Encouragement, Experience, and a Drizzle of Clarity | Diary Entry - 28th May 2025

Today had the gentle energy of a rhythm finding its beat - purposeful, reflective, and subtly transformative.

The morning started with the usual assembly, but what made it different was something I have come to deeply appreciate: a minute of silence, requested by Mr. Edoh, in remembrance of those who are no longer with us. There’s something sacred about silence. I always use that moment to close my eyes, take slow, deep breaths, and reset. Even in the chaos of our plant life, there’s value in stillness - it centers me.


Leading with Encouragement

I chaired [not the right word, it's a standing meeting] the HOD meeting today. Over the past few days, I’ve made a conscious shift in my tone. No blame games. No pressure tactics. Only encouragement. I’ve realized that in a place where things have remained stagnant for long, motivation is more powerful than micromanagement. I ended the meeting with my usual best wishes, and I mean it every time.


A Hard Look at the Ground

A visit to the stores followed, and then I made my way into the plant. At the Preheater Feeding Bucket Elevator bottom area, rust had claimed the old structure like ivy creeps up an abandoned wall. A new structure is in the works, but I noticed the staircase isn’t built to standard inclination - it’s steep and unsafe. I gave two additional suggestions related to support and safety. As I always say: prevention is cheaper than accidents.


Operations Update

 Line #2 is running fine - stable, for now.

 Line #1 is undergoing Baghouse fan shaft replacement. A few more days of careful work are needed before it comes alive.


A Different Kind of Visit

Post-lunch, I took an impromptu decision to visit DCT - Diamond Cement Togo, our grinding unit.

Why? Two reasons:

1. I hadn’t been there in three months.

2. More personally, I’ve been dealing with heavy-headedness and an unhealthy craving to check my phone or laptop. Too much screen time lately. I’ve started avoiding it unless absolutely necessary. And this short road trip felt like the perfect detox.

At DCT, the Cement Mill was not operational, naturally because we haven’t been supplying clinker from WACEM. But that wasn’t my main focus. I met the team and had good discussions around:


  • Checklists
  • JPR (Job Planning Register)
  • DPR (Daily Production Report)
  • DSR (Daily Stoppage Report)
  • Digitization of logbooks

I shared my real-life example from an earlier plant where I was given the task of reviving a long-idle Roller Press.

There was no mechanical issue, but operational consistency was missing. My Plant Head gave me the challenge - and slowly, step by step, we brought it back to life.

From 65% to 80% to 90% of -2mm product size, we didn’t stop. Then came his real vision - divert the Roller Press discharge directly to the Air Separator via a conveyor.

It was one of those experiences that teaches more than any manual ever could. I shared this not to boast, but to show what's possible with persistence and clarity of direction.


A Beautiful Return

The drive back to WACEM was under a soft drizzle. The road was wet, the air was fresh, and for the first time in a while, I felt truly peaceful. It wasn’t just the rain - it was the feeling of doing something right.


Leadership Choices

Back at the plant, a request came for a one-year service extension for a retiring staff member. I declined.

We cannot keep dragging this legacy forward. If we don’t make bold decisions today, we’ll never escape this cycle of compromise.

However, I agreed to revisit the discussion tomorrow. My stand is clear: not more than 4 months of extension. That’s fair and firm.

---

Key Points of the Day:

1. Began with a minute of silence - a moment of reflection and peace.

2. Chaired the HOD meeting - encouraging tone maintained throughout.

3. Store and plant visits - identified unsafe stair design and suggested improvements.

4. Line #2 running; Line #1 under maintenance.

5. Visited DCT grinding unit after 3 months - strategic and self-care decision.

6. Shared operational revival experience from a past plant - Roller Press optimization story.

7. Discussion on digitizing operations at DCT - shared templates and inspired action.

8. Rejected a 1-year extension proposal for a retiring person - policy discipline is critical.

9. Returned in pleasant drizzle, feeling calm and resolved.

10. Reducing screen time to ease heavy-headedness and fatigue.

---

Tomorrow, I move forward with sharper focus, a lighter heart, and perhaps a little less time on the screen. Some journeys begin with deep breaths - and mine, I feel, is entering its most mindful phase yet.



[Today morning's clicks by Sawan Jasoliya at WACEM]

Next Day - 29th May, 2028

Previous Day - 27th May, 2028

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