When asked to write a “Big Break” piece, my mind immediately jumped to the fact that I was born in Kokomo. This may not seem like an earth-shattering bolt of good fortune, but I do believe that my answer starts with being lucky enough to be born in the United States, and specifically here at the Crossroads of America.

And for those who know our family, they will tell you that my other “Big Break” was finding and marrying my wife, Cathy. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without such a wonderful partner.

So often, our good fortune is due in large part to the friends and mentors who help us grow along the way. In my professional life (in the manufacturing industry), there was one mentor in particular who taught me lessons that I still use today. He was the toughest boss I ever had, until I stopped long enough to understand his message.

Ron asked me to swing by his office on a Friday afternoon before we left for the weekend. As I sat down across from him, he looked up slowly and said “remember the 5 B’s.” I nodded knowingly while thinking he was alluding to some regulatory issue. He then gave me the following message:

“There are only a handful of critical decisions to be made every year. Be bright enough to figure out which ones they are and don’t disrupt the organization with issues that don’t matter. Because these are important, be bold enough to take decisive action on them. There will be plenty of obstacles and naysayers along the way, so be blunt enough to get your message across. And most importantly, no matter how good you think you are, never forget to stay out of the limelight and behind your team — they deserve the credit.’’

With that he paused and looked at me for a response. I was thinking bright, bold, blunt, behind were only four B’s. Had he forgotten benevolence or some other virtue? Finally, I pointed out that there were four B’s. He asked if I understood them, and I responded that I did. “Good,” he said. “Now get your butt out of my office and go back to work.”

Funny how some messages resonate more than others. I have replayed that conversation hundreds of times when faced with decisions: Focus on the important stuff . . . don’t be afraid to take strong action . . . don’t waste your time on those who seek only to delay . . . enjoy the greatest gift of being a supervisor by reveling in the accomplishments of your team. And, oh yeah, get to work. Thanks, boss.

Considering Ron’s lessons today, I might also add one more B for young people out there — hit the books. We live in a knowledge-based economy. Every new skill attained or educational pursuit completed opens more career opportunities — and in today’s job market, in manufacturing or any other industry, options are important.

— By Steve Dwyer