Do they ever. When you are approached at work about new tasks, projects or oh, yes the dreaded C word : Change. How do you respond?
Several years ago I was asked by my leader to take on a new role of increased responsibility, travel and in pulling several operations into improving performance in risk management and injuries across several manufacturing plants.
It involved bringing people together and meeting targets set by the president of the company.
Let me say that it was contrary first to my behavioral style and my leader was very good about taking me with him on trips and showing me what to expect and how to “do travel.” He was supportive and also demanding to meet goals. His role to the transition was just excellent. He set up the change very well. That is key.
Our team came together over several months. Did I mention this was during a merger? Sorry, forgot about that too. It kinda was something you couldn’t not notice in our culture.
We nailed down key policies, action plans and then put them into play. We were the first department in the newly merged company to be “together” on all policies, training and action plans. We all worked well together too. Because we started off by building relationships and what we all brought to the table. What great talent! Years of service and experience! The time went by quickly.
And then at a Chicago sports bar and eating something like a burger, after this was all done, my leader asked me if I would like to be considered for our owner’s employee of the year award. I said that would be neat. He then changed the conversation and I didn’t think another thing about it for several months.
Until the letter came.
I was standing with a consultant that worked with me and the letter was from our owner from Switzerland.
“OPEN IT!,” he shouted. “OPEN IT NOW!”
I opened and slowly read aloud that I was being recognized for performance as an Employee of the Year and would I join our owner in Switzerland during the week of August….?
“I WANT TO GO WITH YOU!” my consultant buddy yelled.
Wow.
That would be a trip of a lifetime wrapped around another week with my wife in Ireland. It also marked several more trips to have special dinners with the owner when he came to the states.
Present Decisions Determine Future Situations….as John Maxwell says in one his many excellent books.
My approach to the change, to dig in and get involved and make a difference paid off in a way that I will never forget. More about that in a future post.
Today. What change are you a part of in your work? John Maxwell has said to that “Change can equal growth or grief.”
Have you accepted the assignment with an open mind and not one of a “Ain’t It Awful” mentality?
Being given more work during this time in our business world is the new way to do work. It makes all of us multi taskers and more serious learners of our business.
Not every assignment is going to lead to a week in Europe. I know that really well. My illustration is that I went into that to be a “good-named worker” so that others could see light in this world instead of darkness. Colossians 3:23
It also had much impact on how I lead all teams today and work with others.
Can you look at how you are interacting with people today to think about how you can improve that experience for those people? Of course you can. You are creating a better story when you evaluate and then refine/improve your communication style thru building relationships.
Vitamin A (Application) What are two ways you could start this week improving (Even if they are really good) relationships at work and at home?
What project are you working on right now or about to work on that you can make a WOW project? like Tom Peters has discussed in the past. WOWem…. Think about how to show value for the work you do.
For more to go deeper…read Linchpin by Seth Godin…. Excellent for this type of mindset.
That trip by the way was this month in 1996. My how time flies. I am looking at the plaque I received that night on August 24th in Zurich over dinner with my beaming wife and a crowd from our owner’s 18 others companies watching. Wow……Blessed.
*Present Decisions Determine Future Situations- John Maxwell
