Random ruminations

Random ruminations while wondering whatever happened to Joe Biddle …

Cuss Away the %$!&! Pain

There was an article in the paper last week about the therapeutic power of expletives. According to a study by Keele University in England, published in the American Journal of Pain, weaving a tapestry of obscenities (like Ralphie’s dad in A Christmas Story) really can relieve pain.

The caveat to that pain relief however is that “persistently profane persons” who weave that tapestry throughout the day don’t experience the same benefit. While some may choose their words a bit more carefully than others, I’ve seen similar studies in the past that said it was really just the emotional release through the words that actually provided the relief.

Like most things, it seems you won’t really get relief unless you express yourself.

Tebow – Live and Let Live

If you have a problem with the way Tim Tebow plays, or you just think he’s not a very good quarterback, fine. If, on the other hand, your problem is with who he is as an openly religious man, that’s a you problem, not a him problem. This is the same Tim Tebow we’ve seen for the last 6 years since he started sharing time at QB with Chris Leak as a freshman at Florida – known then as a running QB, and an open and devout Christian.

Look, we hear people complain all the time about celebrities using the spotlight to bring attention to their causes – tree hugging, gun rights, presidential preferences, whatever. So what. I really can’t consider those things when I’m choosing my entertainment. I figure if I chose my movies, music, books or sports teams by which ones have stars that see things my way, I’ll probably not have entertainment at all.

You’re really only cheating yourself if you weigh those things before deciding who you’ll like and dislike. Besides, the Denver Broncos are a whole lot more interesting with Tebow playing.

It really is a wonderful life

We went to see It’s A Wonderful Life last weekend on the big screen (!) at The Historic Belcourt Theater. It’s one of my Christmastime must-see movies, so seeing it there was a particular treat.

I won’t go into too much detail – if you haven’t seen the movie, you’re really missing out. Anyway, there’s a part at the beginning where they send for Clarence (a long-passed-over angel still waiting to get his wings) to brief him on how to help George Bailey, and Clarence asks, “Is he sick?” and the answer is “No, worse. He’s discouraged.”

When I heard that line (for probably the hundredth time or better) I thought, “Isn’t that the truth!” Few things can negatively impact our lives like being discouraged. Being discouraged really is worse than being sick – it can really take its toll both mentally and physically. At least when you’re sick you have reasonable expectations about the recovery time; you never know how long you’ll be discouraged. And it’s the same in our personal lives as it is in our work: Being discouraged prevents us from being our best.

In order to do our best work, we have to be motivated, and discouragement beats down our motivation – it’s the first cousin of frustration. One leads to the other and vice versa. No matter where you fall in the hierarchy of the organization, you can have a positive impact. If you have to, you can wage a personal fight against discouragement and frustration, and that translates not only into a happier you, but a more productive you too. I’d wager it’d have a positive impact on those with whom you have contact on a daily basis as well.

Like George Bailey, we may not realize it, but our lives touch many other lives. What we do and how we do it isn’t just our own business – it’s the business of those around us as well. We all have bad days from time to time and it’s much easier to get past those days when we have positive interactions with those around us. Oftentimes it’s as simple as a smile, but it makes a difference. Don’t underestimate your impact on the lives of others – maximize it. How wonderful it is is largely up to us.

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy holidays!

(George Biddle is a longtime sports columnist and sports radio guy in Nashville. He used to write a column on Sundays with that Random Ruminations header. I miss that column.)

Learning Lessons from Mr. Scrooge

I wrote last week about how much I like cold weather for the holidays – between Thanksgiving and New Years. And then no more!

Christmas movies are something else I really look forward to, and we watch ‘em all. From Ralphie and Clark, to Susan and George, and even The Santa Clause movies. One of the movies we watched this week is A Christmas Carol. I like the one with Alistair Sim as Scrooge; it just seems like the real thing to me. I’ve seen the one with George C. Scott, and I just can’t get past the General Patton as Ebenezer Scrooge thing.

Anyway, as I was watching, I cringed at the notion of “face time equals quality time” in the workplace. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the scene where Bob Cratchit, working late on Christmas Eve(!), asks for Christmas Day off “if it’s quite convenient.” Of course, Scrooge decries its inconvenience and begrudgingly gives him the day off contingent on him being back at work “all the earlier” the day after.

I’ve beaten this drum before, and I’ll probably do it again (and again, and again), but there are organizations out there that are still stuck in this model. It’s the 21^st Century people! It doesn’t even matter that the workplaces of yesterday were the only place workers could access the tools needed to do their jobs; it should be about productivity. Are you getting the job done? If the answer’s yes, what difference does it make if you’re there “all the earlier” or staying later?

Granted, some jobs require workers onsite for a certain period of time – it’ll always be that way. But even for those folks, as long as the job is getting done and customers are being served with the exceptional service they expect and deserve, why should it matter if the Facebook account gets some attention from time-to-time? That’s the world we live in – it won’t end. Just get your stuff done.

I’ve talked a lot this year about transparency and open communication; it's what makes communication meaningful. Real constructive organizational communication requires the conversation to flow from all directions, not just directives pushed from the top. Speak up, give feedback, express your ideas – it’s a team effort. That’s how we grow.

I came across this the other day in an article and thought, “These guys really had it together.” This is the way Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, who founded HP in 1939, ran their company from the outset. Look at their success. It’s worth emulating.

The HP Way

We have trust and respect for individuals.

We approach each situation with the belief that people want to do a good job and will do so, given the proper tools and support. We attract highly capable, diverse, innovative people and recognize their efforts and contributions to the company. HP people contribute enthusiastically and share in the success that they make possible.

We focus on a high level of achievement and contribution.

Our customers expect HP products and services to be of the highest quality and to provide lasting value. To achieve this, all HP people, especially managers, must be leaders who generate enthusiasm and respond with extra effort to meet customer needs. Techniques and management practices which are effective today may be outdated in the future. For us to remain at the forefront in all our activities, people should always be looking for new and better ways to do their work.

We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity.

We expect HP people to be open and honest in their dealings to earn the trust and loyalty of others. People at every level are expected to adhere to the highest standards of business ethics and must understand that anything less is unacceptable. As a practical matter, ethical conduct cannot be assured by written HP policies and codes; it must be an integral part of the organization, a deeply ingrained tradition that is passed from one generation of employees to another.

We achieve our common objectives through teamwork.

We recognize that it is only through effective cooperation within and among organizations that we can achieve our goals. Our commitment is to work as a worldwide team to fulfill the expectations of our customers, shareholders and others who depend upon us. The benefits and obligations of doing business are shared among all HP people.

We encourage flexibility and innovation.

We create an inclusive work environment which supports the diversity of our people and stimulates innovation. We strive for overall objectives which are clearly stated and agreed upon, and allow people flexibility in working toward goals in ways that they help determine are best for the organization. HP people should personally accept responsibility and be encouraged to upgrade their skills and capabilities through ongoing training and development. This is especially important in a technical business where the rate of progress is rapid and where people are expected to adapt to change.

It’s great to work for a company that thinks like this, so be a participant, not a bystander. You’ll not only have more fun and be more productive while it’s happening, you’ll be able to look back in a few years and say, “I helped do that.”

Civility: It's Not Just For The Holidays!

As a rule, I hate cold weather. No, I mean, I really hate cold weather. I’m ready to defend possession of my Man Card, but I’m that guy that starts bundling up when the temperature drops below 70 degrees. Yeah, I know.

As with most things though, there is an exception to this rule: I love the cold between Thanksgiving and New Years. It just feels more like the holidays when the temperature drops, and the forecasters talk about snow.

The other thing that seems to happen more around the holidays is people treat each other better. They’re more polite. They’re more patient. They smile more. There even seems to be more politeness on the road. It always makes me wonder why, if they’re capable of being that way for 6 weeks, they don’t do that year round.

The book I’m reading right now is titled The No Asshole Rule. It’s written by Robert Sutton who’s a professor at Stanford University. His evidence shows not only how much more productive a workplace can be when people are nice and treat each other with respect, but how damaging to a workplace those jerks are. (He also contends, right up front, that “jerks” just doesn’t quite “capture the fear and loathing” that he has for those “nasty people.” Asshole has that impact.)

Dr. Sutton also cites evidence that assholes cause more damage per impression than nice people can compensate for with good deeds. So apparently you need a higher ratio of good to combat evil. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work to me. Be nice. Treat people well.

Too often, it seems like we get caught up in the day-to-day, and lose sight of how much easier it is to be nice than to snipe and cut (mean people also have to think up way too many clever and mean things to say and do). The workplace is the best place to keep in mind that we’re all working toward the same goals, and that the best rule is The Golden Rule. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Very simple.

Enjoy the holidays. Enjoy the cold weather. And carry that holiday spirit of treating people well throughout the year. There are a zillion studies that show how much healthier happy people are than the grumpy ones. So do it for your health!