Vicki Anderson

This past weekend I watched a couple movies where the lead character was tested not only on strength but strength of character. With all that is happening in the world today, I reflected on myself, the people with whom I interact, and the leaders of the world. I think it is rare that most of us get an opportunity to prove our integrity and our courage on a major scale. However, I think more people in the U. S. and around the world are being tested than usual. It shows in how we act every day.

Many of the charities that provide aid are helping people who have never asked for help before. When times get tough, where do you turn for help? And, what if the support systems are not available to you? On the news recently there have been several instances of bank robberies and while the police say it is more typical at this time of year, it is no more frequent than normal. I wonder, though, how desperate a person has to be to walk up to a teller at a bank in a grocery store and say they are robbing the bank. Is this desperation or just boldness?

I was reading an article that proposed we have gotten ourselves into this situation because of the search for the good life and the ease with which we were able to get it based on credit. People in previous generations purchased with savings when they had the cash to pay. The author called upon people to return to the basics of frugality.

As painful as this time is for everyone, I do wonder if we may return to a renewed sense of frugality and responsibility when it comes to money and how we save it or spend it. This will also have an impact on the way we live. I think the role model of our leadership on all levels will have a great bearing on how we perceive this shift, if there is one. It can be one of hope and renewal or it can be sour grapes that we have been victimized. Both are true, but it will be interesting to watch and see what sticks. How will we perform when our strength of character is tested?

Last Friday I attended a speech by Thomas Friedman, author of Hot, Flat, and Crowded. It was very interesting to hear his take on the state of the environment and what he thinks it will take to get us out of our energy dependence on oil. While he was in favor of each individual and company doing what they can to ”go green” he said that to get the economy of scale that will be needed to make real changes, we will need the backing of government. Considering the price of oil and the impact of Hurricane Ike recently, I wonder how high this will be on the agenda for our government in the coming year or two, especially if the pain subsides and we become numb to its ongoing effects.

Friedman also talked about how the weather is just getting weirder each year. It does seem that we hear more often, “This isn’t normal weather. It’s just weird this year.” He said the average global temperature has gone up between one and two degrees, which doesn’t seem like much. However, he compared our body temperature of 98.6 rising to 100 degrees. We feel bad when that occurs. The earth is in a “feel bad” state with the rise in temperature for whatever reason and it will begin to feel sick as it increases, just like we would if our body temperature went above 100.

He also talked about the increasing birthrate that will impact all of us around the globe and the fact that more people around the globe are living like Americans. They have a better standard of living and consume energy at increasing levels, which is impacting the environment.

I purchased the book and am interested to read it. Mr. Friedman spouted many statistics that I can’t recall, but upon first blush, I certainly think it is a topic worth further investigation.

I got an email from someone today who wanted to follow up on some training I had conducted for them at the beginning of the year. I truly believe timing is everything. We can get so bogged down in thinking this isn’t the right time, or I’ll have more time later. Funny thing, there is never any more time later than there is today. However, our priorities may be different then.

Sometimes I have started working with a client not because I had a more unique “take” on their problem than anyone else, but because they were ready to hear what I had to tell them. I have had employees tell me that they have tried to get their manager to do something for years, but now the manager is listening to me instead of them. They wonder why. I tell them that they may not have been ready to hear it until now.

Aren’t we all the same? We can say, “we are going to…” all we want, but someday something happens that makes the time for action NOW. I try to be “now-focused” when people call me and I ask what is driving that need for help. It helps me have patience for others when I realize I do it, too.

I guess summer has officially started now that Memorial Day is done. This means that we need to schedule work around summer vacations and often work shorthanded while people are off. This can be frustrating for all involved. It’s so frustrating, in fact, I know many people who end up foregoing their vacations entirely. In today’s search for work-life balance, it certainly seems out of place for some work environments to set goals so high that people don’t believe they can take vacations. While I definitely believe in being responsible about covering your workload when you are gone, it is also important for your supervisor to make it possible to leave.

I used to have a supervisor who would pile on the work just before I went on vacation, almost as a punishment for leaving. I would be working down to overtime to get as much done as I could before leaving with a heavy heart that I could not get it all done. Then I would feel guilty for days until I finally relaxed. What kind of leadership is that?

Although it can be difficult to cover for someone who is gone, studies have shown that restful vacations actually improve productivity when the employee returns to work. Employees who are so stressed because they hardly ever take off find it more difficult to be creative and flexible. I think the good leader is one who talks with their employees to find out what is going on, what might need covering, and who could help if necessary. This way, both are prepared for the vacation incidents that could occur and the employee taking the vacation can leave in clear conscience to enjoy the time away. And the real pay-off? How much is high morale worth?