Rodney Hutchins

My role is focused on working as a Center of Excellence for Leadership and Operational Excellence at TNO. I play a key role on a team charged with developing and standardizing best practices, creating management systems and tools to support operational disciplines, and building leader capabilities to leverage usage of the management systems to grow their teams and build a culture that delivers improved reliability and safety performance. This requires a Customer driven focus while supporting manufacturing areas achieve top tier safety performance. I partner with areas closely for several months to understand current state and deliver gap assessments for Operating disciplines and Leadership opportunities. There is a major focus on developing strong leaders and building leadership skills. Engaging manufacturing teams to install management systems that enable great communication between leaders and frontline employees to strengthen Essential Operating Disciplines. Partnering with multiple levels of leadership to increase accountability and ownership of each management system while providing role clarity to improve efficiencies. I maintain coaching relationships as this is a continual improvement effort. Another key role I play as part of the COE is to return to areas for "Health Checks". This plays an important role to maintain strong partnerships with areas previously installed and for continual improvement.

Responsibilities of the role were very broad and an extension of my previous leadership roles and process expertise. Heavy involvement in day to day operation decisions, planning and scheduling of production rates, planning maintenance around production needs and assisting operating crews with troubleshooting process issues limiting production or effecting quality. Writing, reviewing and approving procedures weekly. I was part of the auditing team for all Life Critical Processes. I led the annual maintenance Turnaround planning process. This involved making critical decisions around job scope, building the job schedule, assisting in resourcing both internal and external execution forces, leading checklist creation team to prepare safe lockout/tagouts, confined space entries and total vessel replacements. Collaboration and communication with multiple groups was paramount for a a successful TAR. From a leadership perspective, I mentored our Team Managers on people issues, process concerns and decision making.

Led 11 person team for Methanol Section for 2 years, then moved to Acetic Anhydride Section and led a 10 member crew team for ten years. Responsibilities included leading on basic safety expectations, site and area expectations, training and development, leading and influencing behaviors and building a strong culture around safety, teamwork and performance. I utilized coaching systems to evaluate employee performance. Daily observation and coaching of team members in the moment and linking those discussions to regularly scheduled 1:1s to improve individual behaviors while building capabilities for long term growth, increasing quality of work, morale and employee motivation.

This was my first Team Manager assignment, having been selected out of a North Coal Gas Operations role. Roles and responsibilities were the same as other Team Manager assignments. The key difference was building relationships with team members who didn't know me and having to start learning totally new processes. I strongly believe you have to earn the right to coach in order to successfully lead a team. This comes from building trust, which starts at a personal level. It demonstrates you care; this is your why. From there, building respect from your crew. This comes from exhibiting Core Values in all interactions, demonstrating strong character and integrity in decision making and being consistent in your leadership.

3-4 years entry level in Acid Division was my introduction to manufacturing and industrial employment. I learned many foundational behaviors while loading drums, dumping super sacks, hauling loads in medium duty trucks, sample catching and shipping, tank trailer inspections and many miscellaneous tasks. I then trained as an operator in Acetic Anhydride section. I built strong capabilities in process operations, monitoring and making process decisions to meet both quality and production targets. I utilized procedures and checklists on a daily basis. I learned about lockout/tagout and life critical processes and its importance for safety of both operators and execution forces. Great teamwork and communication was needed daily.