Chicago Tube & Iron – Ankeny, IA: Doug Petersen

Chicago Tube & Iron’s Ankeny, IA location wanted to implement process improvements to reduce risks and decrease expenses.

Doug Petersen, Warehouse Manager, was asked to draw from his previous experience of successfully implementing process improvements to achieve the desired result. “Doug is a leader! He motivates his team to implement ideas and is able to show improvement in a short period of time,” says Ron Adkison, General Manager for the Ankeny division.

It’s the way in which Doug implemented the changes that have had a significant impact on the division. He learned about the employees and reassigned their roles based on their strengths. He participated in the process, developing a rapport with the employees, so when it came time to implement new procedures, employees didn’t need to be convinced why – they trusted him and already witnessed his desire to do what’s best for the employees AND the business.

Lesson Learned: It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, performing tasks the same way each time because it’s “how it’s always been done.” But when you’re not getting the desired results – take a step back to assess the situation and all the inputs. Then, don’t be afraid to make changes that will yield the desired result.