{"id":2993,"date":"2013-10-14T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-14T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mpulse.cloud.fruitionqa.com\/things-cant-fall-off-the-floor-blog\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T06:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T06:30:50","slug":"lessons-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mpulsesoftware.com\/blog\/maintenance-management\/lessons-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Things Can\u2019t Fall Off the Floor: Simple Lessons for Success in Maintenance and in Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cName one thing you\u2019ve learned from a co-worker, boss, or client during your career that you\u2019ll never forget and that you\u2019ve also applied to your daily life<\/em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I saw this challenge posted on a LinkedIn discussion group the other day. It made me think back through my career for what my answer would be. Strangely, what first came to me was a simple lesson I learned from a co-worker at an auto repair shop where I was an entry-level mechanic, fresh out of school. My mentor\u2019s name was Glen, and he left me a \u201cpearl\u201d I\u2019ve held onto for many years, through my professional transition from auto mechanic to Maintenance Maven and software company CEO.<\/p>\n

Glen was in his late 50s at the time. He\u2019d been working at the same repair shop for over fifteen years. He\u2019d been married for over 40 years, too, and was the \u201cdean\u201d of our group of Ford Registered Technicians. He had a take on just about every topic: \u201cwrenching,\u201d of course, but also on politics, world affairs, and sports. He shared his opinions and life lessons freely with anyone who would listen. As the newbie in the shop, I listened. Of course, some of Glen\u2019s other observations aren\u2019t publishable in this blog, but they were equally as instructive.<\/p>\n

The lesson that stuck with me the most was, \u201cThings can\u2019t fall off the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019d borrowed a 3\/8\u201d drive impact wrench from him. He later noticed it on my bench, with the air hose still attached. (This was way before all the battery powered wrenches available today.) He was concerned someone would bump the hose, which, in turn, would pull the wrench off the bench and cause it to break from the fall. Obviously, I didn\u2019t have the money to buy him a replacement, or I\u2019d have had my own in the first place. Glen was afraid we\u2019d both be without a 3\/8\u201d drive impact wrench if I didn’t right the wrong.<\/p>\n

When Glen pointed this wisdom out, it seemed so obvious; and I was embarrassed he\u2019d had to call me on it. \u201cThings can\u2019t fall off the floor,\u201d didn\u2019t seem like a lesson that would stick with someone for a lifetime, but it\u2019s turned out to be one that\u2019s stayed with me for 45 years. It\u2019s also one I’ve shared with my sons, and with my students during my time as an auto mechanics instructor.<\/p>\n

Glen\u2019s lesson resonated with me at the time. The lesson morphed and grew as I became a little older and a little wiser. Here are five additional pearls from his simple guidance I\u2019ve used my entire career:<\/p>\n