the pack is not easy, and there is always risk. It takes knowl- edge, careful planning, research and ultimately strong support from management and leadership to implement change, commit resources and get things done. But as many of us know, garnering leadership support can be both the most critical and the most difficult aspect of the process. It is all too common for even the most carefully constructed initiatives to fall flat if leadership is not actively engaged and supportive of the process. Even if you have a sound plan and a strong business case to share, decision-makers often have fully booked calendars. ey may routinely visit the plant floor to see what challenges your team. Some may view maintenance or reliability as simply a cost center rather than a profit driver and a source of competitive advantage. All of these challenges and more can stand in the way of success. To overcome them, reli- ability and maintenance teams need a solid business case that can be clearly communicated and understood by stakeholders. ese are the stakeholders who can advocate for critical reliability initiatives but can just as easily be your biggest challenge or obstacle if they don't "get it." Build a Strong Business Case Before pitching reliability initiatives to leadership, you will need a business case that is thoroughly researched, well-documented and connected to existing plant goals. Leadership responds to hard numbers and optimistic outlooks. Showing that your initiative can produce tangible results will be more likely to sway decision-makers. When you make what's on their "goal sheet" align with what's on your goal sheet, stakeholder advocacy works much better. By Jim Fitch, CEO, Noria Corporation COVER STORY