By “Coach Gary” Micheloni
We too often take things for
granted: our family, friends, town, associates, business, and even our country.
It’s the July 4th as I write
this column for the August issue of Masonry,
and it makes me think about what I have been given. Of course, it all comes
from the generosity and vision of those who came before me.
But the heat of summer is
here, and that can be trying for all of us out in the field. And, I am reminded
of those trials as I look at something right next to my laptop: a baby bottle
filled with coins.
Not far from my home is the
town of Fallbrook, Calif., which has a pregnancy resource center. Its mission
is to help women with their kids, from teenage girls to middle-aged moms. The center
is not unique, but the only baby bottle next to my computer is from this
particular resource center. This center uses a baby bottle as a symbol, and
helps with everything from medical concerns to providing struggling, low-income
families with clothes and baby furniture. But each mom has to earn these items by
taking some free classes. Each video class is worth points that a mom can
redeem for a baby crib or clothes for her child. So, what was once a free gift,
now has more value to the family, because Mom has earned it.
Education is huge with this
group, as it is for the vast majority of organizations, some with which you may
be involved. If you look at my baby bottle, it is chock-full of coins:
everything from pennies to quarters. My loose change goes into it, and then I
turn it in as a donation. Unfortunately, there are too many pennies and not
enough quarters in my baby bottle, but they all go into the mix of helping
something worthwhile. It’s the whole idea of “many hands make for light work.”
MCAA is something akin to my
baby bottle. We have sole proprietors with no employees as well as major
construction companies with hundreds. These are pennies and quarters, all in
the same proverbial baby bottle. Everybody is lending a hand, all are doing
what they can, educating our people so that we have the best-trained craftsmen
available in the industry, capable of finishing jobs on time and on budget.
This training often is difficult for a small company to achieve on its own,
yet, it comes with membership. We don’t confer titles upon our people. They
earn them as they learn them.
We sometimes forget about
another function of MCAA: meeting the challenge of educating our marketplace to
the advantages our industry offers: sustainability, efficiency and durability. Add
your own favorites to that mix. But the fact is, even an extremely large
masonry company would find it almost impossible to get out that message to its
market. Right or wrong, architects and engineers, facility buyers, and city and
state officials are often hard pressed to take the cheapest, present alternative,
not the one with the greatest long-term value. Training and lobbying both come
from the same MCAA baby bottle.
The little pregnancy resource center in Fallbrook
has trials every day. Many are small; some are larger than life. Your business,
family and town have daily trials. Most get resolved quickly, but a few can
become serious and have long-term consequences. This is why we associate with
other business people, network with neighbors, struggle together for a common
good, and find solutions to our problems.
On Jan. 1, I didn’t come up with any resolutions
for this year. However, from this August, onward, how about all of us agreeing
upon a simple one: “I will have
gratitude for what I have been given, because I’ve also been given the ability
to join with others and overcome my trials.”
The heat of summer may go on for many more months
yet. My hope is that, come the end of this year, we do see real light at the
end of the tunnel. In good times or bad, know that we will get through it. We
always have. We are the American building industry. Just keep on putting your
pennies and quarters into those baby bottles, and relying upon the leadership
that comes from it.
About Coach Gary: What’s your plan for overcoming trials in 2012? Coaching will help
you get there in less time, and with more success. Ask Coach Gary to speak for
your group, association or convention, or even to coach your company. Coach
Gary’s first book, “Get Paid for a Change!” is available at Amazon.com. Get his
free scheduling seminars at www.MicrosoftProjectClasses.com.
Gary Micheloni is a working
project manager, speaker, author, consultant and coach. Write him at FullContactTeam@gmail.com.
Copyright 2012 Gary Micheloni
No comments:
Post a Comment