Feature Stories
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Motivation Results from Communication
April 5, 2011
When I was a supervisor in a coal mine in 1979, I had one of my most difficult motivating tasks. The mine, Y & O Coal Company, where I worked as a production foreman, had since the mine’s inception been
Industry Embraces Digital Media, Mining Connection Takes Off in First Year With 43,000 Subscribers
April 1, 2011
When Beth Terranova and her team launched the first United States-based online news service for the mining industry in September 2009, she knew it would fly, just not how fast or how high. Since then, Mining Connection L.L.C. has exceeded
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Chaos and Leadership
March 22, 2011
Because of the myriad of changes imposed upon organizations recently, many of my clients speak of their organizations as immersed in chaos. I suggest that we will never eliminate chaos, only learn to structure it to some extent and respond
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Leaders Who Get in the Trenches Earn Respect
March 8, 2011
One of the nastiest jobs I performed during my coal mine experience was the semi-annual emptying of the clean and raw coal silos. The work was always performed on a weekend. If possible, I grabbed 16-hour shifts on both Saturday
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Leadership Can Come from Followers
February 22, 2011
Sometimes the toughest challenge shows the true character of the leader and of the followers. Those men and women to whom we point and admirably give the title of leader are often highlighted in a critical situation. Events that seem
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Leaders Constantly Strive for Higher Performance
February 8, 2011
I was a roof-bolter in the coal mines for two years. The job entailed drilling an eight-foot hole in the mine top and tightening a bolt with a ten-foot long electric powered piece of machinery. It is one of the
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: You’ve Got One Boss and You’re Looking at Him
January 25, 2011
I remember a particular day when I was a roof bolter in the coal mine in 1976. We had arrived uneventfully on the section like most every day. I walked up to my machine and prepared for the day’s work.
When Minutes Count For Miners
January 17, 2011
Black Mountain Resources Mine Safety Director Roger Gilliam knows the value of having a well-trained Mine Emergency Technician (MET). He’s seen evidence of their importance while working on the mine site. “Situations at every coal mine arise,” Gilliam said. “That’s
Revolutionizing Mining Through Business and Research
December 19, 2010
Sean Dessureault has spent the last 15 years working on revolutionizing the mining industry through research, consulting and products he offers. Dessureault, 36, is an associate professor in the Mining and Geological Engineering department at the University of Arizona as
Real Life Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons: Teamwork Results from Common Goals
November 13, 2010
In 1978, I was a foreman at a coal mine east of Beallsville, Ohio. I enjoyed my weekends off because I was required to work a number of them. It’s a Sunday afternoon and I am relaxing with my family
