Taking Aim p. 193
Problem I would like to solve:
Not enough time in the day.
I’ve been stuck on one behavior – 4 hours each day spent commuting and all the while wishing I was doing school work, working out at the gym, yard work . . .
The storm:
Get a small apartment near work to spend 2 or 3 nights each week (3 nights = 12 hours saved)
Move closer to work.
Work closer to home.
Move back to Chesterfield.
Sleep in the office 2 or 3 nights each week.
Stay in a fire station 2 or 3 nights each week.
I’m going to work on the apartment one and staying at a fire station. Each seem to have their drawbacks – apartment cost money, fire station with the radio, cheap beds and not home.
There may be additional cost savings with the apartment that can off-set the rent, like gas money. I’ll have to research that one.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Midless stuff
Target Practice p. 191
I will spend 20 minutes to a half hour each day doing:
Anything physical. Some of my best “ideas” (some would say lame brained) have come when I was mindlessly exercising. It’s funny, they never have come when I was out on the road or trail riding a bike or running, and they came on the treadmill, stationary bike or in the pool. I think it’s because I can be mindless – not worried about cars or stepping on a root. The monotony of the stationary machine, or that endless black line on the bottom of the pool, seems to hypnotize me and my mind wonders off of those things that normally occupy my thoughts (personnel problems at work, project deadlines, and budget presentations).
I will spend 20 minutes to a half hour each day doing:
Anything physical. Some of my best “ideas” (some would say lame brained) have come when I was mindlessly exercising. It’s funny, they never have come when I was out on the road or trail riding a bike or running, and they came on the treadmill, stationary bike or in the pool. I think it’s because I can be mindless – not worried about cars or stepping on a root. The monotony of the stationary machine, or that endless black line on the bottom of the pool, seems to hypnotize me and my mind wonders off of those things that normally occupy my thoughts (personnel problems at work, project deadlines, and budget presentations).
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Page 175 - St. Bart here I come!
Whose day did I make today (this week)? Unfortunately I can only think of one (so much for St. Bart), but that one carries some weight – my wife. After the discussion about money, I agreed to go with her to the Wine Festival in Norfolk this weekend. After all the negative money discussions, we were having a difficult time. But, with all that going on, I still made time in my busy week to carve out a Sunday trip to the Waterside for a taste of the grape. She’s excited, and I’m hammering out the school work on Saturday night to get it all done before then. Cheers
Page 170 Taking Aim - Then Duck
I actually did this with my wife, some of this I won’t go into (hope you understand) but here is the quick version.
We had some money problems a few years back – I earned it she spent it – all of it. She is of the mindset that if I have checks (or the bank card keeps working), I still have money. Over the last couple of weeks, her spend-o-rama habits have been returning – not staying on a budget, buying dinner for friends when they go out, new black shoes (there are already black shoes in the closet 4 PAIR – I don’t understand – male DNA and all that).
We went through the exercise in the book, and while time will tell and I am optimistic, the discussion did put things out on the table that at least made me feel better, and we now have a better understanding of each other’s reasons for how we feel (except I still don’t understand the shoe thing).
We had some money problems a few years back – I earned it she spent it – all of it. She is of the mindset that if I have checks (or the bank card keeps working), I still have money. Over the last couple of weeks, her spend-o-rama habits have been returning – not staying on a budget, buying dinner for friends when they go out, new black shoes (there are already black shoes in the closet 4 PAIR – I don’t understand – male DNA and all that).
We went through the exercise in the book, and while time will tell and I am optimistic, the discussion did put things out on the table that at least made me feel better, and we now have a better understanding of each other’s reasons for how we feel (except I still don’t understand the shoe thing).
Page 167 Target Practice - Problem People
A person I am having a problem with is Nick Feldman (not his real name, some of you in this class may know this person).
Something I want from this person I’m not getting is for his desire to do his job well to equal his desire to be promoted. I actually enjoy seeing people succeed, and this person wants a promotion, but he is not willing to do his current job well enough or with a degree of dedication to move forward. I have discussed this with him on a number of occasions and given him rather specific tasks, objective and time lines to meet, but to no avail. I’ve had to make recommendations to NOT promote him due to his lack of motivation to do the job. He is really killing my “fun” quotient.
I can't really tell him what I really want now, because I'm afraid that is for him to get transferred - not a good management comment. So, I will continue to tell him what I want - him to do his job - and maybe he will catch on one day.
Something I want from this person I’m not getting is for his desire to do his job well to equal his desire to be promoted. I actually enjoy seeing people succeed, and this person wants a promotion, but he is not willing to do his current job well enough or with a degree of dedication to move forward. I have discussed this with him on a number of occasions and given him rather specific tasks, objective and time lines to meet, but to no avail. I’ve had to make recommendations to NOT promote him due to his lack of motivation to do the job. He is really killing my “fun” quotient.
I can't really tell him what I really want now, because I'm afraid that is for him to get transferred - not a good management comment. So, I will continue to tell him what I want - him to do his job - and maybe he will catch on one day.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Indexes
Index I
There are a number of people out there who I would like to get to know. Many of them are those who I have looked up to in my career or life. I think what they have to offer me is far more than I have to offer them. I believe that I can learn from their experiences and improve on the way I interact in my work and personal life.
Index II
Rather than move toward being “in charge of something”, I’d like to get out of charge of some things. I have enough of the in charge stuff now: I’m the chairman of 3 statewide committees for different organizations, a division head in the fire department, and a co-owner of a company that is beginning to take off. I would actually like to get into something where I can be a worker bee for a change.
Index III
Something new to learn – This one I already have on the radar screen. When next semester is over (I’ll be done with my degree), I’m going to take guitar lessons. My grandfather taught me the basics many years ago, and I have a nice guitar now. I would really like to learn how to play it right.
There are a number of people out there who I would like to get to know. Many of them are those who I have looked up to in my career or life. I think what they have to offer me is far more than I have to offer them. I believe that I can learn from their experiences and improve on the way I interact in my work and personal life.
Index II
Rather than move toward being “in charge of something”, I’d like to get out of charge of some things. I have enough of the in charge stuff now: I’m the chairman of 3 statewide committees for different organizations, a division head in the fire department, and a co-owner of a company that is beginning to take off. I would actually like to get into something where I can be a worker bee for a change.
Index III
Something new to learn – This one I already have on the radar screen. When next semester is over (I’ll be done with my degree), I’m going to take guitar lessons. My grandfather taught me the basics many years ago, and I have a nice guitar now. I would really like to learn how to play it right.
Cutting Down on . . .
Activities to cut down on:
I would like to cut down on confrontational interactions with co-workers and employees. The problem is some of these activities are part of the job. When I have to council an employee on poor performance, and he or she defends their actions (or non-actions) on someone else’s back, I get irritated.
While their reactions are beyond my control, I think I can at least group these activities to minimize the number of miserable days. For example, every Tuesday is staff meeting for our department. Many of these days turn into some type of confrontation on their own in fighting (not literally) for money, people or time. I can coordinate all of those employee confrontational interactions into counseling sessions on Tuesday afternoon. This gets the multiple bad meetings into at least one day and the other 4 in the week can be the positive days.
People to cut down on:
The ex-wife. While I have at least 4 more years I will have to interact with her, every time I have to speak with her it is always something negative. I never get good news from her and when the conversation is over, I often get that burning sensation in my gut, headaches, and I’m ready to run off to an isolated Caribbean island where she can’t find me.
While I will not be able to eliminate this interaction for the foreseeable future, I can rest easy that there will be an end. In the mean time, I’ll keep the Tums, Advil and travel agent on speed dial.
I would like to cut down on confrontational interactions with co-workers and employees. The problem is some of these activities are part of the job. When I have to council an employee on poor performance, and he or she defends their actions (or non-actions) on someone else’s back, I get irritated.
While their reactions are beyond my control, I think I can at least group these activities to minimize the number of miserable days. For example, every Tuesday is staff meeting for our department. Many of these days turn into some type of confrontation on their own in fighting (not literally) for money, people or time. I can coordinate all of those employee confrontational interactions into counseling sessions on Tuesday afternoon. This gets the multiple bad meetings into at least one day and the other 4 in the week can be the positive days.
People to cut down on:
The ex-wife. While I have at least 4 more years I will have to interact with her, every time I have to speak with her it is always something negative. I never get good news from her and when the conversation is over, I often get that burning sensation in my gut, headaches, and I’m ready to run off to an isolated Caribbean island where she can’t find me.
While I will not be able to eliminate this interaction for the foreseeable future, I can rest easy that there will be an end. In the mean time, I’ll keep the Tums, Advil and travel agent on speed dial.
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