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Flex Talk: It’s the Little Things

Let me share a personal moment. Shortly after we started staying home and socially distancing, I came down the stairs from my home office and noticed something colorful on the sidewalk. Keep in mind that I live in Minnesota, and anything colorful is extremely eye-catching while in stark contrast to the winter grass and leafless trees. Looking closer, someone had colored big, beautiful hearts all along my sidewalk and driveway, leaving a fun message at the end of all those colorful hearts. That simple act of kindness made me smile for days, anytime I looked outside and saw the chalk drawings and messages. It also reminded me that in the midst of uncertainty and life being unsettled, one small thing could make a significant impact.

Sidewalk chalk is a fun example of neighbors supporting each other, and there are countless examples of people in our industry doing the same. Designers and engineers are working around the clock on new designs and products to support the medical industry, manufacturers are shifting capacity from other products to be able to support this surge in demand, and chemistry manufacturers are shifting resources to provide disinfectants. You do not have to look far to find stories of ways our industry comes together to support each other. 

IPC, as always, strongly supports and advocates for our industry. Among so many other things they are doing to provide support right now, IPC hosts a weekly call, both providing information and facilitating discussion between business owners and executives. Maybe even more memorable to me than all of those colorful hearts in my driveway is the way that people are openly sharing and discussing best practices, lessons learned, and general thoughts and opinions on how to deal with issues of worker safety, social distancing, and workforce-related challenges through this unique situation—even with their competitors. This collaborative effort renews my passion for the electronics industry and makes me proud to be part of this community.  

As time passes and stay-at-home orders are starting to be lifted, the way we work and do business throughout the electronics industry is going to look different, and I don’t think any of us really know exactly how that will play out. Will more people work from home? Are people tired of working from home and eager to get back to the office? Will pay cuts and furloughs be temporary or long-term? How will business travel be handled? When will we be able to meet face-to-face? What will trade shows and conferences look like going forward?

There are so many unknowns, and I certainly do not have the answers or even a solid, educated guess as to how things will roll out over the next few months. But what I can do is to remind myself and encourage others to remember two things. First, the big impact that even the little things can have, and second, when things are overwhelming or uncertain, focus on how you can make small impacts. 

The colleague that asks to move a conference call to 6:30 a.m. or 8:00 p.m. to help relieve some of the stress of juggling working from home with young children and home-education will surely appreciate the small act of kindness when that request is accommodated. On that topic, when family members accidentally walk into the video call, say hi and move on. Yes, that was me; I completely mortified my son by barging in on his video call with new co-workers. 

The manufacturer that must deliver the news that your product is being delayed is likely dealing with many pressures that you are not aware of. A moment of kindness, a deep breath, and a collaborative discussion on how to best solve the problem will absolutely be welcomed.

Salespeople historically rely on a significant amount of face-to-face communication—whether that is on-site meetings with customers, “lunch and learn” technical trainings, trade shows, or social engagements. These things have all changed as well. Take a minute to help those salespeople that support you understand the best way to communicate while we can’t meet in person. Trust me; that is appreciated.

Employers are working hard to set up safety guidelines as manufacturing re-opens, and people start coming back to work. How can you support those efforts? Feedback and collaboration.

Many in the electronics are now offering free webinars, training sessions, consulting, videos, and blogs, stepping in to help those with a little extra time gain some valuable training, as well as those who are working from home have access to technical information.

The list could go on and on. All these little things, collectively, will surely have a big impact throughout the industry. This is just one reminder that our industry is strong and resilient, and when things are hard, we will continue to be successful by working together.

This column originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of PCB007 Magazine.