Tag: Global HR

A Good Walk !!

My wife, Debbie, and I recently had an extended visitor at our house. It was our daughter’s sheepdoodle, Wags. We love our granddog, and it’s a joy when he excitedly romps around our house. We had him for a week before, but he needed to visit for a bit longer this time. So, we had him for three full weeks !!

Some people enter the phase of their lives as empty nesters with trepidation and hesitancy. That was not us. We deeply love our kids (adults). We love that they’ve taken flight and found new homes and cities to live in. We continue to be a very close-knit family regardless of space and time zones. As an empty nester, you get used to living with just you two in the house. There was a small adjustment at first, but then we easily adapted to our new norm.

We’ve had cats in the past as additional roommates. They were both wonderful and with us for years. We tried an experiment with a rescue dog before our daughter was born 32 years ago. It didn’t go well. He was a fantastic dog, but he needed constant companionship and attention. We both worked, so it wasn’t ideal for him. We found him a home through a rescue shelter on a massive farm where he could run for days. We’re sure he had a full life being a farm dog !!

Back to today . . .

Wags is the ultimate companion. He loves being with you and being active. Debbie gets to spend time with him since her retirement, and when I get home from work, he jumps to attention, waiting to go on an extended walk or play for hours at a time. I decided to do my best to walk him twice daily for at least 30 minutes at a time. During his visit, nature decided to throw a mix of massive cold, wind, and rain at us. I was undaunted. He needed to walk.

So, I did something I had “threatened” to do for years . . . exercise. I set my alarm for a very early wake-up call, rolled out of bed, walked over Wags, and got dressed. I slowly made it downstairs, put on layers of jackets and a headlamp, and out the door we trekked. The cold morning air snapped me awake whether I wanted to be or not. After about a block, I felt ready to head into the darkness to make sure we had a good dose of exercise.

On the weekends, I could get him out to a local park with a trail that loops around a lake. It’s over 1 1/2 miles on the regular loop, and he relished the chance to take it on. New smells. New sights. New people to encounter. He was full of excitement for every step. I loved seeing our shadows together as my companion pulled me with eagerness around the trail.

As our extended visit was drawing to a close, I had a choice. Did I keep walking without the dog ?? I was now in a pattern of walking over 4 miles a day, and I felt better than I had in years. I breathed easier, and a few pounds may have evaporated. I decided to keep walking !!

Since then, I’ve been getting up early, stumbling down the stairs, donning my headlamp, and heading out. At times, I turn on music through my Shokz headphones, and other days, I just take in the sounds of the birds. I have been able to see and enjoy the sunrise every day, which I have missed for decades. It has been wonderful. This past week, I went to a conference and walked each morning with one of my friends who was also attending. When I returned from that, Debbie decided to join me too !!

What had been a necessity for Wags to burn off energy and do his business, now became a needed habit for my well-being. I’m going to do my best to stick with it because I’m more alert, patient, and excited to face the day ahead. I don’t want that to wane. I could fill a book with excuses for why I should have exercised, and I’m sure many reading this could as well. I could also let you know that life is too full and busy with activities that are far more “important” and deserve my time and attention.

Here’s a dose of reality. (This is not new, by the way. People have been extolling the virtues of exercise for centuries.) When I’m healthier, I’m better. At home, as a husband, as a friend, as a co-worker, and as a human. I can perform better because I’m in a better place.

I’d encourage you to see what your daily pattern is like. Is it too full ?? Do you have 30 minutes you could allocate to something else ?? Would you like to feel better each day ??

I suggest this. Have a good walk.

Ask For Help

You may not know this, but one of the outreaches I facilitate is an HR newsletter and forum called the HR Net. It goes out to over 14,000+ people globally each week. I write an intro called – “A Note from Steve . . .” This past week’s note felt like it needed to be posted to my blog and other platforms. It really struck me, and the response was overwhelming. So, I’m posting it here – give it a read.

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You have all been so kind to allow me to send you this newsletter. I am starting this one out a bit differently.

I love sharing stories and experiences, and how I see HR woven in most things like an invisible tapestry. This is another story that’s a bit more personal than usual.

Quick HR disclaimer: Everything is good. You’ll understand when you read on. Just want to reassure you before jumping in.

This past week has been overwhelming in a way that has rarely happened to me. It started with a handful of big surprises that were work-related. Things that stopped the work that was being done so they could be addressed. I was fortunate to be involved, but these were all out of the normal uncertainty you face in HR. Draining, stressful, emotional. All moving forward, but it was like multiple trains hitting at once.

Add in the normal commitments I have – Chairing a non-profit board, teaching a small group at my church, DisruptHR Cincinnati, and co-hosting an over-50s group with my wife for our monthly social get together (all of them wonderful).

Then, on Friday, I learned that my best friend is having significant surgery on Saturday. He checked in to inform me and ask for prayer. A 10-hour procedure. I adore him, and we are like family. On Saturday, my 87-year-old mother, who lives out of town, called to tell me she may have lost sight in her left eye. She called to inform and reassure me. Reassure me !! She was good and had support from friends and family. I felt like I was being pulled in 1,000 different emotional directions. Then, I get a text from our daughter asking if my wife and I can get to her in Indy that day. This wasn’t usual for her to reach out so urgently. We dropped everything and got in the car. When we connected, we listened to her, assessed options, and connected her with the resources she needed. My wife stayed with her, and I returned home with her dog. On Sunday night, I became ill, and it’s just shaking off now as I type.

I’m not sharing this as some truth or dare example of – Can you believe I’m facing all of this ?? No, life is full of ebbs and flows, joys and trials. I just hadn’t had everything hit like this in such a short period of time, so I did something I rarely do – I asked for help.

You see, I’ve tried to live my life as one who gives help whenever asked and with little hesitation. I’ve always known that I was wired to be available for others. I’m just not as open to asking for help myself. I’m embarrassed by that. It’s a mix of self-assurance, confidence, and the thought that I can weather any storm. That’s arrogant. That’s just me. However, I also think as HR pros we are constantly in roles where we lend help to others – but won’t ask for it ourselves. It’s not healthy or sustainable.

I know that my story and series of circumstances that have hit are not unique or greater than or lesser than what every person faces in some form or fashion daily. What I have learned, though, is that reaching out, being vulnerable, and candid only did this . . . Friends, co-workers, and family instantly stepped in to offer whatever was needed without question. Some help came in the form of hugs, tears, check-ins, notes of encouragement, and prayer. It was as overwhelming as the past week.

I always share about how we are better together (which is true !!) – with one addition. You have to be willing to ask for help when it’s needed because THAT brings us together. Don’t go through life alone. You don’t have to. Reach out. Make the ask.

What, Me Worry ??

This Valentine’s Day weekend, my wife joined me on a quest that was bent far more toward my interests than hers. There’s currently a special art exhibition showing at the Cincinnati Art Museum that completely captured my childhood and teenage years. It’s a full history of the art of the incomparable MAD Magazine !!

As a child of the 1970s and 1980s, I don’t know that I missed an issue of this phenomenal publication. It was filled with intricate illustrations, endless satire, and opened my eyes to world issues without me even knowing it. I loved diving into the parodies of popular movies and television shows. I also learned more about the national and global political landscape than I ever did watching the evening news with my parents. You may not remember a time before cell phones and social media, but I lived through it (and survived !!) We found our entertainment through publications like MAD Magazine.

I have to thank Debbie, who willingly went through panel after panel of examples of cartoons with me. The smile on my face couldn’t be erased, and I laughed out loud at several of the displays, reading them as I did as a teenager. There were multiple examples of the genius of artists Al Jaffee, Don Martin, Mort Drucker, Sergio Argonés, and Norman Mingo. Those names may mean little to many people, but they brought the magazine to life !! I fondly remember trying to replicate the drawings of Don Martin, specifically. I loved his style and still doodle long-faced characters as he created.

The iconic staple of almost every issue of MAD Magazine was the ever-present gap-toothed mascot, Alfred E. Neuman. His tag line was, “What, Me Worry?” It encapsulated the whole vibe of this somewhat irreverent monthly. Regardless of what was happening in this ever-turbulent world of ours, Alfred never seemed to be concerned. His countenance didn’t change, and his simple, non-descript feeling of contentment always grabbed my attention. He was consistent and unflappable, even when everything else seemed to be off kilter.

I know far too many people who live a life that is defined by worry and fret. It doesn’t matter what the situation is. It could be personal, work-related, or something happening around the world. They are bound in a state of fear, wondering what could potentially happen. Each day, they are sure the worst possible outcome will occur. You can’t convince them differently.

This runs contrary to how I exist. I’ve never been one to worry. Seriously. It’s been frustrating to others in my life, including my wife, my kids, my friends, and my co-workers. Please don’t mistake the absence of worry for a lack of concern. Far from it. There are countless situations that concern me because I want the people in my life to thrive. I don’t like to see people who are consumed with fear, apprehension, and doubt. One of the biggest facets of my career in HR has been to be a calming force. We don’t talk about this nearly enough.

So much of the focus of HR continues to be on the do’s and don’ts of the workplace. Rules, policies, and procedures, unfortunately, define us more than care, concern, empathy, and approach. We fall into the confinement trap of practicing HR because of . . . worry. What would our jobs, our companies, and our cultures look like if we eliminated worry as the primary spark of our existence ?? I think we’d find that it would be far more productive, engaging, and relevant. Not kidding.

It would also change your perspective as an HR practitioner. Instead of bemoaning all that is difficult and challenging in working with people, you’d see the value of each person who is doing their best to get through life – just like you. I’m choosing to believe the best in others and be like Alfred E. Neuman. Stable. Unflappable. And, free of worry.

Life At 3 MPH

Are you someone who always seems to be in a hurry ?? Whether it’s work, home life, community activities, or just the myriad of thoughts that never seem to slow down in our minds. If we were honest, I think most of us are hurried. We don’t know anything different. In fact, I think it’s become so much the norm that we can’t think of going through a day without being rushed.

Now, it’s ironic that even though we’re in this constant state of hurriedness, we don’t like it. It’s exhausting. We look for ways to somehow slow the pace of life. We don’t succeed very often because if we try to slow down, the others around us don’t. Then we become anxious because we feel we’re behind. It’s an awful spiral to find yourself in !!

Being hurried is a choice. We may not think it is, but it is. The idea of living life at a constant blistering pace isn’t healthy. And, if you think that remaining constantly on the go makes you vastly more successful than others, you’re mistaken. We mistake activity for production. It’s just an activity. I’ve been thinking about this lately, because the pace of life seems to be far more out of control. Not only for me personally, but also for the people around me. People I work with and care for.

What I’ve found is that a hurried pace of life may get me somewhere quicker, but at what cost? I can’t tell you how many heavy sighs I exhale every day just to make sure I’m staying up with all that’s in front of me. Some of those sighs are to catch my breath. Others are signals of exhaustion and exasperation. Like most people I know, I’m a high-capacity person. I feel more complete when my life and days are full. Staying full is important. The challenge isn’t capacity. It’s maintaining a breakneck pace day in and day out.

I’ve decided that this has to change. I’m adopting the 3 MPH approach to life.

Did you know the average human walks at a pace of three miles per hour ?? How cool is that? When you approach your day, stay at the average pace of walking. When you do, you’ll naturally slow down. You can’t help yourself. When you start incorporating this intentionally slower lifestyle, you see the things around you that you used to rush by without noticing them at all. You’ll see people whom you could meet. There are scenes of nature that will all of a sudden come to life. It’s amazing !!

These things have most likely been present all the time; you just didn’t see them. Instead of holding onto a sinking feeling that you’re missing out on things unless you run at life with abandon, understand you’re actually missing more. Being still takes discipline. Slowing down will initially feel unnerving, but stay strong and stick with it. This week, slow down. Don’t keep seeking the pace you can’t keep. Try to live life at 3 MPH and see what happens !!

Your Legacy . . .

When I look over my life and career, I am humbled by the number of people I’ve been fortunate to meet. Some people you meet for mere moments. Others you have as part of your life for years. I tend to lose sight of this too often due to the constant hustle and bustle swirling around us. That shouldn’t happen. I don’t believe in chance encounters or fate. I believe the people who come in and out of our lives happen on purpose.

I’m feeling reflective because of some news I received in mid-December. I wanted to share my thoughts about this wonderful person at the time, but I needed to wait until her family made the news public themselves.

My dear friend, Sandy Manjura, passed away in mid-December. She and I are the same age, and it crushed me when I heard the news. Sandy and I met as volunteer leaders for our SHRM chapters. She lived in the Akron area, and I was in Cincinnati. The moment we met, our friendship started. She exuded genuine interest and energy whenever she met anyone. Fortunately, we connected and volunteered together for years through the Ohio State Council and the Ohio State SHRM Conference committee. When she was active in the Akron chapter, she invited me to speak to the chapter often. While there, she introduced me to tons of other great people who also became dear friends. I met her partner, Scott, as well as her wonderful black lab – Hoagy. Whenever I’d visit, we’d make time to catch up and talk about life, music, and changing the world of HR.

I cherished her friendship. As our volunteer roles changed and came to an end, we didn’t get to see each other as often. We’d go to State Conferences and pick up right where we had left off before. Sandy was a rocker !! She loved all forms of music and would listen to Iron Maiden while jogging. She was an avid golfer and lived life to the fullest. The world is a little less bright with her passing.

One of my favorite memories was when I was chair of the Ohio SHRM State Conference with the theme “HR Rocks !!” I had a surprise to open the conference and needed someone to help me get ready. The only two people I let in on my secret were my best friend and roomie, Fred, and Sandy. I was planning to dress up as AC/DC legendary guitarist, Angus Young, to take the stage, but I needed help getting all of my costume ready. Sandy was all in and helped me don his famous schoolboy attire. She kept lookout for me, and she whisked me backstage to get ready to bring down the house. Her words for me were, “This is perfection. Get out there and set the stage !!” We both wept a bit because it really was perfection.

I share her story for a couple of reasons. First, everyone should know my friend. If you had known Sandy, I know your life would have been impacted positively just as mine was. We should always share good stories about the great people in our lives while they live and celebrate them when they pass. Secondly, we need to know that we live out the Maya Angelou quote listed above, whether we’re conscious of it or not.

We can’t keep getting bogged down by the things around us that seem wrong. We can’t keep being distracted by those people in our lives who do all they can to drain our souls. The vast majority of humans on this planet are amazing once you choose to let them into your lives on purpose. They deserve our time and attention far more than those who try to tear others down.

I don’t want any person who passes through my life to be overlooked, taken for granted, or brushed off. I don’t know how long I’ll be on this planet, and neither do any of us. Therefore, it matters to give others my time willingly and without expectation. You never know. You may be THE person that someone needs to encounter just at the right time. You don’t want to miss that.

Sandy touched my life and the lives of many others. I will hold her in my heart and cherish her friendship and legacy. She rocked, and I was fortunate to have had her in my life. When I hear that next heavy chord emanate from a speaker, the first person I will think of is Sandy !!

A Touch of Gray

The calendar has turned another page. Usually, when that happens, people express a series of resolutions they genuinely want to hold to. They rarely do. That doesn’t stop people from making them, though. A New Year always gives people a chance for a reset. A chance to pause, reflect, and decide what they’d like the next twelve months to be.

Once the year begins anew, I also turn another year older. My birthday is on January 3rd, and this year took a new turn. It’s wonderful when your friends and family send you birthday wishes. I’m humbled every time I receive them. My 87-year-old Mom called me early in the morning to sign “Happy Birthday” to me. It’s a tradition she and my dad, when he was alive, have done every year since I left the house 40 years ago. It warms my heart every time, and I look forward to hearing her sing it.

It’s intriguing to me when people ask what your plans are for your birthday. The intent is positive, and people want you to enjoy your day. Having a birthday so close to the holiday season makes it harder to plan something massive. And, honestly, I’m grateful to cross the age line once more as the most significant accomplishment. I didn’t have anything “planned,” but I did hope to have a great day.

My wife and I decided to really live on the edge and get our haircuts together. I know – truly adventurous !! We enjoy seeing Heather at her salon. We’ve known her for 29 years, so it’s like visiting family. Debbie went first because she needs more time than I do. When I took my place in the chair, I donned the black cape over my clothes and placed my glasses on the counter. Heather is always good for a rich conversation. We talk about countless topics, give updates about our kids, and make sure to laugh a lot.

As my hair became shorter once again, I looked down at the cape, and it was glistening !! You see, I’ve crossed over to the time in my life when my hair has grayed. This doesn’t bother me, and I don’t feel my age. My appearance is supposed to change. Now that I’m 62, I’d be surprised if I didn’t have a full head of gray locks.

Along with my shifting hair color, my body reminds me daily that time is moving forward. There’s more stiffness and the unexpected appearance of aches and pains throughout my body. Thankfully, my mind is sharp, and I don’t take it for granted. I don’t know if I ever thought about what it would be like if I reached this age, which is closer to my career ending than starting. I’ve never been concerned with whatever “age” is supposed to be.

Another year means an opportunity to remain curious. Another year is a chance to learn something new, meet people I’ve never met, encourage others to be their best, and take in as much life as possible. I’m not sure what will happen, and that doesn’t make me in the least bit anxious. I don’t have resolutions and never have. I believe in enjoying the present and being hopeful for the future, for whatever that may be. Please don’t mistake that for being naive or Utopian.

I’ve chosen (for most of my life) to be someone who sees the best in others and the situations I find myself in. Sure, there are challenges and times of disappointment. I will experience personal failures, and others will fail me. In the end, though, life is grand !! Now that I have more than a touch of gray, I want to do all I can to live each day to its fullest. I’m far from discouraged about aging another year; I’m fortunate.

How are you looking at this coming year? Are you seeing the best in yourself and in others? I know this may seem contrary to how most people view life, but trust me, it’s well worth it. I encourage you to move forward. Who knows? The best part of what’s to come could be lurking just over the horizon !!

To ease you into the future, here’s a tune that is an absolute fave of mine from an all-time legendary band. It just fits . . .

Be Pliable !!

If you haven’t already figured this out, I’m a big kid in an older adult’s body. By the way, I’m very cool with that. I know I have peers who are far more concerned with their title and level in their company than I am. It’s never been a focus for me. And, may I add, I feel that a person’s actions and behavior are far more indicative of who a person is than any title resting on a business card.

I love to have fun every day. It doesn’t really matter if I’m at work, out in the community, at an HR conference/event, or at home. There’s always time to see the possibilities of what will bring people a smile or make them giggle.

I recently added a favorite toy to my menagerie at work – Play-Doh. I mean, how can you really overlook this wonderful substance? I remember playing with Play-Doh for hours upon hours when I was younger. My brother and I would make all types of abstract shapes and “sculptures” while mixing as many colors together as we could. It seemed like you could never come up with every possibility of creation with Play-Doh. It has a true infinite quality.

The reason for having a container of this magnificent matter on my desk is so that I have a reminder about the positive aspects of being pliable and moldable. I find that many people are very rigid. They live in an “either/or” world. There’s no gray seen or considered. There is one side or another. Period.

That’s a miss in my opinion. People are like Play-Doh. They can bend, squish, stretch, expand, or contract. They’re unpredictable, colorful, and not limited to a tight set of do’s and don’ts. No matter how much HR or organizations try to keep people fenced in, they will move in, around, above, or below the barriers we arbitrarily construct.

I think we should take a different approach. We should acknowledge that there’s more potential in being pliable and moldable as individuals and as a work culture. People need the ability to move and become new creations on a regular basis. It’s in our nature as humans. Always move. Always grow. Always take on new shapes.

Wouldn’t it be better to have leadership, culture, and a workplace that chose to be moldable instead of concrete? When you adopt this, you will rarely hear that tired old phrase, “Because we’ve always done it this way.” A pliable environment allows for far more solutions, perspectives, and opportunities than the traditional atmosphere people want to cling to. With all of the potential changes on the horizon for how work will be done, you can’t afford to be sedentary.

This week, buy a jar of Play-Doh. Put it on your desk. It will be a constant reminder for you to remain flexible personally, and it will reframe the possibilities of how you can bring out the best in others !!

Fun note . . .

I had shared this article originally in the weekly email newsletter I send out as part of my HR Net forum. At the end of this week, a friend dropped off an unexpected gift that he felt would accompany my new toy. Check this out !! A Play-Doh Pizza Kitchen (since I work for an amazing pizza company) So, freaking cool !!

One Scoop At A Time

This weekend, we had our second significant snowfall. I’m personally very geeked about this because I grew up where snow was a regular occurrence. People in Cincinnati state they love getting snow . . . until it happens. When it hits, you see chaos ensue. People are unsure how to drive, and everything grinds to a screeching halt. The TV meteorologists are in storm mode. They fill the airwaves with doom and gloom. You’re told you’re about to face the apocalypse, when it’s just a few inches of snow.

Growing up, my dad taught me the art of shoveling a driveway. He was meticulous. He had the expectation that when you were done, the entire surface would be as clean as possible. No straggling trails of snow remnants were allowed. My brother and I would often have to go back out to get those tiny trails of snow that come off the edges of your shovel because we weren’t really “done.” This left a giant imprint on us. There was merit to this, which was laced with a layer of undue pressure.

So, when the garage door creaked open this morning, I saw a blanket of white facing me. I turned on my Spotify playlist (Brit Pop Indie 90s in case you wanted to check it out), started my workout app on my watch, took a deep breath, laid down the blade of my snow shovel, and made my first scoop. We received five inches of snow, which is fairly significant for us. On top of the volume of snow spread out across our driveway, the final two feet was dense and massive because the township snowplow had deposited all of the snow from the road firmly at the apron of every house on the cul-de-sac.

I set out to tackle the task before me, feeling the frigid temperatures with every breath I took. Oh, did I mention that it was zero degrees when I started with a wind chill that made it even colder ?? Not complaining. Just setting the stage. Steadily and slowly, I made my way across and down the driveway. I broke it down by sections, making sure that each one was cleared completely (could hear my dad’s voice in my head). I was making great headway until I hit the gunk deposited across the apron.

My activity had gone from eagerly pushing the snow across the width of the surface to barely moving at all. The rest of the snow gave very little resistance to being moved. This mix was significantly different. The weight was tripled at least !! Therefore, you had to move it one scoop at a time. You couldn’t even toss it across to an edge. It had to be walked over and deposited.

There were a few moments of labored breathing, and I felt like walking away. I could drive over it. Why overexert myself? I knew this wasn’t a realistic option. I needed to make sure the driveway was cleared. So, I kept at it methodically. Bit by bit, the apron started to appear. In the end, it took me an hour to finish shoveling. I was ready to be done. Frozen fingers and face were getting the best of me. However, it was done.

As I dropped into a chair in my family room to recover, I thought about how my shoveling was a lot like a healthy approach to work. We see the expanse of a problem sprawling out before us, just like a snow-covered driveway. We have an urge to make large efforts to clear out the problem as quickly as we can. Expediency is the drive. It’s not feasible, but we convince ourselves that if we work hard enough, we can knock it out.

The reality is that the problem needs to be addressed in a measured way. Even though this takes more time, the result is better. As you start moving the light objects in your way, you make progress easily. When things get a bit more difficult, you pause, evaluate what’s needed, then make the next scoop. You may get a bit anxious and frustrated because the end of the project is in sight. Continuing to stay disciplined and measured is needed all the way until the end.

When you adopt this approach, you’ll see that the project has been cleared with no straggling trails. This week, step back and see how you’re approaching work. Be more measured. Make sure to take one scoop at a time.

Deflated

With Thanksgiving completed, it was time once again to decorate our house for Christmas and the holidays. I don’t know about you, but when Thanksgiving is the last Thursday of the last week of November, it feels like December is seven days long instead of being a full month. There seems to be undue pressure to get everything done all of a sudden.

On top of the perceived time crunch, winter has fully landed in Greater Cincinnati !! It is frigid. So, when I went to put up my outside inflatables community (Yes, I have several), along with a lighted tree that needed to be assembled, wrapping our porch poles in lights, and covering bushes in our front bed, I was shivering the entire time. I’m not complaining. I pushed through as best as I could, but I had to stop short. I didn’t get everything done that I wanted to accomplish because I couldn’t feel my hands. Eek !!!

I love putting up the community of inflatables. They’re all connected via an intricate system of intertwined extension cords and anchoring wires so they don’t float away. Once the timers hit the “Dusk” setting, they slowly inflate and cover the majority of our front flower bed. It brings me joy to see them spring to life. Each morning, as the timer moves to the “Dawn” setting, you see them fall slowly to the ground as they deflate. They no longer have the energy to be full, shining, and present.

Sound like our employees ??

Too many folks these days are deflated at work. Sure, they may be visible in the workplace or on some overly monitored screen, but that doesn’t mean they’re full of life, far from it. The question is – Do we even notice ?? Unfortunately, I don’t think we normally do unless a person’s behavior becomes so detached that you see it whenever you interact with them.

I’m continually astonished by how we spend so much time discussing work regarding deadlines, revenue pressures, and how we all have too many meetings. However, we don’t talk often enough about our employees unless we’re complaining about the few that seem to always be a challenge to work with. The majority of employees come to work daily and are treated like placeholders. This should not continue.

December, year-end, and the holidays can be a trying time for people for a variety of reasons. It’s easy to become deflated. We need to notice. To do that, our desk and our screens can’t be more important to us than the people we work (and live) with. We need to be the ones who are the energy source that brings them back to life. Once we do that, you’ll see that people will fulfill their calling and purpose.

We always take time to seek out all of the Christmas decorations and displays in our neighborhoods. In fact, we’re eager to see them !! Let’s do the same with our people because they are with us all the time, and not just seasonally.

Because I Knew You

Do you have anyone you can think of who has left an imprint on you ?? More than one ??

It’s a question that has been on my mind lately because we live in a world and at a time where people seem to focus primarily on themselves. The sentiment that you must look out for yourself first is prominent both personally and professionally. There are countless books who encourage and emphasize a self-focused approach to every aspect of life. It’s daunting to dare to think or act differently.

However, I strongly feel that we need to become less self-focused in order to truly affect change and foster sustainable leadership and relationships. It is important to be self-aware and self-assured. I find that if you are, then you’ll see that you’re “good” most of the time, and can focus on others more naturally and easily.

This weekend, after a great time with my extended family for the Thanksgiving holiday, my wife and I took my mom out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. We had been driving for over five hours and didn’t feel like cooking a meal. The restaurant is less than a mile from our house, and it’s a fave landing place for us. When our server approached the table, I could tell she had a spark in her eye. When she asked if we had made our choices, I attempted to order in Spanish. Mind you, I don’t speak Spanish.

She giggled and responded to me in Spanish. I pulled out my phone and looked up Google Translate because I planned to converse with her in Spanish for the rest of the night. I asked for a refill of my Diet Pepsi, and she quipped, “Mas bebida.” I typed “Mas vevida?” and she grabbed my phone to correct me. “More drink. Mas bebida.” We both laughed, and I saw her go speak to her co-workers while pointing back at our table.

There were more interactions we had, and when it was time to leave, I said, “¿Me puede dar la cuenta por favor?” She replied, “Si.” I laughed and told her that was too easy. We talked at our table for another ten minutes, and then left to pay. As we hit the door, our server waved and exclaimed, “Adiós, amigos !!” She had made our night out spectacular.

Earlier in the week, our family took time to go see Wicked for Good in the theater. It was an incredible sequel. The final song includes the compelling lyric, “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” As I was crying (because that’s what I do), the lyric touched me. I was sitting in the aisle with my mother, wife, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and his wife. Each one of them has changed my life for good in one way or another.

The more I think about it, I can think of how many, many people have changed my life for the better. In fact, most of them have. I feel that if you view each encounter with others as having value, you’ll become more and more others-focused. Then, you’ll have a memorable encounter with a server at a restaurant.

This week, let’s all agree to be more cognizant that we are people who are known by others, and that can lead to change that is good.