As I walk into Micor to talk with their Vice President, Dave Ponegalek, about how they demonstrate passion + productivity = give back in the work that they do, there are signs on every door in the building that say “Thank you Ms. Lydia for your 5 years of service.” When I arrived, I saw “Ms. Lydia” as most affectionately call her, walking over from the other building with a huge cake in her hand. Her anniversary cake. Everyone in the company has been over at the building celebrating her five years of contribution to the company.
Although Dave never mentions celebrating employee anniversaries as a way the company demonstrates a give back mindset (it is just so ingrained in who they are and what they do it doesn’t seem noteworthy to him), it is just one example of the passion, leading to productivity and giving that runs through Micor Industries.
Micor was established in Union Grove, Alabama, by Mike Heath in 2000. In 2002, the company moved to its first location in Decatur, Alabama, and since that time has grown to be a go-to provider of machined parts for a variety of customers. In addition, the company has won the Alabama Emerging Manufacturer of the Year and has grown to 70 employees.
When asked about Micor’s focus on passion, it is obvious the focus is on being a valued partner to customers by being the best in their business. Micor hires and retains individuals who are passionate about machining quality parts and meeting customer needs.
What strikes me the most, though, in the way that Micor achieves its results is through a relentless focus on tracking and measuring performance. In 2013, a focus on establishing an accountability culture was created. Every important factor in the business was set and measured in the form of a dashboard. It is visual, it is reviewed weekly, everyone sees it and everyone knows where things stand. The next step in this accountability culture is driving the visual reminder of the results that need to monitored and achieved through TV screens throughout the company’s two facilities. This focus on the productivity measures that drive profitability lead to increased rewards for all at Micor.
Because Micor knows the focus on passion and productivity is driven by it’s people, the accountability culture is a part of all the team. “If everyone cares about what they are doing, they are going to give more than their all everyday. They will care if the part ships today instead of tomorrow, and care about if the product is right, packed right, etc.,” says Dave Ponegalek.”
This leads to a focus on continuous professional development, rewards in the form of bonuses when profitability goals are met, gift cards given out at random for a job well done and, yes, anniversary cakes.
The focus on being a valued partner extends beyond customer and employee partnerships. Micor sees itself as a partner in the community. This creates a “ripple effect” as owner Mike Heath emphasizes that being involved in the community leads to better results for everyone.
One example of Micor’s focus on giving back comes through their partnership with Decatur Heritage Christian Academy. Each year, Micor holds a contest for high school seniors at the school. The students are required to write about what they want to be when they grow up and are then interviewed by a team. The winner(s) get to job shadow with Micor, which includes a trip to Houston to meet with Micor customers.
“We want to spark interest in our industry and create more people with a passion for what we do,” say Dave. The value of seeing first-hand what an industry and a job is like is, unfortunately, not an experience many high school students get to have or try to pursue. When a passion for what you do leads to giving back in ways that allow others to spark a passion, we all win- individuals, companies and communities.
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