Tag: working

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Compliance

There is a lot of work in compliance.

First, there are rules. Then those rules have to have contingencies. Then the lawyer types get involved, and we get into the semantics of it all.

“Everyone has to arrive at 9AM. If you won’t get here by 9AM, contact your manager immediately. The only acceptable reasons are:…”

Those rules aren’t taken seriously unless there is punishment. “This line shan’t be crossed!” We have to think of things to create fear. Pink slips, lawsuits (more lawyers), and even violence works here. Terms like zero-tolerance exist.

“Failure to contact your manager will result in a write-up. REMEMBER 3 write-ups equal automatic dismissal!”

And, if the system is “working,” there is a submission period.

“I better get here at 9AM.”

If you notice, there is no “why” outside of the greatest threat.  It is a fear based system. It keeps someone on their toes and constantly focused on surviving.

There is a cost to leaving someone in survival mode. 

Note:

The thing about compliance is that this cycle doesn’t happen once, it has to happen continuously to keep those in control unsure.

“Did you hear about the new rule about e-mail? I think they are SERIOUS about this”

Takes a lot of energy.

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Bad Back, Mind Problem

I hurt my back at 21

When I was 21 a pallet jack snapped on me while I was working at Wal-Mart. One second I was loading a truck and the next… goodbye healthy back.

It’s serviceable now, but it gives me trouble when I work out. My lower back starts to ‘tweak.’ It feels like someone is putting icy hot on my back with none of the relief.  The pain that originates there is a burning pain, and if I were to index it, it is a 6 out of 10.  It isn’t extremely debilitating during the usual day-to-day, but the thought of pain is in the back of my mind from day-to-day.

You know that next summer I spent 8 – 12 hours a day moving furniture around?

The human body is amazing

I was in a bad place. I didn’t have a job for the summer, and my car died on me Memorial Day. All my plans died, but there was still an opportunity to get some money and have my lodging taken care of. I had to lift furniture for the school for 8 dollars an hour.  I had to do it (or at least I thought so)  because with everything else taken care of, it would get me enough money to buy a new car.

It was either that, or sit in my parents house doing nothing for 3 months. So, right after physical therapy, with this same back condition, I lugged heavy wooden dressers and bunk beds around my college during the summer.

I complain now about my back

But I moved old beds during the summer. I ended up learning a lot, gaining new friends, and eventually, getting that new car.  I pushed myself.  I miss that, because sometimes now when I work out, I retreat at the first sign of my back hurting.

The navy SEALS have a saying “when you want to give up you are only using 40% of your reserves.” Thinking back on it, I realize its true. The next time my back hurts, I will just remember that I moved dressers and keep plugging along.

Who knows what I’ll learn?

This post is a part of a series of posts based on my thoughts on “persistence.” This theme runs through March 2016 to merge my thinking. If you have any ideas or comments, please reach out to me on twitter @TheHonorableAT. 

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Nothing To Say – I Bet You Do

What happens when we have nothing to say?

What happens?

Does the world stop?

Do we stop?

Do we cease to exist?

I’ll stop the dramatics here because I think we always have something to say. We all have a point of view.  So that isn’t the problem. We always have something to say, so there is no need to worry, the world won’t stop any time soon. Asking if you have nothing to say  is the wrong question.

The right questions are:

Is it the right time to say this?

Timing matters. Don’t bring up your hangover story at the conference lunch, that is more of a cocktail hour conversation (and after a few pops there at that). Timing brings along a wealth of context with what we say. Nothing exists in a vacuum, especially our words.  This is the question you ponder before you begin a dialogue, and one you question often.  The answer lies in listening to the conversation and putting in your fair share. Someone who has contributed a lot to the conversation can have misstep or two. It is counter-intuitive, but by adding value to a conversation, you can trip up a time or two without being exiled.

 I’ve worked on listening, and it has improved my timing, stumbles and all. 

Do I have the right to say this?

Fear and ego are the gatekeepers here since usually this is our brains doing mental gymnastics. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the conversation, this internal question comes up often.

This one is a lot more tricky than the first question because there are a ton more variables. The timing question is about a conversation already at hand, while this question asks if you have any right to join or stay.

My favorite way of fighting this question is to have something valuable already at hand.  

 

 

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Do Consume Talk Principle – Putting It Together

This week I wrote about three principles

  • Do – Go do. There is a wide chasm between people who just say they want to do it, those who go through the intellectual rigor, and those who actually execute. Anyone who does that has no choice but to become effective because operating comes with lessons, especially in failure.  So, whatever you want to do, please, go and do.
  • Consume – What we digest is what we ultimately use to create our opinions. All ideas have a starting point. Nothing materializes out of thin air. What we consume physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually creates our ideas.  Staying vigilant on what we digest is just as important as keeping an eye on what we do or who we talk to, because if our start is bad, then we doom the idea from the start (GIGO). The other thing to remember is that this is a limited resource. The outer limits are real, so guard what you know, and defend against taking on too much to soon,
  • Talk  – The difference between understanding and ‘thinking you understand’ is huge. That gap remains large if you don’t talk about what you know to other people. Through talking, you get a chance to build understanding and catch up on ideas you thought you knew. Just watch out for your ego (it is going to want to stay safe).

I think these three things are the bedrock of learning and mastering any skill. This principle is open enough to try all disciplines. By doing, talking, and consuming things I get completely engaged. The skill becomes my world, meaning I can’t escape it since it consumes everything.

It also stands as a great measure of where my priorities are. If I look at my calendar and I don’t see those three principles during the week, then I know I get scattered. It is a steady heuristic for my focus, and if I look randomly, I can see just where it lies.  Understanding my focus makes me more effective.

 

 

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Gaining Scars

I don't know when I should take a stand sometimes.

The safe road always looks and feels tempting – being lost to the background ensures you never get picked on.

The longer I observe this though, the more I see often the fastest road to an interesting life is to expose yourself, get the wounds, move on – people dig scars.

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Stronger

Things get worse before they get better because you’re stretching further than you are comfortable.

That’s how you get stronger.

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