As we grew older...we acquired a saying..."it is just s dream...it's not real!"
How sad!
I believe we did this as a protective behavior...based on the fear of the "bad" dreams...that poison went on to kill our good ones too!
Dreams are frail creatures! At birth they lived in a very narrow and fragile environment...
Dream-world!
Simply waking up can kill a dream!
As dreams are fostered...like a child...they grow stronger and more independent...
Until they take on a life of their own!
That is how dreams become real!
Making dreams real is simply a matter of time and focused action!
Yet we tend to put our dreams aside...
WHY?
Perhaps because we have no time...
Perhaps we have no energy...
The fact of the matter is...when we lose our dreams we begin to die!
I refuse!
Dreams are the things that great things are built from!
Dreams are the seeds that create a cool and safe forest in which we can abide!
All prose aside...dreams are an essential element of success!
In many ways...dreams are your goals...but they are more than goals!
Goals are (written or verbalized), yet more often than not...they are not visualized!
Dreams contain that single element that differentiates them from something simply said! The PICTURE!
Whether it is in your mind's eye of on a piece of paper...the dream contains an image!
The more often you see the image...the more substance it gains...until you can touch it!
Society has tagged "dreaming" as a bad thing! Dreaming is a BAD THING!...to status quo!
Society will try to destroy anything that challenges its survival!
Dreamers change things!
Society avoids change!
Dare to dream and challenge status quo! Challenge society!
I refuse to allow Society the right to take away my ability to dream! I seldom ever tell anyone what they should do! But in this instance...You should refuse also!
The only path that I know to success and fulfillment starts with dreaming...everything else leaves success and fulfillment up to chance!
Decise what you what...and picture it!
OK...you say...I am not very imaginative...I can't piture things any longer...
Then find pictures of what you are dreaming of...
Paste them on your bathroom mirror and look at them every time you are there!
Put one on the refridgerator...look at it every time you eat!
Build those images!
Focus on those dreams and figure out ways to make them real!
So many lesson's learned from experience...so many things to apply our wisdom to...huh? Sometimes looking back at yesterday is a scary thing...sometimes...it is delightful!
This week has been much more subdued for me (than the prior few)...and I am cleaning up the aftermath from a few crises...the details of them are not important, but the realization that we all have them is!
I was talking with a good friend this week and said...if we are over-worked...we long for boring routine...and if we are bored...we complain about that...WE ARE NEVER HAPPY! As I thought through this...I discovered that this is a symptom of an inward facing perspective...
The more self-centered we become...the more extremes effect us and our attitudes! The more we focus outwardly...the less impact life has on us!
SHIFTING GEARS...KIND OF...
Earlier this month, I attended an executive networking meeting. It had multiple purposes. Among them was the opportunity to "rub shoulders" with some local organizational heads AND the proceeds from it also went to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. You know how I love a WIN/WIN situation...(the genius of the "AND")...
One of the "high-light" was a presentation from an Economist from an investment bank...in it were his projections for the next two years...so an added benefit of the "shoulder rubbing" was a learning opportunity...ANOTHER "AND!!!!" This is getting good!
In his presentation, he described Econometrics as the "Dismal Science." Forecasting the future is always bleak! When he put his assumptions on the table and spelled out reality as he saw what he meant...economists by necessity need to focus on every possible downside...how depressing!
Here is a recap...
...unemployment is significantly worse that is being communicated. If we are honest with ourselves it is in double digits!
...the recent lift housing sales are inflated...it is really a reflection of operational definitions...they are really low!
...the bottom line was that we the economy outlook is really bleak and he projects no recovery in the near future...despite what the optimistic economists are saying...(he calls optimistic economists an oxymoron!)...
Dismal yes...but what an opportunity! HUH?
Another presenter quoted, something said at a lunch meeting, by one of the people in attendance..."I hate wasting a good crisis" or something like that!
If taken literally...it is a sick sentence...
...but the real truth is found not in the specific words (literal translation)...but in the image that it creates in the minds of optimists!
Crisis is the perfect event, from which change can be effectively initiated...
Think about it...in a crisis situation people are searching for stability (boredom...or at least something they can "count on" in uncertain times)...they are open and receptive and work together towards that single goal! It is a basic human need! We are programed to create patterns!
They are will or are at least open to trying anything (within reason) to get to the end! It becomes a "hunger..."
Great leaders have to "vow to lose it all" in order to be heard and followed...
Great leaders have to "mean what they say" and not simply "spout" nice and "feel good" words...
Great leaders must not only "rise to the occasion" by their very nature they are the catalysts of crisis! They have to "WALK THE TALK!" They can not just sit and say..."we need a hole over there"...they must pick-up a shovel and dig! They have to risk getting dirty! AND more often than not...they get the dirtiest! (Here is another "Genius of the and!")
Great leaders depend on their closest confidants for backing and support...they have to trust that their team will come to the rescue...that is a critical component of their initial vow!
How sad when a leader makes that vow...trusting their team and it doesn't happen! You have probably had that happen if not...be careful...it will!
TIME FOR A MENTAL BREAK!
Great message in this song!
I would propose modifying the "crisis" axiom to this..."I never waste the opportunities afforded to me by a good crisis!" or "I never waste what a good crisis can do!"
I like the second one better!
I know that this sounds like a "silver lining" "gag me with a tongue depressor" optimist thing...
Like that..."when life hands you lemons...make lemonade" saying...but let's think about that one...
What if you can't afford sugar?
Then..."When life hands you lemons...you got something to throw!"
All sarcasm aside...there are things to be extracted from crisis...but it isn't always sweeter!
My advice...DO NOT sit in a pity party for too long...unless they are serving "top shelf" liquor!
Look for all of the opportunities that can be extracted from a good crisis...grab them...clean up the mess that is left over...and move on!
From now on...I will never waste what a good crisis can do!
I hope this day dawned for you with an excitement for what is in store!
I know that you set BIG goals for yourself and made them happen! We have learned that success and happiness is in your control. It is a matter of definition,thought (focus) and action...I can say that it is a journey...but I would be misleading you! It is about the end!
Let me put this in a unique (psychological) math equation...
Personal Success = Expectations or Anticipations +/- Actual Results Experienced
When put in this context...we can see that all of the personal success equation is in one's control!
As a result...It is sad when personal success is not commonplace!
When we are not personally successful...we are tempted to blame an external source for failure! Yet let's decompose the equation...
I am not successful...perhaps...
Expectations were too high or unrealistic...
One did not work hard enough or diligently enough...
One did not adjust expectations based upon discoveries...
One did not adjust activity based upon discoveries...
One felt entitled to success...
The list could be huge...but all of them are inward focused and have nothing to do with the outside world's influence...
I am not advocating that you stand absolutely alone and independent of the world and do not take into account (the world's standards) what the world thinks...that in fact truely helps define success and expectations...
The world has its opinion...but it can not judge! It can not rightfully determine value...that is in your court...and is yours alone...unless you abdicate it!
The world does not have the right to control your happiness! It will try to take it away from you...REFUSE to give it up! Take control of success...define success...establish expectations and work diligently to achieve them...
Be REALISTIC...
Enough Said!
I woke today and jumped out of bed...knowing that a VERY unique gift awaited me!
A century cactus is blooming in a pot next to my pool! The reason that it is called a century cactus is that it blooms about once every 100 years...and only under very specific conditions! Moreover, the blooms only open at night and last 1 day! It is a rare event...most would simply miss the event...I have discovered that unique and interesting "rare" events are happening around us continuously...we are often too busy or unaware of them happening! They are gifts that we miss! STOP and notice!
We should all have anxious anticipation for things to come...it is a child-like attribute that we need to protect! All too often, we grow weary or are caloused by life...as a result...waking becomes...just the start of another day!
Success and happiness is in your control!
Do not allow the world to determine if you are a success...
Do I wait for the weekend to share this...or do I post a Weekend Update during the week?
What a cool problem to have!
This weekend I was inspired to "rebuild" my Vision Board!
Life has a way of reminding us of what is important...
...or...sometimes that there are things that are important!
We often get so caught up in the fray and activity of life that we lose sight of the fact that there simply are important things!
By choice (sometimes not!) we end up putting on the brakes and coming to a full stop! That is scary...but oftentimes the only way to come back to reality!
The "STOP" is a time to reflect on the stories of the past and for planning on building the ones of the future!
I seem to always have many forks in my roads! That, I guess, is a good thing! Options and opportunities always seem to abound...even in the darkest times! I am so thankful for that!
I realized that with the changes in our life...my vision board needed some adjustment! At least...it needed to be reviewed and confirmed!
Some pictures had to be removed...that was sad...dreams ended!
New ones added...that was exciting...NEW DREAMS!
Some made more precise...It is exhilarating to see more clearly!
Revising the Vision Board is an event!
What is a "Vision Board?"
A "Vision Board" is a collage of pictures representing your specific dreams and goals! It is the actual picture(s) of the story you are building! It is NOT a mental image...it is REAL and posted some conspicuous place so that, "what you are aspiring for" is always in the forefront of your mind...
I like Vision Boards...they keep me focused on my dreams and they call me to account for my actions relative to what I am aspiring to be! That simple board with 9 pictures micro-manages me!
It begs the question..."Is what I am doing linked to making one of those pictures real?"
If not...then I have to stop and determine if the board is really representative of what I want...or do I need to add or take away a picture...
My board is dynamic...but as time passes...the pictures do not seem to change as often...the only time the board really changes is when the dream is achieved and that chapter of my story is complete!
Do you have a "Vision Board?"
Are you focused on doing the right things?
Only you can answer those questions...
A "Vision Board" seems a bit hokey...but I can tell you that it definitely works!
It is not some "New Age" spiritual activity...it is simply a substantitive commitment to making what you want real!
When you paste what is really important, to you, on a single place...you see that they are more than dreams...they can be achieved...THEY BECOME REAL...and they become your story!
Revisit and revise your vision...share it with those who will help make yours possible and invite them to place their pictures on the board!
Dee shared a really motivational quote with me a while back that I have carried with me throughout this ordeal! I learned an interesting thing about the "things" that we gather and retain...they are indicators of what we believe and cherish...DUH!
But I ask you to think about that...take a quick assessment of the "life axioms" that you have gathered...and the "treasures" that you have amassed...
I said that to someone the other day and they said...I have no "life axioms" and nothing that is really special (treasures) to me..."I stand for nothing...it is safer that way!"
Without belaboring the point...allow me to share this tidbit of life with you...
"I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature." John D. Rockefeller
How cool is that one?
The sad fact of life is that the world (in its entirety) hates a loser! The world itself has been designed around hating losers! Evolution does not reward losers...only winners! It is in the fundamental design of everything...down to the sub-atomic particles! We are designed to win...
We attribute "karma" to some religious group...but the fact of the matter is...it is simply an observation of a fundamental principal...
We have categorized a set of immutable laws to a bucket called "Mother Nature."
We have legitimized many of these observations to sciences...physics...mathematics...and so on...
It is an interesting thing!
It is so funny that a commonly misused axiom is that one "can not beat Mother Nature!"
I was reading about a guy in the mid 1600s who took a bet that he couldn't push an 1 inch diameter, iron ball through his body (below his rib cage and above his navel) and live. The amount of money wagered was huge...and he took the bet...
Weird bet...but go with it for a minute!
He took the ball and used a belt and tightly strapped it on the location....and waited...every few days he put more pressure on the ball...
Low and behold...over time his body gave way to the ball and healed around it.
It was soon internalized!
Then he used rods or something to keep pressure on the ball...
After a little over a year...the ball exited from his back...
The entire ordeal left only 2 small scars...one at the point of entry and the other at the exit...
He collected the money...and lived out his life!
Whether it is totally true or not...it is a good example of how persistence, even with Mother Nature can create a winner!
If he would have tired to do it in an hour...or a day...or a week or even a month...it would have killed him!
Mother Nature is the unforgiving, when one is impatient...
But when one is persistent and knows the limits and tolerances...of "Mother"...it will conform in ways that are unimaginable!
That is the way of Bonsai!
Nature in miniature, doing unnatural things!
I love this discipline!
True Bonsai trees are really no less than a quarter century old...before that...they are in training!
If one tries to make a Bonsai in a week or a month or a year...and bends the branches too quickly, or trims too much of the plant...it will break or die! That is a law of Mother Nature...
But the plant can be taught to do things that no natural tree will do, by applying persistent pressure (within Mother Nature's limits)...and guess what? She conforms...and rewards the persistence with a unique masterpiece!
Our lives are like that! The need for immediate gratification makes us slaves to Mother Nature's rules...VERBATIM!
If we are patient and persistent living within the limits of her rules...she rewards in ways that are unimaginable!
The last piece of this intellectual puzzle is 'karma!" How does karma fit into this scheme?
It is simple...the entire world is governed by cause and effect! There are no random events!
Break a rule and there is recourse!
Breaking the rule is the cause...the recourse is the effect!
Karma is simply the recourse for any action...
Good actions spring from persistence and patience...
Bad actions are spurred by impatience...
Patience and persistence are actions growing from Knowledge and Wisdom...
Impatience is born from selfishness and stupidity!
So those who abide by the rules and stay the course...do not reap the harvest of BAD KARMA!
Although this sounds like a VERY eastern philosophy...it is simply common sense!
If you are impatient...or selfish...you will reap a certain set of rewards!
If you are patient, persistent and stay within the limits...you will reap the rewards!
No deed goes unrewarded!
He who lives by the sword dies by the sword...
I love that...for we are guaranteed that all injustice and selfish decisions will catch-up with the idiots who believe they are immune! No epistemological set of beliefs will protect them! It is a comforting thought...
Many may be upset by this concept...that is a good indicator that there may be something to worry about...
Karma is not a sum total game...ten good acts do not make up for one bad act...
Every action creates an independent string...with its own recourse!
Like the prodigal son...it will return to the one who raised it!
Plant good seeds!
Be constantly aware of what you are doing and its true relation to the laws of Mother...
I miss pondering the possible! It is relaxing and invigorating at the same time! I love the rush!
For those of you who took the time to dine with me this week...THANK YOU! I really appreciate the friendship, support and loyalty! It means more to me than you'll ever know!
I have struggled with keeping "The Updates" alive! At first...almost out of spite...I thought to let them die...then I hungered for them...as if they were a basic need, rather than something of Self-actualization! I person's psychology is an interest thing!
My next statement will make Maslow roll-over in his grave!
I have gotten to a place in my life where "self-actualization" is a basic need! Strange as it may sound...I need that as much as I need food!
So...as a result...you are getting an Update!
I am soon going to be converting them to "blogs." Then you'll get an automatic email telling you of an update! When I get this done...please forward the link to as many people as you know!
The world needs a 21st century philosopher! I have looked in vain for one and have come up empty!
Since I have been handed the role of Socrates...I might as well claim the fame "to boot!!"
Some may argue that over the course of human-kind...everything that needs to be addressed has been pondered!
I am in agreement with that!
21st century philosophy actually is about finding the right application of the concept to the situation...somewhat like situation ethics!
We have the tools at hand to find the right answers and we are morally and ethically (and for some...spiritually) obligated to do so!
That, in and of itself, is an interesting trap that you need to be consciously aware of...
Our legal system already has recognized that and punishes people for not doing so!
They call it...aiding and abetting or complicity to...!
But let's return to the original thought!
If you are in a position where you make a decision that negatively effects others and you do not involve the affected in that decision...you are placing yourself in the position of God...or worse yet...committing blasphemy! There is no valid moral, ethical or spiritual justification for not doing so! I have thought through every variation and possible argument that I could come up with...and only self-serving hedonists have a consistent argument! It is a sad sort (less that human type) that would resort to something like that!
The simple message...NEVER...blindside or surprise someone with a negative situation! Be forthright...open and gather information! It may change and enhance the decision...or better yet...make it a foregone conclusion...which is the real goal for which we strive!!!!!
As Plato states..."we have only one freedom...that being the freedom to do the good!"
Enough said!
Applying what I know to what I need!
I have taken the challenge at hand and the advice of a dear friend…which said…”I can not wait to see what the next level of Phil Reinke creation looks like…” and began creating the next great thing!
It is funny how the basic tools that we teach can be so effective! I have created a project plan…and used “reverse visioning” to isolate the tasks required to bridge the gap from today’s reality to tomorrow’s dream!
Dare to dream my friends! It is a gift that takes us away from this complacent and selfish world! Dreams are not bound by the rules of today! Every dream can contain a “win/win!” There does not have to be winners and losers!
If you do not or cannot dream…STOP and find the reasons why! It is dreams that make champions… It was a dream that created the wheel… It was a dream that took a man to a mountain-top… It was a dream that put men on the moon… It was a dream that brought you together! Do not allow that dream to die! Enough said! Enjoy your day!
I hope that this week has been productive and fulfilling!
I was conversing with a person a few days ago about target shooting and the discipline required to be consistently accurate...
This past weekend I "surfed" across and stopped at, a television show about "Marksmen." It had the best shooters in the world, doing seemingly impossible shots! One shot in particular was made by an archery expert...who hit a bull's eye after ricocheting the arrow off of 4 walls! It was amazing...even though I know that the shot was made after numerous takes! This guy also hit a falling drop of water at 40 feet!
During an interview with one of the marksmen...he said that "the longbow is like sail planing is to aviation!" It is a purest sport!
That got me thinking!
If The longbow is like sail planing...then
...a spear is like hang gliding...and... ...throwing a rock is like jumping off a cliff!
We could take that in the other direction also!
...A crossbow or a compound bow is like a motor driven plane... ...A pistol or rifle is like a jet... AND so on!
It is funny how all analogies can be built upon and how inter-connected everything really is!
Let's shift gears for a moment and go back in time!
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance! a book by Robert Pirsig...about a cross-country motorcycle trip, during which the maintenance of the motorcycle becomes an illustration of how we can unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. As in Zen, the trick is to become one with the activity, to engage in it fully, to see and appreciate all details--be it hiking in the woods, penning an essay, or tightening the chain on a motorcycle. It concludes that the true appreciation of any aspect of life comes from becoming fully connected with it!
It became VERY popular in the mid-1970's and then fell into a bit of obscurity...as the population became a self centered and lost the global appreciation and perspective. Although an easy read...it touched upon many philosophical subjects such as epistemology and the philosophy of science!
On a superficial level...it stressed the importance of connecting with an activity! On deeper levels it showed how much we miss!
This is a lesson that we all need to be reminded of!
We often (as a mode of self protection) remain detached from our activities...that is a sad state, that leaves us feeling empty after the conclusion of what we are challenged to do!
Finding ways to connect with the activity is a talent! Learning to "seize the moment" (remember "carpediem?") is the magic that separates truly successful people from those who muddle through life!
How connected are you with your activities?
Have you deluded yourself into believing that "this is just a job...It just funds what I really am..."
It is not true! It is you!
If you have done that...you are keeping yourself from enjoying a major portion of your life...
An interesting point is that you do not have to be seeking out the perfect job...and will be happy when you land it...you should be finding the perfection within what you are doing, NOW!
Buckingham was so right!
What if it was revealed to you that what you did while you were waiting for that opportunity was what you were supposed to be doing...and you missed the gift? How sad!
The message is...
SEIZE THE MOMENT!
CONNECT WITH PASSION!
This will separate you from the masses!
You will be unique among the majority of the population who is waiting for that big break!
Your opportunity is in your hands! You have achieved it! Take it and make something of it!
Tomorrow's opportunity may never make an appearance! Today may be all you have!
I hope that you have had an eventful week! Mine sure was!
Let's think about "events" for a moment...
1. They are planned 2. They are coordinated 3. The best ones are controlled and adapted to the unforeseen situations 4. They are assessed in retrospect for future reference
In conclusion (a brief one at that) they are made...not simply experienced!
If one desires an eventful week...they must take control and make it eventful!
That is totally controlled by RIGOR!
Rigor is the "secret incantation" of organizational acceptance and support!
It is the full recipe of success!
If one trys to hurry the recipe...one loses the benefits!
It is like baking a cake before all of the components have been properly added and blended!
It is also dependent upon action! I cake can not be created by watching...a baker makes a cake!
If one simply waits...they are waiting for a something that will NEVER happen! They have given in to the world of randomness...and that world is evil and depressing!
Take matters into your own hands and MAKE IT HAPPEN! Most of the world is too self centered and distracted to care about you and what you want!
I could fill this "blog" with cliches about this very subject...but those terse idioms are seldom fully grasped!
Shifting Gears!
I am probably one of the strongest proponents of discipline and rigor! Structure is an individual's friend! It can be counted upon! The more structured one is the more predictable the results!
Running concurrently...when structure and discipline are required of me...I am the greatest challenger! Some of this reaction comes from experience...(I know that this doesn't really add value!)...some of it comes from impatience...(I want to get moving on to the things that do matter!)
Whatever is driving my reactions...I step back and find that this is not about my needs, but the needs of others around me!
Security
One of the most basic needs of an individual is security! (Remember Maslov?)
Routine can be counted upon! Our ancestors learned that if they slept around a fire...when they woke up in the morning...a greater number of the tribal members remained...(Pre-fire days...the missing ones having been snatched up by some nocturnal predator!) Fires gave them security...and they made building and maintaining a fire a routine!
We do the same thing! We have our habits and rituals! They are things that we draw a causal connection upon...whether it is true or not!
It is a primal condition! We can not fight it!
Never Ending Loops!
The past few weeks...I have found myself in a seemingly never-ending series of interviews! I have often caught myself thinking "hire me" and let's get this show on the road! Not a good place to put anyone in...AND I am glad that I never verbalized this...because in that situation the decision-maker, by necessity must choose the "lesser of the two evils," which would be not to take the chance!
There is only one correct course in this situation...follow the rigor, until they are confident enough of their own decision! There will be an end to the struggle!
enough said!
Recap
There is a time and a place for everything! The real discernment is when to stop the insanity! It is not about the effected, but the "effect-or!" Habits and routine take time!
Decision making for those who lack previous experience is a slow and arduous journey...people do not like to be wrong...in the caveman times...being wrong meant death! In a way, we have not forgotten that lesson!
For us however...we need to be sensitive to this conglomerate of situations and behaviors. When we are in the role of "Effect-or" we need to minimize the risk and the amount of time required to minimize the risk!
Let me say that I am proud to know you as individual friends and as a Team! I would like to believe that the team will always be together…Even if it is simply for drinks and a celebration of life!
This time though…you have to buy! LOL!
At one time…I envisioned seeing this…I hope to see it some place!!!
I hope that during the video…you put your hands up…for me!
It doesn’t get much better Klassical music and Canye! (Whoops I switched the consonants!)
Circle of Rebirth
Some very good friends and guides took me beyond the superficial message and taught me the REAL lessons of the phoenix…the mythical bird that rose from the fires…utter destruction and failure…
I also learned long ago that in order to enter a new world…a new dimension…one must die and be reborn! I am treating this as a rebirth! Remember that people do not oppose change…they fear loss!
Look again at the tesseract…it may take on a new meaning…perhaps shadows are closer to reality than the substance that we hold to…
But it is that single fear that detracts us from a chance to rise to a new level of existence!
Wait to you see what comes from this transition!
No baggage!
Lessons learned!
Exit Strategies!
I could go on for a long time! But I can say with all confidence that I have taken the high road! For that reason…It does never hurts!
I will not miss the discipline of Lessons Learned!
More to come for me!
...AND YOU!
Enough Said! Except for the words of this song…
It’s the journey!
That’s what it is all about!
This is the last update in this form…so your lives will become more normal too! (NORMAL? I never liked NORMAL!)
I shared some of my deepest thoughts and insights with you! I made a game of them for your entertainment…making the pill easier to swallow!
I hope that my thoughts changed you a bit…or made you understand yourself a bit more! Or made you laugh!
Think back! There is a forest worth of seeds planted…they simply need to be cultivated, watered fertilized and pruned! There is an entire world waiting to grow…an Eden!
Much Needed Rest!
There are times that one gets running so fast and furious that they forget to take a moment to rest! This is a time for rest and reprioritization! I worked hard to ensure that we would never be in a position to fail! I paid a price…but it was worth it! Look at what you have!
Someone said to me that I leave “bread crumbs!”
I drew lines…I left loaves! Bread crumbs are small and easily missed! That was for later in our deployment! The substance of what was pulled together in this short period of time will provide many years of work for you! By then I hope that you will be able to see what is next! The “form” of what can be is still way out there! I stood among those forms and they are good, true and beautiful!
A problem with having seen them is that it spurs more furious and focused efforts! Some times being blind is a good thing…because you reside in a perceived bliss and are not motivated to run faster! That is a decision!
Be careful and watch each others’ steps and your backs…the machine was designed to do this…it is like a precision dress watch! Something as basic as a drop of water can wreck havoc on it! I am not there to ensure that you remain focused and keep you ticking!
Recap…
Never run headlong into the dark…there could be surprised that a wall or a cliff is just beyond your ability to see!
Be smart…Sitzen Denken!
Ponder the possibilities before action…the unidentified possibility is often the demon. They hide by their very nature!
Of all of the coaching opportunities that I was given and of all of the messages that I tried to convey…this is the real madness behind all of my messages! If you have learned one thing from me…I hope it is this…and it can not be said any better than from the clip from one of my favorite movies!
I had a chance to test the single most important lesson that I teach…I wonder if you would pass “the test?”
I sought to assemble a team of world class players…a machine that could not be stopped…one that I could implicitly depend upon…when things got tough…I knew they had my back…and would be with me wherever we were!
Did I succeed?
A shopping trip to remember…
Out of necessity, I did the unthinkable! I went shopping! It was grocery shopping or I had to stop eating…so I “sucked it up” and visited a store that my family often uses!
I found a cart and proceeded to walk the aisles quickly and systematically grabbing what I needed…the faster I get out of here…the better!
In my rush…I made a wrong turn and found myself in a “grungy” back corner…of the store…I felt kind of stupid for wandering there…”this was a waste!” I thought.
Then I heard a commotion, nearby, and looked in its direction. Coming from an open door, of what appeared to be the store manager’s office were voices. I overheard an older employee defending his actions…a meager attempt to help a customer…the manager cut him short and said…”if we do that for all of our customers…do you know what that will cost us?” “That was her problem…not ours!”
I was not the only one hearing this ado! Outside of the office stood a small army of people…Who,
I believe were also eavesdropping on the conversation and were quietly editorializing the situation…they sounded like sports commentators!
I gathered that these people either worked for or with, this person…and “came” to be supportive…but in truth I saw no supportive behavior at all! Just hollow words of pumped up people!
My interest peaked…I peered around the corner and recognized the face of the guy sitting at attention…his picture was on the front/inside wall…3 times! On plaques…Proclaiming him “EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH”
I also recognized 4 of the people in the “mob.” They too, had the honor of being selected as “Employees of the month!” Gather together in close proximity…5 of the best people within this organization!
They knew and could recognize good performance…they were abhorred by the treatment that this guy was being given and if “they had half a mind” would walk in there and tell the boss a thing of two…
YET NOONE DID!
We should go and see the boss’ boss…but NOONE DID!
I guess not one of them had half a mind! Each had some kind of an excuse!
How sad…in the short time that I was there…he got fired…”let go”…he was “too much of a liability…”
Here is what I determined brought this all about. An elderly lady, of very meager means, came into the store and did her monthly shopping. As she was leaving, her cart spilled and a case of eggs and a few bottles broke. This employee was just arriving for his shift ( as usual, ½ hour early…so he could walk the furthest reaches of the parking lot and gather the carts…to help the people whose real job it is to collect carts). As he was doing that, he saw the incident. He knew this lady…she was a regular…and also knew that she would not have those things to eat until she received her next social security check. He helped her pick everything up and loaded her car.
Then he took inventory of everything that was damaged and replaced it…no charge…
He could not afford to pay for the items…but he offered to do so by working overtime to making up the difference…
“OVERTIME!?!?!?!!!” “That was out of the question…we do not do overtime!”
OH Yes…Because he was helping this lady…he punched in 12 minutes late… AND he got fired…for all of this…
”I run a tight ship!” I heard the manager proudly proclaim…”I will not have someone like you hurt my reputation…”
The discussion was quickly coming to a close…and the mob quickly scurried in different directions…many of the people mumbled under their breath that “if they didn’t have a paycheck to worry about…”
Excuses…excuses…for not doing the right thing…
What would stop a person from doing the right thing?
If one is truly committed to REAL Leadership…they have stand without compromise…
How deep does one’s commitment to, “what is right” go?
I am committed to the team they say…
I am committed to my leader they say…
I am a strict adherent of Customer orientation they say…
Their words are no more substantial than those of a mime!
Wait? Mimes don’t talk…do they?
Right! The values of their words were as if they had said nothing…
And…their actions? That is what a mime is known for….right?
Entertaining for a moment…but like any mime…a painted face…and…then they get obnoxious!
Nothing more! (I guess I have a right to criticize the art of pantomime! My cousin is a professional mime!)
I see that people only commit to the point that it serves them…if there is a risk for them…NO WAY! (I have only one or two examples that are the opposite, in my entire career)
I tarried…as much as I hate shopping…I stood there sickened…at the manager’s ineptitude (door open and his plain stupidity) and for the most of all…because his “loyal” mob did nothing!
I could not walk away and let that manager think he was right…or justified…why allow him to continue to delude himself…
The guy walked out of the office…physically shaken…I stopped him and told him to sit in a chair just outside of the office (he complied) and I went in…
I sat down in the chair that was; just a few seconds before…the chair of a victim!
Without looking up…the manager started to talk…”I made my decision…” then he looked up…startled…changed his entire demeanor!
“Can I help you?” he asked me…in a sickeningly sweet tone…that I now knew was a total façade! I told him that I overheard the discussion and termination of this employee…and had to give my opinion…his face hardened…and his temperament followed…
He told me that it was “none of my business…and…
” I immediately interrupted him…“IT IS MY BUSINESS”…I responded! “I am a regular customer of this establishment”…”part of what I spend here…goes into your and this employee’s pay”…”so IT IS AS MUCH “MY BUSINESS” AS IT WAS HIS”…”please drop that hard-ass” “I have a business to run” attitude…and listen to me!”
Without stopping and going into the details…I explained that he broke many of the cardinal rules of organizational management…
Open door during a discipline interview…UNHEARD OF!
Firing someone for Customer Service…If it wasn’t so sick and demented…
And on and on!
I felt the need to vindicate the wronged employee…but I kept it to the facts…
I was livid but I kept it in check!
I told him that from my perspective…he needed to reconsider…I stopped short of saying that I was going to stop patronizing…
Threats, at this point, would serve no purpose!
I also stopped short of a “world-wide boycott of his store” and writing letters to the corporate office and the chamber of commerce and better business bureau…but man…I felt like it!
When facts are on your side...you do not have to do stupid or risky things things...or...
Things you do not want to do!
It was simply..."here are the facts..." not..."here are the facts and here is what I am going to do..."
That word "and" sure can get a person into trouble!
Discipline, more often than not, is about what not doing something than it is about doing it!
I regress...but hey! LOL!
My logic and controlled demeanor (discipline) seemed to break through…he said "I (You're) was right…but it was too late…the guy left…"
I said "No it wasn’t"…and a simply said (without raising my voice in the least)…come back in here…
The wronged employee did…I couldn’t help but notice him trying to cover a smile…and the manager immediately apologized to the employee!
I was shocked!
He explained that my “coming in” and willingness to give it all up…changed his perspective…and helped him see it from a broader and more accurate view!
Then he asked the ex-employee if he was willing to still work here…because he really didn’t want to fire him…now…
The employee smiled and said yes…
I left them and went back to my shopping…
I was pumped!!!!! So I just walked it off…
As I walked around I thought about how much easier my encounter would have been if that small army would have walked in that office and presented their perspective. That was an insane situation!
Sanity is defined as the perspective of the majority...If a number of people present a perspective...then the individual perspective is called into question...
When it is one against another, the loser is automatically the one having less power!
If they would have gone in...I would have had to do nothing...he wuldn't have gotten fired!
That is water under the bridge! I hope that they learn that someday!
Finally…I was calm enough to finish my shopping trip and made my way to the front…
As I checked out…there was a buzz at the front of the store and the employees, who were present in the mob, were now working like mindless ants in the front of the store. Then one of them noticed me, tapped another one and ever so slightly nodded in my direction…soon most of them were pensively pointing at me and whispering something to each other!
It was rather unnerving…but I knew what it was all about!
I was the guy who stood up for the “cart checker guy!”
I quietly paid what I owed…loaded my cart…and headed out!
One of the ladies who had her picture on the wall, caught up to me…and grabbed the cart from me…
She said that she wanted to help…I knew she wanted to talk…
As we walked…she thanked me for doing what she didn’t have the “guts” to do!
I tried to humbly tell her that “she was welcome,” but she would not let me talk…
Without taking a breath…she went on to say that…”you know what I learned?”
Before I could answer…she said…
“Every time told him…you’re the best”…” or “I am totally behind you” or “I’ll go anywhere you go” …I LIED to him!
When it was time for me to step up…I failed!
I let him down…and more importantly…I let myself down…and you know…
“I am a Christian,” she said…”I let God down…”
I need to apologize to them both!
I finally got a word in…”I don’t know about God…but, here’s your chance to apologize to His child…”
As we approached the exit…I had seen that the “fired and rehired” employee was back at his station…checking carts!
Our eyes caught…he smiled and winked!
…And my escort stopped and begged his forgiveness…leaving me to push my own cart out to the car…
He listened to her…but he checked my cart while he listened…he had his priorities right! At least from my perspective LOL!
I left them hugging! Hers was heartfelt…He seemed a bit uncomfortable!
Sounds like a cool fairy tale and every one lived happily ever after!
Who knows?
I shuttered at the parallel world that I just left! It was way too close to my heart!
What I do know…I had a chance to be an advocate…to test and put meaning behind what I stood for…to be that guy’s hero…and I stepped up…and did something…
BIG DEAL!
When it is about a person…the team…or a customer…or a leader…
When it is about “what is right…”
There are no costs too high!
It is and it isn't a BIG DEAL!
It is just what should be done!
That is just who I am…
I learned long ago that this is the final test of a MBB…until you have proven that…you are not a MBB…
Until you have tested and proven that aspect of your character…you are nothing more than a fly-by night, MBB, correspondence course graduate…
I refuse to certify any MBB until they have proven that they are capable of that kind of passion and leadership!
Have you learned the real lesson that I have been trying to teach you?
It is the lesson of character…
I think that lady grasped it! I just do not know if she’ll be capable of stepping up the next time the opportunity is afforded!
One is not a real leader until you have the “guts” to act in defense of “what is right.” When that behavior is an automatic part of your nature…
Until then…you are a “wanna-be”…a mime!
Let me challenge you…Is “standing up for what is right,” part of you…or are you one of those obnoxious mimes?
Have you recently, had an opportunity to stand your ground…for a coworker…or for the sake of a customer…or the team…or your leader?
What did you do?
Did you say…It is not my fight?
Or did you take action?
What do you claim to be?
Are you consistent through and through?
If you mouthed the words and did not act…you are a hypocrite…a liar!
You have not found the real lesson of character and passion!
What makes me sad is how deafening the silence of mimes are…
They stand and make the movements…but it is for entertainment purposes only… …in the end…they are painted, hollow and obnoxious!
It is a noise that I hate!
Do not tell me that you are a team player or a friend…if you haven’t stepped out and took a stand for what was right!
What makes me pround that I know you know and can teach, this important lesson...
