Bullwhip And Chair

Today's Thoughts. By Jeff Head 12/6/14 Bullwhip And Chair

I remember a story I heard many years back about a man paid a million dollars to run a steel plant.  The reason he was paid this amount was not so much that he knew all that much about steel, but more so because he knew how to handle people.  One day as he was walking through the plant he noticed three employees standing inside under the no smoking sign smoking their cigarettes.  As he walks up to them, he asks how their day is going, about their families and their favorite sports team.  After he chats with them for a bit, never saying one word about the rule they were breaking, he reaches into his pocket and hands them each a cigar.  He then tells them that he would appreciate it if they would smoke them outside in the designated smoking area and walks off.  He never seen those employees smoking inside again and they maintained a great working relationship as time went on.

Where I work now, with a company at a company, I see many bosses and their employee's interact with each other all day long.  Many contractors come onto the property with their employees as well as many truck drivers delivering and picking up loads. My job as a spotter has me interacting with many of these people, some just occasionally, others many times each day.  The one thing I have noticed about all of this is just how true the story of the man who was paid a million dollars to run that plant.

It does not take long to figure out just whom it is you want to approach when a problem arises. Those that demand respect, then crack that whip are generally ignored and receive very little respect.  People hide their mistakes from them, problems go unsolved and the work and relationships suffer.  On the other hand, those I see taking the time to talk, ask questions and then bring the other person in on the solution are looked up to.  People seek them out when a problem arises instead of hiding in fear of a crack from the whip. 

As truckers we often find ourselves meeting and working with people all of the time.  The people we work with on a daily bases or those we meet and never see again in just a few minutes all  have a affect on how our day goes.  Building a respectful and trusting relationship is essential for us to be able to do our jobs as safely and legally as we can. 

I always found that lending a sympatric ear to my long time friends went a long way while with those I will only know for a few short minutes making them laugh would usually do the trick.  What I always loved was a rude trucker in front of me so that when they stormed off, I could side with the other person and they would tend to my needs first letting the rude trucker sit and steam.  I learned early on in my career that handing out cigars was a lot better way of dealing with people then picking up a bullwhip and chair.

 

 

God Bless America

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