Let's Try It Now: A Lesson in Humility
A Teenager's Introduction to the World of Work
It was my first ever “real” job…
I was sixteen, and had a freshly minted work permit. My older brother had arranged for me to work at an industrial x-ray rental company where he had also worked as a teenager. It was essentially a one-man business, run by the owner, whom we all called “Doc” since he was a retired doctor. I had already been fixing television and radio sets as a means to finance my test equipment addiction, but this was going to be some “real money!” It didn’t take long for Doc to realize that I could fix things and wire stuff, so that became my main set of duties.
That summer, I worked more or less full time, traveling around the Southern California area, helping Doc fix problems with various machines, often at aerospace firms. On one such occasion, we arrived to find a broken mechanical timer on the front panel. Turned out the x-ray technician had fallen from a step stool into the control panel, breaking the timer. Truth was, his face looked to be in worse shape than that timer! Doc had a spare in the truck, so I set about replacing the broken one.
Now the thing you have to understand about these timers is that they were used for all sorts of applications, not just x-ray machines. They found their way into traffic signals, industrial automation, gate closers… you get the picture. Because they were so versatile, they had a lot of jumpers that needed to be set correctly so that they would work correctly for the specific application. Nevertheless, I was confident I would be able to get it fixed in no time.
How a Simple Phrase Changed Everything
I replaced the timer, put the panel back together, and said, “All fixed!” Doc stepped up to the panel, adjusted all the settings, and hit the start button.
Nothing.
Instead of the loud “clunk” of big relays closing, and the hum of a 25 kilovolt transformer, there was… nothing.
I removed the panel and checked the jumpers on the timer. Sure enough, I saw one that was incorrectly set. Easily fixed with a screwdriver. All put back together, and “all fixed” once again. Doc hit the start button…
Ummm, nothing.
Now it was getting embarrassing. I opened the panel, and noticed two more jumpers that were set incorrectly, not as obvious as the first one. Aha! I will have this up and running in no time, I thought.
While I turned screws and moved jumper straps, Doc came up alongside and whispered in my ear: “Next time, say ‘Let’s try it now’ instead of ‘all fixed.’” I got the hint.
I finished putting everything back together. “Let’s try it now,” I said. Doc stepped up, hit the button, and…
CLUNK—HUM! Everything worked perfectly. Doc smiled, and I knew it was more because of what I said, rather than the fact the machine was now working.
Career-Defining Experience
One of Radio Design Group’s core values is Experience: We strive to learn and build on the past to create better and positive outcomes. I’ve never forgotten the lesson that Doc taught me that day. When you find yourself fixing something, always check the results before you over confidently say “all fixed.” A little humility goes a long way. A lesson we still keep in mind today when we’re designing, repairing, or manufacturing for our customers.