October 3rd, 1995 was my first day here at Air Flow.
Now, 30 years later, I’ve tasked myself with saying something about Give-A-Shitology.
Yep, everyone gives a shit about something. Sometimes it’s just not their job.
It makes me wonder.
I wonder if the people who were ruthless came out ‘better’ in the end.
I wonder if the arrogant ones learned humility. Or were taught it through failure.
I wonder if I missed the event, would anyone have noticed?
I wonder if the ones who showed up early and stayed late were any better off.
I wonder if the ones who couldn’t bother with the details ever had to catch up with them.
I wonder if the kindness people paid others was reciprocated.
I wonder if all this gets rebalanced in the afterworld.
At this point in my life, I’d like to think of myself as someone who leads with Give-A-Shit-Ology. I can only hope that the good stuff I did outweighs what was objectionable.
Just so happens I’m more aware of my weakness now, and I’m better at working around them.
Certainly, there are people who found me to be arrogant, neglect of details, selfish, or unkind in my tenure here. And if they did, then it’s true, I know it is, and I’ve tried to own the ones I know about.
It’s part of the deal with leadership: you make tough calls and inadvertently (or intentionally) hurt people along the way.
It’s also the deal with experience, where you cut to the chase because there’s limited energy to go around.
It’s also the deal with experience, where you cut to the chase because there’s limited energy to go around.
It’s also part of the deal with hubris, as we all think we’re maybe a little better than we truly are.
I see you, Give-A-Shitology practitioners. I’ll bet you must wonder what I wonder, if the additional effort and energy has a payoff.
Do it anyway.
Show up to the party when you don’t know anyone. Attend the wake even though you’re uncomfortable. Go to the company party even though it might be boring. Call the person back, tell them no, and why. State your opinion. Ask the question. Say you don’t know.
Sorry introverts. I know it’s harder on you.
Enough of the questions. What’s my conclusion?
People who demonstrate a Give-A-Shit mindset receive rewards for it in a manner that’s impossible to quantify.
- They receive consideration that they might not otherwise.
- They are sometimes taken advantage of.
- They are remembered.
- They are put on the short list.
- They get the first call.
- They are asked for their opinion.
There’s no single line in your profit-and-loss statement for Give-A-Shitology. But if you think about it, every individual line includes it.
On the costs, we make sacrifices for the things we value.
In revenue, people attempt to buy from people they trust.
Please enjoy a re-trad of one of my all-time favorite videos.
Tom
