Wind Assist

Did my first yard work of the season yesterday. As I was blowing the grass clippings off the sidewalks and gutters, the strangest thing was happening. Every time I started the blower, the wind picked up in the same direction that I was blowing. It was like I had some kind of divine intervention assisting me with this task. Almost as if the Big Guy upstairs was saying in His best Crocodile Dundee voice, “that’s not a blower, this is blower!” I have a pretty sizable yard so I was kind of whooped when I was finished mowing so the assist I got with the blowing was very much appreciated. It was almost if I was being rewarded for my hard work with some help.

So of course it got me thinking about how I could apply this very strange but appreciated phenomenon to my life. I think that we all can use a little wind assist every now and then. Of course if you are an outdoor track and field athlete – particularly a sprinter or jumper – the wind assist is not what you want as that annoying * will be placed by your performance if you happen to set a record. Besides that I’m thinking a wind assist is a great thing to give and receive.

If I have given my all to a task, to solving a difficult problem, or to completing a complex project and I just can’t seem to get to the finish line, someone stepping in with a word of encouragement, a piece of information that produces an “Aha” moment, or rolling up their sleeves and helping me to get to completion can be huge. So how can we be that wind-assist for others?

1. As I mentioned above, an encouraging word might be all that person needs to give them the inspiration they need to complete their task and succeed. The person – co-worker, spouse, teammate, child, etc. – has probably given their all to the task and doesn’t think that anyone recognizes or appreciates their effort. A simple acknowledgement of that can be huge!

2. Often times we can get so close to something that we are working on that we can’t see the one or two obstacles that are keeping us from being successful. As a person who is on the ‘outside looking in’ you can see what that person may be missing and put that very last piece of the puzzle in place with just one statement or suggestion. Now that’s a wind assist there, I don’t care who you are.

3. Sometimes encouragement or a suggestion is not enough and what that person really needs is for you to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches with them and help them with the task. Knowing that someone is in your corner to the point that they are willing to do whatever it takes – including ‘getting their hands dirty' – is inspiration and can be the best kind of wind assist.

Someone in your life can use a wind assist today. I just offer three potential ways you can help someone else out and reward them for their hard work. There are probably many more. So be creative and be someone’s wind today!

Taking the Starch Out

I was already dressed for work this morning when I started cleaning up my breakfast dishes. I did not roll up my sleeves so I got some water on my one of my sleeves. The starch immediately came out of that section of my shirt and until it is laundered and pressed again, it will not be the same. It’s not that big of a spot and no one else can really tell, so I decided not to change my shirt. But every time I look down at that spot, I am reminded that it really doesn’t take much to take the starch out of something but the effects can be lasting and permanent if not corrected.

I think we have the same power in our interactions with each other. Our words and actions can be damaging. We can say something or do something to someone (either directly or indirectly) that can take the starch right out of them. How quickly a person recovers from that has a lot to do with their level of self-esteem, self-awareness, and how much influence you have on them. Here are a few tips I came up with today.

1. Avoid ‘starch removers’ from the jump.
a. Think about what you are going to say or do before you say or do it. Think about how it will affect the receiver and decide before the beans are spilled whether it will have a positive effect on that person or if it is a potential starch remover.
b. If it takes 10 seconds to say or do something that can damage another person’s inspiration or energy, take 30 seconds before you say or do it and make sure it won’t potentially be damaging.

2. Be somebody’s biggest fan
a. If you focus on encouraging others and being supportive, it’s a lot tougher for those starch removers to slip out.
b. Spend your time thinking of ways to encourage – add starch to – others. The more positive you can pour into a person, there will be that much less room for starch removers to creep in.

3. What to do if one just slips out
a. If you have removed someone’s starch, don’t just blow it off and say that person needs to toughen up.
b. Take some time to understand what you said or did that caused the starch removal, apologize for it, drive on, and commit to not repeating it.
c. Provide some encouragement to that person and point out some of the great things they are doing. This will have the same effect as when as when I take my shirt back to the dry cleaners. It will be cleaned, pressed, and re-starched. Ready to take on a new day.

Someone is counting on you to encourage them and tell them they are awesome. Don’t let them down, do it today!

Dude, Give Me Two Minutes!

I used to get annoyed when I needed to talk to someone and they would say, “Dude, give me two minutes”. But now I realize the value in two minutes of focused time and how much I can get done. In two minutes or less I can: write a quick thank you note, finish off an email, make an appointment to get my oil changed (dang I need to do that), schedule a meeting, hug my wife and kids, download a cool song on iTunes, scan channels and decide what I want to watch on TV (it just seems longer to Mandi), get in 100 reps on that dreaded ab machine that kicks my butt every time, or read the highlights of a good story in the newspaper. My daughter really has this down because apparently she can study for a semester exam in two minutes or less!!

So the next time someone asks you to give them two minutes, don’t get annoyed – get productive.

Wait someone’s at my door. I just asked them to give me two minutes. (I need to post this blog!)

Dream Big!

The future is not promised. But yesterday today was the future and it is here. I believe what Eleanor Roosevelt said to be very true: “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” So dream big today and tomorrow will belong to you!

CJ’s 3 Ss: Scribe, Share, and Stand. Scribe: It helps me to write down my goals and dreams. If they are in my face every day, it motivates me to do something today to get closer to them. Share: I share my dreams with others that are in my corner. It creates an instant cheering section and a team to keep me accountable. Stand: I stand by my dreams and never let anyone shake my tree. There will never be a short supply of peeps that will try to tell me I can’t accomplish my dreams. So I have to constantly stand strongly in the face of adversity.

Remember that today was yesterday’s tomorrow!

Deliver Quality!

I have a poster hanging outside of my office door that reads: To deliver quality means to deliver what our customers need and value. Nothing else will suffice!

Clearly that's a great approach to business process and product quality management but I am challenging myself to take that approach in other areas of my life.

If I look at each role I play (husband, parent, coach, friend, teammate)as an opportunity to deliver what my customers (wife, children, players, friend, teammate) need and value, I'll win and they'll win! Nothing else will suffice!

Squids on the Ground!

Squids on the ground

Squids on the ground

Lookin’ like a fool cause your Squids on the ground!

Punched in the mouth

Helmet turned sideways, Squids hit the ground.

Think you are all that but you’re looking like a fool,

Army’s O is driving and your Squids on the ground.

Yeah you beat us 9 years but we’re gonna turn it around,

This is our year fool now get your Squids off the ground!

Go Army, Beat Navy!

On, Brave Old Army Team!

The Army team's the pride and dream of every heart in gray.

The Army line you'll ever find a terror in the fray.

And when the team is fighting for the Black and Gray and Gold,

We're always near with song and cheer and this is the tale we're told:

The Army team - Rah Rah Rah – Boom!

On, brave old Army team, On to the fray, Fight on to victory, For that's the fearless Army way!!