The Power of Consistent Learning for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals

Many professionals in maintenance and reliability already know that staying current is critical. Yet, beyond formal training, the most powerful catalyst for growth is simply reading.

In 1966, former teacher Margaret McNamara brought a bag of used books to four boys in Washington, D.C., who she tutored in reading. She let them pick a book to keep, and their delight revealed that most of their classmates had never owned a book. By that summer, Mrs. McNamara had assembled a volunteer team, and on November 3, 1966, they launched the book‑distribution program that became Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). The U.S. Congress created the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program (IBDP) in 1975, providing federal matching funds to sites that qualify for RIF’s national book program. Today, through its contract with the U.S. Department of Education and private funding, RIF operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and even partners in Argentina and the United Kingdom.

So why am I writing about RIF in Reliable Plant, a maintenance and reliability magazine? Because reading is truly fundamental to success in our field.

Many assume that continual learning requires attending formal courses, seminars, or conferences. While those events are valuable, they often miss the insights gained from reading. Over the past 15 years, I have made it a habit to read at least one business‑related book each month—alternating between technical texts on maintenance and reliability and lighter titles that sharpen people skills. This simple routine has kept my appetite for knowledge growing and has driven tangible improvements in my career.

Getting started is easy. Below are practical ways to discover business‑related books:

1. Soundview publishes executive summaries of two to four business books each month. The summaries, about 6–8 pages long, can be read in roughly 10 minutes and give a high‑level overview of the key points. Use them to pre‑screen titles. See summary.com for more details.
2. Read monthly maintenance and reliability periodicals like Reliable Plant. I browse several of these each month, and you should, too.
3. The Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) website offers hundreds of recommended books organized by its five Body of Knowledge pillars: people skills, business management, manufacturing process, equipment reliability, and work management. Explore the list at smrp.org.
4. Join or start a book club with colleagues. I belong to an informal club where we share recommendations. Currently, I have about ten books lined up.

Start today and experience the steady growth that comes from simple, ongoing learning.

Tim Goshert is the worldwide reliability and maintenance manager for Cargill, one of the world’s largest food and agricultural processing companies (more than 1,000 facilities worldwide). He leads the company’s global reliability and maintenance initiatives and chairs the Worldwide Reliability and Maintenance Steering Committee. Tim is an active SMRP board member.