A Day of Clarity, Leadership, and Renewed Purpose | Diary Entry – 24th May, 2025

The morning began, as usual, at the assembly point-but even a short meeting can carry powerful moments.

Mr. Edoh led the prayer with calm conviction. And then, an unexpected gem of wisdom came from someone least expected: during an open discussion about the persistent accumulation of material on top of the silo, one of our contractor supervisors, who is responsible for cleaning it, stood up and said, “Let’s solve the root cause first. Otherwise, we’ll keep talking about this every time.”

I started clapping. Loudly. And why not?

We often underestimate the insight of those closest to the work. This moment reminded me how important it is to empower every voice-especially those on the ground. His honest, solution-focused thinking deserved every bit of appreciation it received.

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DPM Cancelled, but Momentum Building

Today’s Daily Production Meeting (DPM) was cancelled-many team members were hands-on in the field. But behind the scenes, there was movement. The DPR (Daily Production Report) and DSR (Daily Stoppage Report) are slowly taking shape. We’re not quite at perfection, but the format is settling in.

With consistency, I can now access live snapshots of our production data, availability percentages, and monthly comparisons at a glance. It’s early-stage digital discipline, but a firm step in the right direction.

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“I Hate 1:1s” – But Not Really

On LinkedIn, one of the trending leadership topics is about One-to-One meetings. I added my own post to the noise, provocatively titled:

> “I hate 1:1s.”

But as the reader scrolls down, the truth unfolds.

I love meeting people-but I prefer open addresses, not closed cabins.

Every day, when I leave the car behind on the main road and walk through the plant to reach the assembly point, I meet my team in the rhythm of our plant life. I walk with them. Pray with them. Talk safety with them. Share ideas in the open. And when we say the safety pledge together, my voice is the loudest-intentionally.

During the day, I keep posting important points in public WhatsApp groups and channels-because:

“If a conversation can help one person, it can help everyone.”

And yes, I do 1:1s. But only when it’s truly a 1:1 matter.

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Both Lines Down - A Leader’s Test

By mid-day, both Line#1 and Line#2 were down. And the diagnosis came in quickly.

Baghouse#1’s fan shaft had developed a mechanical issue leading to high vibrations.

One suggestion floated in: “Let’s install a GRR and try to run the plant at lower speed. It might work in two days.”

I dismissed it.

That’s the typical “let’s-do-something-so-it-looks-like-we’re-doing-something” kind of idea that deflects from the real issue. Installing GRR will eat up the same two days, and we’d still not fix the real problem. I took the call: Replace the shaft. Fix the root cause. Do it right.

In cement plants-like in life-delaying hard decisions only creates deeper problems.

People think leadership comes with years. But real leadership shows up in the moment when everyone else avoids the tough call-and you make it.

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A Visit That Energized Me

Lunch was brief. Because word had come: Our Chairman and one of the Directors were visiting.

I had misunderstood earlier-I thought our Chairman was the same person I knew as PDG. But today, I met the real Chairman for the first time.

We spent time together in deep and cheerful discussion. Then we went around the plant-mines, CCR, kiln area, lab, and model room. There were photos, memories, and stories shared.

I was moved to learn that these men were the original visionaries behind saving this plant. It was put up for sale once-to be scrapped. But they saw something in it. They didn’t just buy it-they believed in it. Today, I saw that belief in their eyes again.

The energy, the pride, the sense of belonging-they still carry all of it. And I must say, their visit reenergized me too. Sometimes, leadership feels lonely, especially when things are not working well. But when you meet people who also carry the dream-you feel lifted.

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📌 Key Points of the Day – 24th May

• Morning Prayer led by Mr. Edoh.
• Insightful suggestion by the silo-cleaning contractor: solve root cause of accumulation.
• DPM Cancelled, but DPR and DSR processes are getting structured for real-time data.
• LinkedIn Post: “I hate 1:1s” sparked engagement; emphasized power of group connection.
• Both lines stopped; fan shaft of Baghouse#1 identified as issue.
• Decision taken to replace shaft instead of wasting time on temporary fixes.
• Leadership lesson: Avoiding root cause and taking “safe” decisions delays progress.
• Visit by Chairman and Director; their connection to the plant's history was inspiring.
• Plant tour and presentation created a sense of shared pride and renewed energy.
• Reconnected with purpose by seeing the plant through the eyes of its founders.

It was a day of insight, leadership, and reaffirmation.

The machines may not be running-but hearts are.

[Meeting with Hon. Chairman and Hon. Director. Sawan Jasoliya and other team-members are at Automobile Workshop, WACEM]

Next Day - 26th May, 2025

Previous Day - 23th May, 2025