What I Want the Next Generation of In-plant Leaders to Know

In the in-plant world, many of the leaders I’ve worked alongside for decades are now retiring – or, sadly, passing away. As I reflect on nearly 45 years in printing and more than two decades directing a university in-plant, I feel a growing responsibility to pass on what was given to me: practical wisdom earned through mistakes, successes, long days, and a deep gratitude that comes with serving a mission bigger than yourself. I recognize this feeling as something I’ve seen before – in those same leaders who are now stepping away or are no longer with us.

If you are a new or emerging in-plant manager, here are some thoughts I believe will help you as you build an effective, resilient, and respected operation.

1. Build a team of 3’s

Your operation will succeed or fail on the quality of your team. In any shop, you will have:

• 1’s – Employees who consistently underperform
• 2’s – Employees who meet expectations
• 3’s – Employees who exceed expectations

A thriving in-plant requires 95% 3’s. That means:

• Hire the 3’s whenever you can
• Invest in the 2’s. Many simply need coaching, clarity, or confidence
• Release the 1’s. Your team - and your credibility - will suffer if you avoid hard decisions.

Your in-plant cannot outperform the people who run it.

2. Don’t just join professional associations. Participate.

IPMA, ACUP, and similar organizations are lifelines to us. But they only work if you give more than you take. The most value will come when you:

• Volunteer
• Serve on committees
• Take on leadership roles

It is critical that you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues from other institutions. Passive membership yields passive results. If you want to fail as a leader, do nothing with your association memberships. If you want to grow, get involved.

3. Secure the right of first refusal – and defend it.

Without the right of first refusal, you will face a difficult journey to becoming an effective auxiliary service.  If your organization values your expertise, they will send all print and mail work through you. When you have the right of first refusal, your organization is poised to realize the fullest potential of the in-plant and enjoy the best outcomes. Outcomes such as:

• Quality
• Turnaround times
• Reliable, accurate data for decision making
• Total focus on the business needs of the parent organization
• Intimate knowledge of the needs of internal clients
• Confidentiality
• Cost control
• Consistency of content and graphic identity

If leadership bypasses you, it is a clear signal they do not fully embrace the in-house business model.

4. Learn to love meetings. Seriously.

Meetings are where visibility, relationships, trust, and influence are built. If you hide in your shop for 40 hours a week, your department will be forgotten. Show up everywhere:

• Committees
• Task forces
• Traditional annual initiatives and gatherings
• Event support groups

Get your hands dirty. Be present. Be helpful. Be known.

5. Hold on loosely

Borrow some wisdom from that 1970s rock band 38 Special:

Hold on loosely, but don’t let go. If you cling too tightly, you're gonna lose control.

Thick skin is essential. If your great idea or proposal gets shut down, don’t pout. Don’t retreat. Don’t let pride derail your leadership. Let the idea go, and stay in the game.

6. Become an idea engine.

In-plants that thrive are led by people who think creatively and solve problems daily. If creativity doesn’t come naturally to you, work at it:

• Read broadly
• Ask questions
• Challenge assumptions
• Brainstorm with your team
• Study what other in-plants are doing

And while you’re doing these things, keep learning; meet with vendors, try new technologies, experiment with unfamiliar processes, read, stay curious. A leader who keeps learning leads a shop that keeps improving.

Someone once said that innovation is not optional. It’s oxygen. I agree.

7. Track everything – and share it wisely.

Data is your credibility. If it can be tracked, track it. Record:

• Volumes
• Revenues and expenses
• Awards and successes
• Employee performance
• Uptime
• Downtime
• Savings
• Outsourcing decisions
• Customer satisfaction

Share polished, concise summaries with your supervisor – especially in your monthly one-to-one meetings. Frame the data truthfully, but in a constructive, forward-looking way. Leaders don’t need more problems; they need clarity.

8. Stand with one foot in the present and one in the future.

Do today’s work with excellence, but stay mindful of legacy:

• You’re building on the work of those who came before you.
• You’re preparing the path for those who will follow.

Honor both.

9. Take care of your body.

This work requires stamina. Eat well. Move often. Be grateful for your health. A strong, clear mind and a healthy body make every other leadership task easier.

10. Do the jobs nobody wants, and keep learning as you go.

Let your team see you:

• Emptying trash
• Vacuuming
• Cleaning bathrooms
• Stuffing mailings
• Making difficult customer calls

Nothing builds trust more than demonstrating that no task is beneath you.

Final Thought: Your Work Matters More Than You Think

Take some pride in your career. Printing has shaped the world – from the spread of scripture and scholarship to the birth of democracy, the sharing of scientific knowledge, the preservation of culture, and the communication of ideas that have changed civilizations. Printing has sparked revolutions, educated generations, and connected communities. It remains one of the most powerful tools human beings have ever created for sharing truth, beauty, and meaning.

And that legacy continues with us.

Every brochure, banner, and booklet, every mailing and magazine, everything you produce carries forward the mission of your institution. You amplify voices, support learning, protect brand integrity, and help your organization tell its story with clarity and excellence. When your organization prospers, it was your team that helped make that success possible.

To the next generation of printers:
You are part of an extraordinary history. Carry this work forward with your peers. Carry it with humility, creativity, perspective, determination, and pride.

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” — Henry David Thoreau