I am sure that by now most of you have heard of 26 Acts of Kindness started by NBC's Ann Curry. She was imploring all people to randomly reach out to others and offer them some form of kindness. This was started as a result of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut right before Christmas.
Late last week, I was the recipient of one of those random acts. It was cold and foggy and I was drinking my first cup of coffee and reading the newspaper -- contemplating what I would do with my day. Suddenly I heard the garbage truck roll past my house. I jumped to attention. Good grief!! All of my cans, be they recycle, green waste or just garbage were overflowing from the holidays. They needed to be emptied but they were not out at the curb side.
Knowing that I still had on my night clothes, but I also a robe and slippers, I ran like a banshee outside. I was trying to quickly decide between green and recycle as he only had one other house to stop at before mine. I glanced toward my neighbors' because they are always early and right about which bins to set out. But this time, they let me down -- they had no cans out -- was everyone gone?
I grabbed a recycle bin just as he was pulling up in front of my house. I pointed at the recycle. He shook his head no. I started to reach for my two cans of yard waste, but just as I was doing that--he slid out of the garbage truck and said, "Let me take care of that for you", in the most pleasant voice I heard in forever. Time stopped. What had he said? As I stood in disbelief, he further stated, "I have gloves on and it is cold out here". Say what? I tried to mumble something to thank him as I reached for my household garbage can. He then said, "I can take care of that for you too." I felt like I needed to pinch myself, but I recovered my composure and I thanked him profusely. He just turned and said, "No problem, I hope you have a very nice day".
I was floored. I rushed into the house and immediately looked in the mirror. After glancing at my reflection, I thought perhaps he was trying to save me from the embarrassment of having my neighbors see me, or he was doing it just to protect his own eyes -- I was not exactly a lovely sight. I can't guess his motives. But maybe he just wanted to do something nice for someone -- little ole me. I will never know, but I sure do thank him. And he did make my day. I was in the best mood the rest of the day.
I felt so good and was happy that someone had taken a bit of their time to help me. I suddenly thought about the 26 Acts of Kindness and realized I had been given a gift of one -- at that moment, I decided to play it and 25 others forward. As of today, I am up to number three. It may take me a while to get to all 26, but I will get there in this soon to be new year.
I highly recommend being kind and helpful to others. The reward is like no other -- and besides it is very good for the soul.
Happy New Year's Everyone!!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Vol. 2.13 "Ride the Ride You Get"
Those words were spoken by Tammy McDonald, a very wise horse trainer for young girls, including my granddaughter. At each horse show the girls would whine and complain about a judge, another horse, or some other circumstance beyond their control. Tammy would tell the girls that they needed to "ride the ride you get". She wanted them to focus on what they could do and not on all of the outside distractions; in other words, don't focus on things that you are not responsible for.
Such simple horse sense...but so difficult to do. Acceptance of circumstances beyond our control is hard especially if a solution seems so simple and within reach. However, not everyone sees issues the same way. There are just as many people invested in their own outcomes -- not yours, and you have no control over their thoughts and actions.
What is really important to understand is that you are only responsible for yourself -- your one voice and your own opinions, your own actions. Once words leave your mouth or you share your written words, you have no control over the thoughts, feelings or actions of others.
As I mentioned in the last blog, we all want outcomes. We are taught cause and effect and we expect the world should work that way, but if often does not. When we don't get heard or we are ignored, after a few times, we just give up in frustration and stop trying. That is our biggest mistake. We need to hang in there and just keep speaking up and out, keep writing and sharing ourselves.
Speaking up may be hard, but what is even harder and more destructive to our own sense of ourselves and self-worth is doing nothing. Our sense of who we are and our importance to the world diminishes. Our egos take a beating and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness sets in often leading to depression and a downward spiral.
"Ride the ride you get". Accept what you cannot change (at least immediately) and what you can change -- maybe it is only your attitude. And let that be your plan of action. Be true to yourself. Take care of your health and speak up for yourself and share your thoughts and feelings in a reasoned and respectful way. You never know who is listening out there, and in the meantime, you will feel so much better for having done so.
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Such simple horse sense...but so difficult to do. Acceptance of circumstances beyond our control is hard especially if a solution seems so simple and within reach. However, not everyone sees issues the same way. There are just as many people invested in their own outcomes -- not yours, and you have no control over their thoughts and actions.
What is really important to understand is that you are only responsible for yourself -- your one voice and your own opinions, your own actions. Once words leave your mouth or you share your written words, you have no control over the thoughts, feelings or actions of others.
As I mentioned in the last blog, we all want outcomes. We are taught cause and effect and we expect the world should work that way, but if often does not. When we don't get heard or we are ignored, after a few times, we just give up in frustration and stop trying. That is our biggest mistake. We need to hang in there and just keep speaking up and out, keep writing and sharing ourselves.
Speaking up may be hard, but what is even harder and more destructive to our own sense of ourselves and self-worth is doing nothing. Our sense of who we are and our importance to the world diminishes. Our egos take a beating and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness sets in often leading to depression and a downward spiral.
"Ride the ride you get". Accept what you cannot change (at least immediately) and what you can change -- maybe it is only your attitude. And let that be your plan of action. Be true to yourself. Take care of your health and speak up for yourself and share your thoughts and feelings in a reasoned and respectful way. You never know who is listening out there, and in the meantime, you will feel so much better for having done so.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Vol 2.12 Creating Some Space
As some of you have noticed, I have not been posting blogs for several months. At first it was not intentional; I was just very busy in late summer. After a while I decided that I needed some time to reflect on why I was doing this and if I had the passion to continue.
I discovered that what was frustrating me and making me not want to continue, was that I wanted to see some results for my efforts. I wanted people to change, businesses to be honest and leaders to lead and treat their employees with respect. In other words, I wanted instant gratification. And since we are a nation that expects instant gratification, why would I think I would be any different. I wanted to think that what I did and said mattered and could bring about results. I realized that I was being completely unrealistic (my ego was getting in the way), but I thought that my blogging was an exercise in futility, so why continue?
By giving myself some time and taking a step back (to give my self some space), I began to understand that I NEEDED to say the words that I write. I am responsible for getting my words out into the universe, but I am not responsible for what happens to them once I write them. Would I like to effect change -- you betcha ya. But maybe just maybe if one person reads this and it makes a difference in their viewpoint or my words offer a degree of solace to someone -- that will be enough.
Things in our world, our culture, and our workplaces do not change overnight. They did not get the way they are overnight -- it was bit by bit by little tiny bit. Suddenly 30 years passed and everything changed. So if things are to change again, it will be that same way; bit by little tiny bit. No wonder there is the saying "Patience is a virtue."
I am here to say, with my newly found patience -- I AM BACK!!
I discovered that what was frustrating me and making me not want to continue, was that I wanted to see some results for my efforts. I wanted people to change, businesses to be honest and leaders to lead and treat their employees with respect. In other words, I wanted instant gratification. And since we are a nation that expects instant gratification, why would I think I would be any different. I wanted to think that what I did and said mattered and could bring about results. I realized that I was being completely unrealistic (my ego was getting in the way), but I thought that my blogging was an exercise in futility, so why continue?
By giving myself some time and taking a step back (to give my self some space), I began to understand that I NEEDED to say the words that I write. I am responsible for getting my words out into the universe, but I am not responsible for what happens to them once I write them. Would I like to effect change -- you betcha ya. But maybe just maybe if one person reads this and it makes a difference in their viewpoint or my words offer a degree of solace to someone -- that will be enough.
Things in our world, our culture, and our workplaces do not change overnight. They did not get the way they are overnight -- it was bit by bit by little tiny bit. Suddenly 30 years passed and everything changed. So if things are to change again, it will be that same way; bit by little tiny bit. No wonder there is the saying "Patience is a virtue."
I am here to say, with my newly found patience -- I AM BACK!!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Vol. 2.11 - Protecting the Public's Trust
When I became a civil servant many years ago someone asked me did I understand what that meant? I probably looked like a deer in the headlights and muttered something like, "Well..., I work for the State (of California)". I was immediately corrected and told that as a civil servant I was "held to a higher standard because I was responsible for protecting the pubic's trust". Gulp -- wow, that sounded like a lot of responsibility for someone just working for the State...but that thought was always in the back of my mind throughout my state career.
If it is not civil servants...who is looking out for the public, and insuring that their tax and other dollars are spent wisely? We continually read about people and departments that pretty much do their own thing. The Department of Parks and Recreation debacle -- hiding money, while begging non-profits and localities to support their local parks hardly qualifies as "protecting the public's trust". Nor does cashing out vacation time, when there is no announced vacation buy back program. And please do not tell me that those 50+ employees including the Deputy Director of Administration did not understand that a yellow sticky note does not qualify as an official form which one would normally use to request vacation buy back. Really??? And let's not forget CalTRANS that can't seem to inspect their bridges and overpasses correctly -- boy that's another confidence builder for the public. No wonder the public is so outraged about state worker salaries and pensions -- it is just too much!!
Now days in State Government the only two words that matter are -- money and me. Many people are hired at all levels of government who do not have a clue of what they are doing. They do not have the requisite background or knowledge to performs their jobs...but they sit shucking and jiving their way to sometimes a sizable paycheck. Many employees have no knowledge of the basics of state government; laws, rules and procedures or protocols...they just make it up as they go. So you have the blind (sometimes rather innocently -- sometimes willfully) leading the blind.
The mass exodus of state employees retiring over the past 4-5 years has left a huge void -- we were the ones that were good stewards of the public trust. We knew the rules, and abided by them. There used to be penalties for not abiding by the rules -- counseling memos, letters of reprimand and if you were a really bad actor, you could get fired. Auditors were everywhere -- at the State Controller's Office monitoring the expenditures of departments, their travel claims, and contracts. Department of Personnel Administration/State Personnel Board monitored the hiring and classifications systems--write-ups and justifications had to be submitted and approved. And the biggest gun in State Government was the Department of Finance-- they controlled departments' budget expenditures and practically knew every dollar that was spent, every position that was added and every upgrade that was allowed. There was no having the Controller's numbers differ from the department's numbers....if there was a difference, then there better be a good explanation.
Now there are no longer any real control agencies helping to protect the public's trust. They seem to exist only on paper, but not in actually. No one seems to take responsibility for anything and there is not any accountability. And very worst part is that people who are in positions that should care and they get paid to care, DO NOT. The State of California is a a miniature version of Penn State. No one wants to speak up for fear of making the wrong person look bad and then being forced out of their jobs -- be it civil servants or political appointees.
As much as I like progress, I am all for going back to those "good old days" of State Government, (I can't believe I am saying this as I dreaded all of those endless write-ups, etc.) wherein everything had to be justified to the above mentioned "control" agencies. I firmly believe that is the only way that State Government can begin to function in any meaningful way again.
It starts with hiring competent people at those control agencies, holding them accountable for doing their jobs, and they in turn make all of the departments and their employees accountable. It is a trickle down effect which actually worked very well for many years.
Until that happens, there will not be anyone held to a higher standard and there will not be many "protecting the public's trust".
If it is not civil servants...who is looking out for the public, and insuring that their tax and other dollars are spent wisely? We continually read about people and departments that pretty much do their own thing. The Department of Parks and Recreation debacle -- hiding money, while begging non-profits and localities to support their local parks hardly qualifies as "protecting the public's trust". Nor does cashing out vacation time, when there is no announced vacation buy back program. And please do not tell me that those 50+ employees including the Deputy Director of Administration did not understand that a yellow sticky note does not qualify as an official form which one would normally use to request vacation buy back. Really??? And let's not forget CalTRANS that can't seem to inspect their bridges and overpasses correctly -- boy that's another confidence builder for the public. No wonder the public is so outraged about state worker salaries and pensions -- it is just too much!!
Now days in State Government the only two words that matter are -- money and me. Many people are hired at all levels of government who do not have a clue of what they are doing. They do not have the requisite background or knowledge to performs their jobs...but they sit shucking and jiving their way to sometimes a sizable paycheck. Many employees have no knowledge of the basics of state government; laws, rules and procedures or protocols...they just make it up as they go. So you have the blind (sometimes rather innocently -- sometimes willfully) leading the blind.
The mass exodus of state employees retiring over the past 4-5 years has left a huge void -- we were the ones that were good stewards of the public trust. We knew the rules, and abided by them. There used to be penalties for not abiding by the rules -- counseling memos, letters of reprimand and if you were a really bad actor, you could get fired. Auditors were everywhere -- at the State Controller's Office monitoring the expenditures of departments, their travel claims, and contracts. Department of Personnel Administration/State Personnel Board monitored the hiring and classifications systems--write-ups and justifications had to be submitted and approved. And the biggest gun in State Government was the Department of Finance-- they controlled departments' budget expenditures and practically knew every dollar that was spent, every position that was added and every upgrade that was allowed. There was no having the Controller's numbers differ from the department's numbers....if there was a difference, then there better be a good explanation.
Now there are no longer any real control agencies helping to protect the public's trust. They seem to exist only on paper, but not in actually. No one seems to take responsibility for anything and there is not any accountability. And very worst part is that people who are in positions that should care and they get paid to care, DO NOT. The State of California is a a miniature version of Penn State. No one wants to speak up for fear of making the wrong person look bad and then being forced out of their jobs -- be it civil servants or political appointees.
As much as I like progress, I am all for going back to those "good old days" of State Government, (I can't believe I am saying this as I dreaded all of those endless write-ups, etc.) wherein everything had to be justified to the above mentioned "control" agencies. I firmly believe that is the only way that State Government can begin to function in any meaningful way again.
It starts with hiring competent people at those control agencies, holding them accountable for doing their jobs, and they in turn make all of the departments and their employees accountable. It is a trickle down effect which actually worked very well for many years.
Until that happens, there will not be anyone held to a higher standard and there will not be many "protecting the public's trust".
Monday, June 25, 2012
Vol. 2.10 Kindness Matters
The lack of caring or kindness is endemic -- it exists in politics, workplaces, schools, and in our homes. If one acts out of kindness oftentimes they are accused of being "soft"? I beg to differ, if employees are treated with kindness, trust will ensue. If trust ensues, then employees know that you have their back.
Colin Powell in his book "It Worked for Me", tells a story about parking lot attendants at the Pentagon that he had befriended. Since there were more cars than spaces, he asked them how they decided who got their car first. He wrote, "They gave each other knowing looks and little smiles. "Mr. Secretary,"...it goes like this, when you drive in, if you lower the window, look out, smile, or know our name, you're number one to get out. But if you look straight ahead, don't show that you see us or that we are doing something for you, well you are likely to be one of the last to get out". Employees who are ignored or worst yet, treated badly, will always find a way to get back at their employer.
A case in point was published in the Sacramento Bee on May 27, 2012 regarding a correctional officer, Sandra Knott. Her story is a tragic one at best. In July 2003 she was diagnosed with cancer. While going through chemotherapy she was placed on "light duty" in an office setting. Her cancer went into remission; she went back to correctional officer duties, but then the cancer recurred. This time under a different warden, when she requested light duty she was denied and told that she needed to" fulfill the essential functions of her job". She was offered other positions that would require walking great distances and being on her feet, but she was clearly unable to perform those duties.
Fellow employees in the meantime were donating their time to her in order to keep her on payroll. She decided to take medical leave but she continued, however, to look for other positions within Corrections and sent a query to Jan O'Neill, chief of the Office of Employee Wellness. O'Neill's response was very succinct: "Your letter makes it sound like your need for medical treatment is of concern to me, she wrote. "My only concern is your ability or inability to safely perform the essential functions of your peace officer classification." AMAZING!!
Needless to say, the Department of Corrections is now settling the case for nearly $1 million dollars in damages and is working with her towards a settlement as she is about 15 months short from being able to retire. Her stage 4 cancer continues, so it remains to be seen whether she will even make it to retirement.
A case in point was published in the Sacramento Bee on May 27, 2012 regarding a correctional officer, Sandra Knott. Her story is a tragic one at best. In July 2003 she was diagnosed with cancer. While going through chemotherapy she was placed on "light duty" in an office setting. Her cancer went into remission; she went back to correctional officer duties, but then the cancer recurred. This time under a different warden, when she requested light duty she was denied and told that she needed to" fulfill the essential functions of her job". She was offered other positions that would require walking great distances and being on her feet, but she was clearly unable to perform those duties.
Fellow employees in the meantime were donating their time to her in order to keep her on payroll. She decided to take medical leave but she continued, however, to look for other positions within Corrections and sent a query to Jan O'Neill, chief of the Office of Employee Wellness. O'Neill's response was very succinct: "Your letter makes it sound like your need for medical treatment is of concern to me, she wrote. "My only concern is your ability or inability to safely perform the essential functions of your peace officer classification." AMAZING!!
Needless to say, the Department of Corrections is now settling the case for nearly $1 million dollars in damages and is working with her towards a settlement as she is about 15 months short from being able to retire. Her stage 4 cancer continues, so it remains to be seen whether she will even make it to retirement.
Such lack of compassion or kindness on behalf of an employer is telling. Officials forget the human condition, and think that employees are widgets to be told what to do and when to do it. They also forget the basic of tenet contained in most religions far and wide -- treat others as you would want to be treated.
Kindness matters, especially at the very top level. Employees observe their leadership and decide what kind of culture exists. And if there is trust in top management and difficult decisions need to be made, employees will know that leaders had their best interests at heart.
Colin Powell goes on to say that "every person in an organization has value and wants that value to be recognized. Everyone needs appreciation and reinforcement. Taking care of employees is perhaps the best form of kindness".
Great words of wisdom from Secretary Colin Powell....
Kindness matters, especially at the very top level. Employees observe their leadership and decide what kind of culture exists. And if there is trust in top management and difficult decisions need to be made, employees will know that leaders had their best interests at heart.
Colin Powell goes on to say that "every person in an organization has value and wants that value to be recognized. Everyone needs appreciation and reinforcement. Taking care of employees is perhaps the best form of kindness".
Great words of wisdom from Secretary Colin Powell....
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Vol. 2.9 Are We Progressing or Regressing?
When I started work with the great State of California over forty years ago, there was a structure and an accepted way of doing things. Granted it was a bit rigid, but at least most everyone played by the same set of rules. I began my "illustrious" career at the Department of Motor Vehicles. It was not a progressive place; employees had to be in their seats and ready to work when the bell rang. It was the same at quitting time -- folks would line up at the door waiting for the bell to ring so they could dash down the stairs or be the first one to the elevator in order to exit the building.
There were no unions but there were dress codes. Women wore skirts and dresses -- men wore slacks. No jeans were allowed and women could not wear pants until 1970 when only pant suits were allowed. If you were pregnant and showing, my second state employer, forced women to take leave for their "period of confinement".
Promotions were hard to come by. My third state employer told me I was well qualified but it would take ten year before I would be promoted because others were waiting ahead of me. There were rules, lots of them, but those who administered those rigid rules showed respect for employees and employees were respectful right back. We all understood the rules of "engagement" and most worked within them.
The fourth employer, Youth Authority (which no longer exists) was actually a very progressive place for the late 1970's. They instituted "core hours". Everybody was expected to work an eight hour day, but they HAD to be at work between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm -- meetings were scheduled during those hours. It made life so much easier. It all worked really well.
With the subsequent advent of unions and contracts, alternative work week schedules were allowed. Employers and employers made them work. People were happy. Of late more state employers, without providing any explanation, have decided to curtail those flexible working hours...And now Governor Brown wants to institute a 9.5 hour, 4 day a week work schedule.
Does anyone care about what works for employees? Life still happens. Since my early days in state government, (long ago and far away) the roadways have become congested; parking expensive, and children have many more organized activities. Life has grown more complicated--then why has everything become more rigid rather than more flexible? Where is the work/life balance? Are we regressing or progressing?
There were no unions but there were dress codes. Women wore skirts and dresses -- men wore slacks. No jeans were allowed and women could not wear pants until 1970 when only pant suits were allowed. If you were pregnant and showing, my second state employer, forced women to take leave for their "period of confinement".
Promotions were hard to come by. My third state employer told me I was well qualified but it would take ten year before I would be promoted because others were waiting ahead of me. There were rules, lots of them, but those who administered those rigid rules showed respect for employees and employees were respectful right back. We all understood the rules of "engagement" and most worked within them.
The fourth employer, Youth Authority (which no longer exists) was actually a very progressive place for the late 1970's. They instituted "core hours". Everybody was expected to work an eight hour day, but they HAD to be at work between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm -- meetings were scheduled during those hours. It made life so much easier. It all worked really well.
With the subsequent advent of unions and contracts, alternative work week schedules were allowed. Employers and employers made them work. People were happy. Of late more state employers, without providing any explanation, have decided to curtail those flexible working hours...And now Governor Brown wants to institute a 9.5 hour, 4 day a week work schedule.
Does anyone care about what works for employees? Life still happens. Since my early days in state government, (long ago and far away) the roadways have become congested; parking expensive, and children have many more organized activities. Life has grown more complicated--then why has everything become more rigid rather than more flexible? Where is the work/life balance? Are we regressing or progressing?
Friday, April 20, 2012
Vol. 2.8 "The Better Angels of our Nature"
Those were the closing words used by Abraham Lincoln in his first inaugural speech in 1861 when the country was divided over the slavery issue. It seems appropriate at this moment, when our country is torn by ideologies, to talk about those "angels". If we ever needed to be using the better part of our natures, it would be now.
I believe that everyone of us has a good side to our nature and an equally dark side. Most of the time, the good nature is the only one that is on display -- we try to keep that other side to ourselves. However, it seems more and more that the dark side of our natures is on exhibit daily -- our elected officials, our government officials, our corporate executives and on and on.
And it is being allowed...by all of us. We expected our elected officials to be watching out our best interests, we expected that federal regulators would be regulating all of the industries that they were supposed to -- financial institutions, off shore oil rigs, etc...now even those attached to the secret service are no longer regulating themselves...there are no watchdogs anymore looking at for anything but their own best interests.
No one wants to step up and tell the truth and hold those accountable for their bad acts...only when the media glare is so intense that they have to...and with as many scandals happening these days, it is easy for the rest to just slip way unnoticed. If overseers were to really tell the truth about much of anything they would be forced out of their jobs and probably black listed -- their livelihoods threatened....unless they could score a cushy job with a big fat pay check as a reward for looking the other away when they were supposed to be paying attention.
I think it is about time for me to say this loud and clear, folks, WE ARE ON OUR OWN. I don't think that we can rely on anyone to be "fair and balanced" as is said by Fox News on the radio. It is incumbent on all of us to be and demand "those better angels of our nature", if we are going to mend and heal this country. And we must demand it of ourselves too. Perhaps many of those people in positions of power may have a reason that they operate from their dark "shadow" side...it just may be in their nature to do so.
That's a heavy concept....more on that subject soon.
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