Operations Management Opportunity- Any advice?

[Neil]

The production management talent pool is a bit shallow here. As such yesterday I was approached about my interest level in being groomed for an operations management position as part of succession planning. I work at a large Canadian pipe and tube manufacturer and my background is a Metallurgical Engineer and the last 10 years have all been quality related positions with no direct production experience. This family of companies is very operations concentric and I am stuggling at the moment to make additional improvements in my current QA position. As such it appeals but I thought I would seek some advice because there is a mountain of experience and expertise on this board and it is a significant career path change. What do you think?

[ralphsulser]

Originally Posted by Neil

The production management talent pool is a bit shallow here. As such yesterday I was approached about my interest level in being groomed for an operations management position as part of succession planning. I work at a large Canadian pipe and tube manufacturer and my background is a Metallurgical Engineer and the last 10 years have all been quality related positions with no direct production experience. This family of companies is very operations concentric and I am stuggling at the moment to make additional improvements in my current QA position. As such it appeals but I thought I would seek some advice because there is a mountain of experience and expertise on this board and it is a significant career path change. What do you think?

Go for it. I don't know your age, but if your management is feeling you out, then do it. I tuned one down when I was in my 30's, then became a plant manager at 52. You have a good back ground, and experience.
"Cast out into the deep"

[Craig H.]

Originally Posted by Neil

The production management talent pool is a bit shallow here. As such yesterday I was approached about my interest level in being groomed for an operations management position as part of succession planning. I work at a large Canadian pipe and tube manufacturer and my background is a Metallurgical Engineer and the last 10 years have all been quality related positions with no direct production experience. This family of companies is very operations concentric and I am stuggling at the moment to make additional improvements in my current QA position. As such it appeals but I thought I would seek some advice because there is a mountain of experience and expertise on this board and it is a significant career path change. What do you think?

Neil:

First, congratulations.

You have some decisions to make here. If you want to advance your career, IMHO you would do well to look at how many people jump from quality into upper management, compared to from production or finance. Here, you have some experience, valuable experience, that makes you much more well rounded and suited for the job.

The fact that they have asked you tells me that you must have been a good engineer, as well. Your time in quality should serve you well, and make the life of any Q people working for you a lot easier.

If they are looking to put you on the management succession track, backing out, to me, means that 10 - 15 years from now if you are still with the same company you will very likely be doing the same thing you are now. These opportunities only come once (maybe twice) a lifetime. Now is your turn.

Although its a different industry, my brother (a ChE) is in almost exactly the same boat as you, and he is looking to get back into production as a plant manager because that is what he enjoys doing, although the problem solving part of quality is to his liking, I think. He has had his share of the baloney part of quality, too, though.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Whatever you choose, I hope you are successful and enjoy it.

Craig

[Wes Bucey]

Originally Posted by Craig H.

Neil:

First, congratulations.

You have some decisions to make here. If you want to advance your career, IMHO you would do well to look at how many people jump from quality into upper management, compared to from production or finance. Here, you have some experience, valuable experience, that makes you much more well rounded and suited for the job.

. . .
If they are looking to put you on the management succession track, backing out, to me, means that 10 - 15 years from now if you are still with the same company you will very likely be doing the same thing you are now. These opportunities only come once (maybe twice) a lifetime. Now is your turn.

Although its a different industry, my brother (a ChE) is in almost exactly the same boat as you, and he is looking to get back into production as a plant manager because that is what he enjoys doing, although the problem solving part of quality is to his liking, I think. He has had his share of the baloney part of quality, too, though.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Whatever you choose, I hope you are successful and enjoy it.

Craig

Let me echo Craig and others: Congratulations!

Next, think of this as an EXPANSION of your career in Quality, not an abandonment. You will be in the unique position of having the authority to implement improvements you could only suggest as a Quality wonk.

Sometimes you have to consider that hybrids are more beautiful and hardy compared to either of the disparate parents.

[Cari Spears]

Originally Posted by Wes Bucey

...You will be in the unique position of having the authority to implement improvements you could only suggest as a Quality wonk...

Exactly - you lucky dog. Go for it!!

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I'm not going to disagree with the others. I don't think the management would approach you with this if they didn't think you were good enough. Go for it. If you don't, you may never get the chance again, and kick yourself for the rest of your days.

Good luck.

/Claes

[Mike S.]

A few years back I had a similar opportunity. I guess you can tell I did not take the Operations Manager job. The main reasons I didn't is because I really liked the work I was doing at the time (QA/T&M) and I knew, based on my knowledge of the Top Dog, that I would be severely limited in what changes I could make to improve several things that were fundamentally wrong in our Operations area. The pay was just a little more (though the opportunity for the future was better), but I knew the headaches would be vastly increased and my freedom to implement what I thought would be the cures was limited. So, for better or for worse, I turned it down. But if I felt that I would be given the latitude to do the job the right way (IMO) then I would have probably done it. Ideally, I'd like to stay in "quality" but have the increased authority to make more changes, in Operations and elsewhere. Making production schedules and ensuring enough stuff gets made and such isn't my personal idea of fun. But helping those production/operations folks do their jobs better, easier, more efficiently, is my idea of fun. Sadly, few Operations types I seen really want any such input. If/when I find some who do, I predict we'd have a great relationship.

[Neil]

Thanks everyone for your support. I am definitely going for it. I'm forty-one so the timing seems right to me. I'm just fed up with not be able to tackle the cultural issues that are the REAL root cause of most of our problems. Any words of wisdom from someone who has worn production and quality hats in their careers? Where do most production managers tend to go wrong in your experience?

Looks like I'll be going onto a four shift rotating weekends schedule to "pay my dues" soon.