All Hat, No Rattle Gun
How to Lead a Mining Maintenance Crew When You’ve Never Swung a Spanner
So… you’ve just been handed the keys to a mining maintenance crew. Congratulations! Or maybe… condolences?
You don’t know the difference between a final drive and a fridge magnet, but now you're expected to lead a team of seasoned fitters, boilermakers, and field service techs who seem to speak exclusively in grunts, grease, and grumpy banter.
You, my friend, are officially “all hat, no rattle gun.” And you’re not alone.
🛠️ Welcome to the Workshop, Boss
Leadership in mining mobile maintenance is no walk in the park — even if you do know your way around a CAT. But for those of us who didn’t grow up under a machine or inside a field service ute, it can feel like being dropped into a foreign country where everyone else already speaks the language.
The good news? You don’t need to be the smartest person in the bay. You just need to be the clearest, most accountable, and most human.
🔑 Here's What Really Matters:
1. Own What You Don’t Know
Your crew will sniff out BS faster than a busted seal on a hydraulic line. Don’t pretend to know what a swing motor does if you don’t. Ask questions. Show curiosity. Most tradies don’t expect you to turn a spanner — they just want to know you’ve got their back.
2. Respect Their Craft
These people keep multi-million dollar machines alive in some of the harshest conditions on earth. That’s not just skilled work — it’s critical work. Recognise that. Celebrate it. And for the love of grease guns, don’t micromanage it.
3. Speak Their Language (Eventually)
No, you don’t need to become a diesel whisperer. But it pays to learn the basics: what the components are, what jobs take time, what common breakdowns mean. Not to do the job, but to understand the effort behind it.
4. Lead With Clarity, Not Complexity
Your team doesn’t need more meetings or management buzzwords. They need clear priorities, no surprises, and straight answers. Set expectations, follow through, and protect their time like it's your own.
5. Don’t Hide in the Office
You don’t have to live in the pit, but don’t vanish into your air-conditioned cave either. Be visible. Be present. Walk through the workshop, ask how the job’s going, shout someone a coffee. Trust is built in the small stuff.
💬 Final Thought: The Best Leaders Don’t Pretend — They Partner
Being "all hat, no rattle gun" isn’t a weakness. It’s just a reminder that your value isn’t in knowing everything — it’s in bringing people together to do their best work.
So if you're feeling like an outsider in steel-cap boots, chin up. With a bit of humility, a good sense of humour, and a willingness to learn, you’ll go from “What’s that?” to “How can I help?” faster than you think.
🚧 Struggling with constant downtime?
Whether it’s breakdowns, backlogs, or just trying to get your team humming — reach out to see if we can help. We work with leaders just like you to keep machines moving and crews on track.
📩 admin@nlcengineering.com.au or give us a call 08 9091 8109 — even if you don’t speak spanner.