Friday, March 21, 2008

Life Turns on a FEW Significant Insights (Wisdoms or Hinges)

I had always heard that big things turn on small hinges.  Today in a conversation with my best friend in all the world who has a new job I told him I would write on what I have learned from life regarding his situation in his new job:
From Loehle Gast, "Treat every person as if their heart were breaking because it probably is".  People carry baggage from relationship to relationship.  They have been shamed, pained or severely disappointed.  Until they come to grips with and put these behind them under the blood of Jesus they can never be all they hoped to become.  Life is about getting over our shames, pains and disappointments.
From Vance (I don't remember his first name anymore):
Never sanction an incompetent act.  Forgive but don't sanction.  There is a difference.  The  reason: things that are rewarded get done and are repeated.  IF you want to break a dog from jumping on you never pet it or scratch it's ears or even talk to it.  Ignore it and give it a knee in the chest.  It'll figure it out.  Same with people.  Never sanction incompetence.
Life's Lessons I have learned:  Struggles people have that others consider weaknesses may not be weaknesses at least to them.  They may just be struggles.  My struggle is not your struggle.  My struggle might look like weakness to you but is not to me.  Your struggle may look like weakness to me but is not to you.  Not all struggles are weaknesses.  In fact what I consider weakness in others sometimes they consider strengths.  I have a friend who's biggest weakness I see is tolerance and compassion.  He thinks they are strengths.  I see them as a lack of a spiritual compass.  I love this brother and I know he sees my passion and single vision a weakness.  I see them as strengths.  So, I have learned NOT to judge others for the weakness I see in them.
Be careful in selecting people you invest in, particularly in key positions.  Insecure people are bad team members.  Insecurity is most often demonstrated by talking too much, taking offense easily, being wounded quickly and never able to get past themselves and their self importance.  They just don't work well on a team.  I have been that person.  I work hard to not be.
There are Four Levels of Unteachability.  If a person just won't change or seems to resist being instructed there are usually 4 levels.  Each is more difficult than the last.  I find that when I chance upon one of these people and they keep pushing back I determine not to try to teach a pig to sing.  It wastes my time, makes me get down in the mud with the pig and it annoys the pig.
1. They don't recognize there is a problem and therefore don't know why they need to hear what is being said.
2. They don't actually understand the problem and therefore are incapable of being taught
3. Even if they could be taught or are apparently willing to be taught they are not capable of doing anything about the problem and know it, so they remain unteachable
4. They really can't do anything about the problem so to protect their ego they remain apparently unteachable.

Most people when they come into a new job or even a new position in the company they are in need to be able to process thru until they become productive.  Sometimes to get to step 3 can take 5 years.  Some people never get past step 1 or 2.  There are 3 clear steps in growth when someone takes on a new job.
1.  Familiarity - This includes where's the Bathroom, who are the people, who are the key players, what are the politics of the organization, what are the dynamics, what is the history, why have there been successes and failures before.
2. Efficiency - This is the level at which a person becomes competent in what they do, they learn the procedures and system pretty well.  They need to think about it but they get good results.  They make it all happen.  Efficient in doing what they do according to procedure.
3. Creativity - This is the level, and it takes time to get here, where the ability to do what needs to be done flows out of a creative inner core.  In what ways can we do this better.  Creative discontent drives the person who is in this mode.  Every person should strive to become so competent until they reach this level.
Last, there are some truths only experience can teach.  If any person does these five things, they will always succeed:
1. Don't just work at your job, work to be really really good at something.  Not everything, something.
2. Be responsive to those who are above you in the company and do all you can to to EARN their trust.
3. Underpromise and Overdeliver.
4. Be an encourager and a team builder to everyone with whom you work.
5. Keep your word, never lie, let your yes be yes. 
I hope that helps, I didn't make any of this up, they have been hammered them out on the anvil of experience and instruction.