Feature Stories
HardSteel Muscles Through First 10 Years
December 14, 2011
This year marks the 10th anniversary of HardSteel Inc. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., overlay plate manufacturer and steel fabricator survived – even thrived in – a tumultuous decade. On this day, Larry Williams, who owns the company with Tim Olive, is
Real Life Mining Stories: Attention to Safety is Part of Being a Responsible Leader
December 14, 2011
Roof falls, which often occur during the process of mining, were the source of the majority of coal mine accident and fatalities in the 1970s and 1980s. When you have tons of stone above your head, from time to time
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: New Leaders Need to Transition Smoothly
November 30, 2011
In today’s fast paced work environment, leaders transition frequently between organizational roles, company sites, and even among companies. How the leader deals with these transitions predicts the success or failure of the team. I have seen a number of new
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Good Leaders Use Effective Delegation Techniques
November 15, 2011
In my first month as a coal miner, there were many learning opportunities. After I had worked in the mines for one month, I was offered the opportunity to work a weekend shift for time and a half pay. Since
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Leaders Must See Change as Vital Function
November 4, 2011
Shift work in the coal mine was quite a physical challenge for me at eighteen years of age. Prior to working my first midnight shift, I had stayed up all night only a couple of times for high school proms.
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: New Workers Deserve a High Level of Protection
October 19, 2011
I started working in the coal mine in September of 1972 at the age of eighteen. My orientation lasted all of ten minutes. After less than a year of coal mining, I quit to attend my second year of college.
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Leaders Learn Lessons Through Mistakes
October 5, 2011
In my experience, the coal mine supervisor had some leeway when filling out the pay sheets. At times, he could leave a couple of miners underground between shifts to perform a needed job. Other times, miners would be asked to
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Building Teamwork Pays Off in Stressful Situations
September 28, 2011
As a supervisor in an underground coal mine, one of my responsibilities was to limit the mine’s exposure to explosions. A number of federal and state laws were directed at that same purpose. One set of laws had to do
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Safety Shortcuts Are Bad for Business
September 6, 2011
Accidents in the coal mine often occurred at the most unexpected times. I guess that is why they are called accidents! One day on a routine ride to our production section, one of my worst accidents occurred. Two men rode
Real Life Mining Stories With Leadership Lessons: Good Leaders Seek & Implement Input from Followers
August 23, 2011
When I was a roof bolter in the coal mine, I once worked for a period of time for a supervisor named Cloyd. Cloyd was a nice enough guy but he had a difficult time accepting advice from his crew
