We work in a world of tools. Humans are distinctive from most other creatures on this planet by our ability to make and use them. The earliest advances in society are measured by the tools we built and used (fire, hand axes, spear throwers, the wheel, pottery and so on). The automotive industry is particularly defined by the tools we use. How many jobs can you do without some highly specialized tool?
Tools have an especially strong personal association for me. My father is a tool-builder. For as long as I can remember, he’s been the Toolroom Foreman for a metal stamping/fineblanking plant in Wisconsin. Even before I understood the technicalities of what he did, I was fascinated by the idea of a whole department focused on creating the tools necessary to run a business.
Tools make people’s lives easier and make the impossible possible, from lifting a 2-ton truck overhead to flushing all the crud from every nook and cranny of a radiator. My dad takes a lot of pride in how the tools he builds impact his business and the people who work for him. His example inspired me, and I am honored to call myself a Tool Builder as well.
Instead of working with metal and stamping process, I work with software and business processes. But, the process is largely the same (and surprisingly simple):

1. Identify a point of need.
2. Isolate the ways it could be done easier/faster/more effectively.
3. Build the tool/process to address those points.
4. Refine and revise by starting again at Step 1.

Here’s the thing: we are ALL tool builders. When you think of a tool, it’s easiest to think of the wrenches, sockets, and other items in your toolbox. But, at its most basic level, a tool is anything that extends, amplifies and/or simplifies your efforts to accomplish a specific task. So, what about the people who work for you or the processes your business employs? Those absolutely count as tools*.
And, just as you invest in the traditional hardware tools in your shop to make individual jobs easier, investing in the human and process tools in your operation will make your entire business run more easily and reach higher levels. Investing in those tools doesn’t need to be an overly special process:

• Find the things you are doing over and over again – those are the processes most likely to benefit from a new approach. If you’re doing the same thing repeatedly, chances are good that someone else can do it, too (and then your time is freed to find the next area for improvement).
• Identify a leader on your team and let them shadow you as you work on the process/procedure. You don’t need a fancy procedure document or documented process – let that be part of the training. Show them how to do it and ask them to document it for you. Then, you can review the documentation to be sure they understood and can work from their own document. (Bonus: You’ll have the start of a library you can use to train the next team member.)
• Shadow your new approach a few times to be certain it’s being done to your standard. This step is crucial because if you’re not confident in the tool/process you’ve built, you won’t really be able to move on to the next thing. Put the time in here, and you’ll be much more effective at finding the next problem you can solve.
• Use the time saved to move on to your next point of need, confident knowing that you’re building a collection of tools that won’t just impact specific jobs, but your entire business.

Your business is likely full of tools – and arguably, the most important ones don’t live in your toolbox. Take a close look at the way your business runs and see if you can’t find some areas where a newly placed resource can extend, amplify, and simplify your own activities. Being a Tool Builder is rewarding – and I don’t mean just to your bottom line.
*No Bob, I did not just call you a tool. I said that you extend, amplify, and simplify business processes. 

Your business is likely full of tools, especially if you’re in the automotive industry. But what are your most important ones? As ET-D2 shares this week, they could live outside of your toolbox. Join the conversation below or connect with Jim directly.