The Things We Take For Granted

Right before Christmas, all our appliances stopped working. We had planned to remodel our kitchen and thought this would be a good time to do it. However, we live in an old house and many issues were detected. We did not have water for a couple of days. We ate carry-out daily because we could not cook during the construction. I ate cereal for breakfast and what was scheduled as a three-day project is now approaching its second week. Once the plumbing was repaired, we enjoyed a nice hot shower with better water pressure and cleaner water. The project is near completion, unless more issues are discovered.

As I watched the contractors, I thought about so many things we take for granted, things that make our lives simpler. Cooking on a stove. Running water in the kitchen and bath. Electricity to turns lights on and off. Not being able to park my car in my driveway. These things I freely enjoy and suddenly they were taken away, forcing me to exercise patience at a new level. The remodel will be beautiful when completed, but in the interim, I am surrounded by banging, sawing, clanking, hammering, nailing, and dust. I am writing this post before the contractors arrive to resume their daily activities.

Are there things and people in your life you take for granted? Do you appreciate the people in your life who put up with your foolishness? How about the staff and employees who show up on time every day, put in a full day's work and never complain? What about the people who remain loyal to your team when others choose to leave? Do you say thank you to those who do things without complaining, making your life easier? We take these people for granted expecting them to show up, wrongfully thinking a paycheck is thanks enough. Many people sacrifice to serve your organizations. They commute long distances, sit in old furniture, wear sweaters at their desks because the HVAC unit needs to be replaced. They drink bad coffee and put up with poor attitudes while choosing to take the high road every day and remain a team-player, while others could care less about the team. If you don't know how your organization would function without these people, it it time to show them love and appreciation.

This year give some more thought on how you plan to reward these individuals for their faithfulness. They hold on, put up, and shut up for you. As I have said often, people do not leave organizations. They leave the leadership and culture of organizations. Some remain committed to their assignment because failure is not an options. Quitting is not in their DNA. Stop taking people for granted. Appreciate the work they do and respect them for their character. You know you would have a heart attack if your best people suddenly decided to walk away from you. Don't let that happen.

Give people their flowers while they can smell them.