Change Takes Time, Especially Without All the Tools Needed

Last weekend I tackled a do-it-yourself home improvement project. This was a small project and some people I know (who are do-it-yourself types) told me it was easy. Switching out new faucet fixtures for the bathroom sink. Easy.... just turn off the water, remove the old fixtures, hook up the new fixtures.

First I picked out the new fixtures at a well known home improvement type retailer. I selected something that looked similar to what was already installed - figuring this would lead to better success. I also spoke to a store employee to make sure everything I would need was in the box, including instructions!

Next I proceeded to remove the old fixtures. Not easy - simply because things were stuck in their ways - through hard water deposits mostly. Still, borrowing my teenaged son for some strength and ability to brave the spiders under the sink, after more time than I had originally planned the old fixtures were all removed and the parts saved for using to hook up the new faucet.

Problem - not all faucet fixtures are standardized and the old parts don't necessarily work with the new. Okay, trip back to the hardware store for flexible tubing to replace old copper tubes. Then, of course another trip to the hardware store for different sized flexible tubing and plumbers putty. Then, well the new drain is 1/2" shorter than the old one - so trip to the hardware store for an extension - followed by another trip to the hardware store for something called a tail piece that is what I really needed instead of the extension.

So, six hours and four trips to the hardware store later.... nice new fixtures on the bathroom sink!

I'm sure this could lead to a great business-related analogy about change and preparedness, and flexibility, and growth through doing something new. And maybe I'll write about that next time.

Learning to be thoughtful

This past spring, the organization where I work went though a tough time financially (as so many other companies) and we ended up losing about 2 dozen employees to a voluntary severance program. Even though the program was voluntary, many of the employees felt sorrow at leaving, and more noticeable afterward the remaining employees were affected.

Employees who stayed still felt vulnerable, missed their coworkers, and had to pick up some extra workload and the stress that comes with it. To help remind me to not let these extra work efforts and difficult emotions go unnoticed, I simply put a tiny post-it note on an inside corner of my desk. On the note I wrote the words "Be Thoughtful." Each day when I see the note (if it's not buried in paperwork) I try to think of some small thing I can do to be thoughtful of those who work around me. Maybe it is sending a thank you note to them for a job well done, or a birthday card, or just making a phone call to find out how they are doing.

I like to think this "be thoughtful" campain is helping. Since I've been doing it for the last month, more employees are stopping by to say hello and I'm starting to see more smiles, joking around (in a good and productive way), and less complaining or whining compared to the last few months. Maybe that is just my own perception, but even it if is - that's still rewarding and will help me to keep looking for small opportunities to make someone else's day a bit brighter.