Use your Resource and Initiative

How often is it, that when something needs to be fixed or sorted out, we refrain from getting involved, thinking, “That’s a job for someone else, perhaps an expert”? Our approach becomes a passive one, handing responsibility and solution to someone else. What if we used our resources and initiative?

On Sunday, my daughter alarmed me to news that our washing machine was leaking and causing a spill on the floor. I took a look and saw that she was right; so we gathered some towels around to soak up the spill. My wife was away for the day, and I noticed that there was clothing in the machine – so, I was hopeful that the problem was somehow related to something she had done, or the clothes in there. I was reluctant to open the machine and consider that we may need the services of a technician.

When my wife came back home, she tried spinning the clothes and determined that the problem was with the machine. She heard the sound of a distinct leak. So, in comes me as the DIY guy. Got the screwdrivers out, opened the machine and noticed the leak was on a ‘certain part’. Then closed the water supply mains to the washing machine.

So, now that I knew what the fault was, I wondered how that could be repaired/ replaced. I tried to use the end of a hot soldering iron to melt a similar type of plastic to the pinprick hole (fault) on the part. It looked so well done after I had finished, but once I turned the water on – the pressure of the water created the hole again. I tried to improve the ‘weld’ but resigned to the fact that the part needed to be replaced.

I then went onto the internet to find the name of the part to be replaced. I succeeded: “Water Inlet Valve”. I then found a local site which took my query and sourced providers. On Monday morning I got a call notifying me that the part cost of R220.00. However the company had no stock. Today, I was able to find a great supplier (Tecsa/ www.tecsa.co.za) who had the part for R132.00. Bought the part and replaced it. The washing machine works perfect. My marriage is still intact;-)

By simply using some “R&I”: resource and initiative, I was able to solve the problem inexpensively. No ‘call out charge’, ‘no marked up parts’. Admittedly, this is not possible for all, but the moral of the story is that we can, and perhaps should, try our best first before seeking the help of someone else.

This is true in the workplace, where some team members may have a blame mentality and shift responsibility to management to sort out their challenges. Every one needs to learn the lesson: “Use your Resource and Initiative”.