Sam the Snowman tries to defy his mortality

It was just after Halloween when a small group of Santa’s Elves were taking a break from their exhaustive year end push to build toys for all the kids around the world and decided to go outside and play on their 45 minute union local 1 of the International Brotherhood of Elves, Deer, and Abominable Snowmen (IBEDAS) provided break. Several of the elves decided to roll snow together and make a giant snowman. Flakes were packed into little balls and the balls where then compacted into mounds that stacked upon each other to create the outer form of a snowman.  The elves ran down the hill into a short ravine and grabbed up coal to place on its head to make a face. Other elves brought clothing to dress the snowman. They placed small stick on his sides for arms. Then Ellen Elf opened up a little bag that she hid from Santa, containing magical dust. She sprinkled the dusts on the snowman and it magically came to life. As the snowman started to look around Ellen said, “You look like a Sam”. “So, we are going to call you Sam the Snowman”. From the back of the group he heard, “Snow Person.”

Over the next few weeks Sam slid around and played with the elves while on their breaks. They threw snow balls at each other and raced down hills. The elves used sleds while Sam simply slid on his belly. When the elves were back at work Sam played with the other animals in the forest.  During Thanksgiving the elves changed Sam’s outfit to match the Indians (Native Americans) from down south. At that point Sam realized he was all alone. He didn’t have any other snow people to spend this special time with. He looked sullen and that is not allowed at the North Pole. The elves noticed Sam’s melancholy and told him that they would make him a playmate. Sam was excited. He watched the elves roll and pile up the snow just as they made him. He expected to see three large balls matching his shape but the elves had something else in mind, something special; they started making curves. Sam slid up and asked, “Hey, I thought you were making me a playmate?” The elves replied, “We are making you a playmate, a snow woman.” Sam was excited, at the same time alarmed, at this new revelation. He was fat and had thin arms. He immediately rushed to the woods. The elves thought he was scared, but Sam was on a mission. He looked for big strong wood for his arms. He used a stick to rub off some of the snow from around his belly and carved a six pack for abs. He picked up more snow and created pectoral muscles.  He was looking good and he knew it.

Sam slid back over to the snow woman and started posing as she was coming to life. He said, “My name is Sam”. Ellen Elf walked over and said, “Her name is Sheila”. The elves had placed aqua colored gem stones in her head for eyes. Sam just stared. Sheila said, “You are starting to make me feel uncomfortable.” Sam, shook his head and snapped out of his trance. He introduced himself again and they began to talk as the elves returned to their shifts. Sheila was humorous and intelligent and they became fast friends. As Christmas approached, they continued to play with the elves and even helped move packages from cold storage to the loading area. They ensured the natural gas connections were tight on the tanks, because Santa recycled the reindeer poop after coal had been outlawed for carbon emissions. On Christmas Eve they watched from the top of a great hill as Santa and his reindeer ran down the EPA approved runway.

On New Years Eve Sam and Shelly again sat on the hill looking at the auroras dancing in the sky. The elves were having a party in the dining hall. Some had too much dancing and drinking and were outside with their shirts off sweating. Others were not feeling well and were vomiting. Sam guessed it was a bug going around. He looked over at Sheila and said, “I wonder what next year will be like?”  Sheila turned to him with one eye up and said, “Ya-ah” as if she knew something.

Through January things went great. Sam and Sheila loved the cold and being with each other. Then one day things changed. Sam picked up a snow ball and threw it at Rocco, one of Mrs. Santa’s prized Sleigh Elves.  Not only did the snowball have a rock inside but it was also a low throw striking just below the belt buckle. Rocco hit the ground with a thud and screamed out in pain. He was still huffing and puffing as the other Sleigh Elves carried him into the ultra secure Sleigh Elves training facility. Within minutes, Mrs. Claus dressed in an ultra form fitting outfit came running out of the building; remember from the Santa story that Mrs. Claus takes extra special attention to her Sleigh Elves. Sam stared in bewilderment that Mrs. Claus was outside in these frigid temperatures with her hair tied up over her shoulders and not stockings on. He was confused; what goes on in their? She must keep it hot.

Mrs. Claus ran up to Sam and started to yell like he had never heard before. She screamed that he had bruised one of her prized elves. She began, “Listen here snow flake. You just hurt one of my most talented associates. They are all finely toned athletes under my direct supervision and no one but me put their hands on them.” Sam attempted to say, “I’m sorry.” But he was cut off short. Mrs. Claus pointed a finger at him and said, “Do it again and I will personally take you in and sit you by the fireplace. The next time you are seen will be on the Discovery Channel being run through a slosh box for a gold miner.” Sam just gasped. Then Mrs. Claus faced perked up a bit and said; “Now I will have to rub the wound all day to ensure it doesn’t bruise.” As she turned with a bright smile on her face, she pointed a finger and said, “Perhaps you should go look into the deep ravine. Yes, I think you should.”

Sam was still gasping at what he heard. He knew what had just happened. Mrs. Claus threatened to melt him. There would be no evidence, he would evaporate. He turned and went to the deep ravine. He felt faint when he looked down. Sam saw different clothes everywhere. He instantly new they had once been on other snowmen. He screamed out, “Nooooooooooo”. “How can this be?” Sheila had by now caught up to him. She finally realized that Sam did not know in the spring they would melt. As Sheila began to tell Sam that they only had a couple months left he began to panic. She said the other snowmen go into the ravine in order to stay cool longer and avoid the sun when it gets warm. Sam replied, “I will find a way to save us; save us I can, because Sam I am.”  

Over the next few weeks Sam changed. He found maps and tried to find a way out and go further north. He became angry and started to throw his snow poop at the trees and other animals. They didn’t realize it was poop because it still looked like snow. He would randomly scream, “I wish I had not been made at all”. He got onto a Builder Elf’s computer realized the coal as his eyes and mouth would heat up first and would fall out. He shopped on line and found a set of thermal heat resistant eyes and mouth with reflective coloring. As a package, the total was only $55.00. He began to ask the elves for donations to his cause. Sheila simply laughed and giggled at his efforts. Finally, he had $47.50 in cash, and one elf left to talk too, Ellen. She named him, so he thought she would give him the money. As Ellen was working on a doll, Sam slowly approached Ellen and asked how she was. She looked up and said, “I know why you are here and I’m saving my money for a new pop gun.” Sam pled his case with Ellen to no avail. She had stopped listening to him minutes before. Sam, looking determined, if not embarrassed, looked at Ellen and said, “Don’t make me tell Santa about the secret dust you have hidden under your skirt. Santa doesn’t like people holding out on him”. Ellen’s jaw dropped. She knew the punishment for holding out on Santa. She yelled, “Fine”. She began to place the order and Sam sarcastically said, “Express mail please.”

A few days later the order arrived and Sam replaced his mouth and eyes with the new eco-friendly thermal resistant prosthetic devices. Sheila again laughed at him. Sam only replied, “You think it’s funny now, but I’m gonna make it. I’m gotta survive.”  Sheila simply said, “How about you enjoy the time we have together and stop trying to stop the inevitable”. Sam said, “You’re right”, but secretly planned how to escape to the great white north.  One day he revealed his plan to Sheila. He said they would head out tomorrow and go to the ultra-north pole. There they could be alone. Sheila simply said, “No.”. This was her home where she was made and will stay. The only thing in the ultra-north pole was polar bears and she thought they were dumb. Sam angrily said, “Fine, I will leave now without you.” He started to head north when he met a seal named Harry. Harry was sitting on the ice and while a killer whale kept popping its head threw the hole. Harry yelled, “You with the stick come here”. Sam approached and Harry took one of Sam’s arms and began to hit the Kevin the killer whale on the nose and yell, “Get back in your hole, I’m now armed. Get it, I got his arm.” As Sam watched Harry continue to beat the killer whale, he told Harry of his plight.  Harry replied, “You have two choices, go melt with the one you love, or go up north by yourself and know your loved one melted. You will survive, but be by yourself forever.” Sam replied, “OK, I’m good with that”, I can live with that and started to head north. Then he realized the story had to end, and he begrudgingly turned around.

He went back to Sheila and explained what happened. He explained that the author forced him back against his will. She still hugged him anyway. The days slowly got longer and warmer. They both began to lose weight and one of Sam’s pectoral muscles fell off. Sam said he was going to hide in the ravine like the rest had done before him. Sheila said she was not going to hide and wanted to watch the sun rise everyday. Sam simply headed to the ravine. After a couple of days, he realized what everyone had been saying. He enjoyed the early part of his life, got threatened, and then tried to cheat death for the later part of his life. He could melt there by himself, because the author would still not allow his successful escape, or he could go back up there and melt with Sheila. He slowly worked his way out of the ravine. Sheila was melting by now. He took her stick hand into his and she said, that they could melt and their waters would puddle together. They would then always to together as one.” For the first time in weeks, Sam simply smiled in acceptance. Over the next few weeks, they watched the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening; until the day that their eyes finally melted out and they were left blind. But they had each other till the very end.

    

        

Perspectives in Truth: From A Dog And His Owner

During seminars a common question always comes up about the nature of truth. What is true and how does it differ from one person to another. Is it true, when we look at the color being reflected by an object it is the same for everyone, or simply we believe that the wavelength we are observing is color x? Wars are fought over issues and facts that people believe are true. Governments around the world have different political parties that espouse their own ideas of what is true or not. 

Let’s look at a simple story and see how truth can be observed differently between two observers. Liam is an average 25 year old guy who lives in a house by himself and his faithful dog, Rex. He bought Rex when he was only a few weeks old and knows Rex could not live without his care.  Liam chose the name Rex because he was the top dog in the litter. Rex is a 2.5 year old German Sheppard; he prefers to go by his own chosen dog name Magnus. Magnus tolerates being called Rex because Liam amuses him. Magnus wonders how Liam ever survived infancy without the guidance of a dog.

Let’s see how truth works in their lives. Liam comes home from a day at the office and lets Rex into the house. Liam thinks Rex has been relaxing all day in the back yard; Liam believes dogs have it easy. On the other hand, Magnus thinking part two of his long day has just begun. He has spent all day protecting the house from burglars, thieves, and nasty rodents like squirrels. He hasn’t been relaxing. No, he has been on guard duty all day!

When Liam gets home he wants to sit down and watch television while it is his turn to relax, without being bothered by Rex. Magnus sees this and thinks, “Oh no, I’ve got to get this lazy guy up and going.” “For gosh sakes, your fat”, maybe you should join a gym.” Magnus starts running around on the carpet and jumping on the furniture in order to get Liam up from the couch. Liam in return starts calling Rex a stupid dog, but eventually he goes for the dog leash. Magnus thinks, “Great, now I have to lead Liam around the neighborhood again.” “After all of these times, you would think he would know how to walk up the street and back.” “Maybe that is why he sits and watches the box because he can’t figure out how to get out of his neighborhood?”

As they begin to walk outside, Magnus sees a group of flowers by the edge of a neighbor’s yard. He thinks, “Maybe I can educate Liam by showing him some flowers.” “Maybe he will see the beauty nature has to offer.” As Magnus walks over to the neighbors flower bed Liam yanks the leash and drags him back. Liam yells, “Rex, stay out of those flowers.” Choking, Magnus thinks this guy is an idiot. He was simply trying to show the guy who can’t walk around the block, without being led, what nature has to offer. For his efforts he gets choked in return. As they continue their walk, Liam sees Rex stop off by a male box. He sniffs around and then urinates on the bottom of the male box base. Liam thinks how simple Rex is for marking his territory. On the other hand, Magnus smelled the scent of three bad dogs, one attractive female lab, two disgusting rats and a bird which has set up her home in the news paper box. Magnus isn’t simply marking his territory. No, he is telling the rodents and bad dogs,  “Back off, Magnus was here”, and I will take care of business if necessary..” He is also leaving a message for the lady lab to stop by his house the next time she escapes the fence.

As the walk continues Liam sees a friend of his. They stop in the street and begin to talk. Magnus, knowing this will take a while simply sits down. Liam’s friend complements him on how well he has trained Rex. Magnus simply stares at the two guys. He thinks to himself, “Great now we have two idiots on the loose”. As he becomes more board, he simply lays down. Eventually, they walk back to the house and Magnus is both hungry and thirsty. Liam fills the bowls with Rex’s name on the sides. The first bowl is filled with water, and the second with his usual dry dog food. Liam then cooks himself a nice steak dinner. When Liam sits down to eat his steak he finds Magnus sitting next to him. Liam yells for Rex to stop begging and to eat his dog food. In dog speak, Magnus starts to lecture Liam. “I have long sharp teeth”. “My teeth were made for tearing into meat.” “You, on the other hand, have teeth made for grinding.” “You should be the one eating the hardened corn meal that is passed off as food.” I should be the one eating the steak. This is what I get for protecting you?” All Liam hears is Rex howling and spinning around like dogs often do. Eventually, Liam gives Rex a small piece of steak and they are both happy.

As you can see from this story, there are many different aspects of truth. A truthful a simple version could be about a man taking his dog for a walk. From Liam’s perspective, the true story could be that he takes his over active dog Rex for a walk; Rex urinates on a male box, and begs for food. Magnus, if he could talk, would say the truth is he never gets a break. He plays security guard all day and then has to lead his owner around, because Liam can’t remember how to talk from point A to point B by himself. Then as a reward, he is given hardened corn meal dog food for dinner. Which story is true? They all are. What is true is truly a matter of perspective.

  

Historical Account: The Plight of the Average Man

January 1, 1066, John Aldridge was working his peasant field when a neighbor, Flint, walked up the gray clay road. Flint walked over to John and said the “King is dead”, and Harold has taken has been chosen as the new king. John paused, and then said, “Does it matter?” “Will the new king bring new crops to my fields?” “Will he help lower my rent?” “I work from sun up to sun down to provide my family with food. If I fail, I go hungry, not my lord.” John replied, “Well” Flint replied, “William from Normandy will be coming; we shall see how it turns for all of us”.  The winter turned to spring and nothing was heard. John went on with his daily routine of trying to provide for his family, while paying rent for his 2 acre farm.  One day his Lord Argon arrived on foot, just better than serfdom himself. Lord Argon walked up to John and said, “You are my subject, you work my lands and you will pay me homage”. “Grab your sword and come with me.” John replied. “Where are we going?” He was simply told, “Shut up and come, or I will kick you off my lands.” John knowing that meant certain starvation for his family went to his one room mud hut, with thatch roof, and grabbed his sword and leather tunic recovered when the Roman left. He kissed his family good bye, and went into the horde of other peasant’s how were forced to follow or starve.

On a day that John could not remember, but was etched in English lore, John arrived near Hastings Castle, not more than a ruin on a hill really. They had the high ground as the enemy arrived on the field of battle. The enemy looked sharp, with new armor. John looked at his raged leather cover and thought, “I don’t know these people. They have never harmed me. Why do I need to kill them? May be they will go away?” As the armies lines formed up, John, scared, never thought life would end like this. Knowing he had now swordsmanship skills, he hoped the pain would be quick when he succumbed to his enemies strike. When he heard the horn blast, he saw his line move forward. This was stupid because they had the high ground. Let the enemy come to them, and tire themselves out coming up hill. But still the English moved down hill, and some John was rushing forward.  He knew that his family relied on his going forward. He ran into the Normandy lines and continued forward. Maybe they were as scared as John. John flung his sword around; this was now life or death. He didn’t know how many people he struck until he felt a strong pounding on the back of his head. With a bright flash, and then things turning silver and then purple he realized he was done. When John woke up, amongst a small group, he saw in the distance, the body of King Harold propped up with an arrow in his eye socket. John had never seen King Harold before. He only knew he was King of England; in reality, it made no impact on his peasant life. Eventually, a man speaking broken English appeared. He said, “Harold is dead”.  “William is the new king. You either pay homage to him or die here, and now.” Knowing nothing would truly change in his life, John knelt before the stranger and pledge allegiance to the new King. John would go down as William the Conqueror, and John would not be remembered until now. For John, the ruling class may change, but life with a pick and hoe stayed the same. For John, he had is family and this was enough for now.

April 1314, Shamus McRatlif, tended his sheep when a band of highland Scots approached. Shamus grabbed his sword and demanded the northern rebels to halt on his land. The leader, Angus, asked Shamus to join their lot.  Shamus refused, saying he had stayed out of the troubles these past few years and he intended to stay that way. Angus was instantly angered. He had lost many friends in the plight for Scottish freedom, and future imports rights of whisky to America, and was not going to let hinterland farmers stop retribution to his sworn enemy the English. Angus ordered his wayward band to take Shamus’ food for his family. If they could pursued him of the rightness of his cause, Angus would take what he needed. June, 1314, the English appeared on the horizon. At first, A few heavy armored horsemen. The foot soldiers followed soon after.  They approached his hovel with swords out. The leader never made demands as the soldier swarmed his house. They took all of his sheep, leftover food, and his eldest daughter, Abigail.  Shamus attempted to resist with his four sons, but the English beat and kicked them all. They never stood a chance. A few hours later, Shamus and his two sons vowed revenge! They set out on foot for the Scot’s post. At first, they were looked at with suspicion. Shamus pleaded his case for revenge against the English for the loss of his daughter and two sons. Still, they were looked on as possible traitors.  A few weeks later, at the battle of Brannockburn, they had their revenge. At a distance they could see Robert the Bruce pleading with his soldiers to move forward against the English. Shamus and his sons needed no prodding. Today, they would get their revenge, or die trying. When the masses moved forward, Shamus ran as he could. He would spill English blood that day, even if he died. After the battle was over, Shamus looked around, and saw the thousands of dead and dying bodies on the ground. He did not ask for the fight, it had been brought to him.     

The Brave Imperial Cops of Star Wars

When people look at the opening scene from the original Star Wars movie they inherently feel the power of the galactic government is in full force attacking the rebel ship that is out to save the republic. But let’s rewind and see what you missed by slight of hand by George Lucas.

First, a group of rebels, the name of people trying to over throw the government, break into a government facility and steal the plans for new state of the art government ship. Mistakenly, the rebels call it the Death Star, much as the Earthly Republicans called the panel of physicians who implemented Obama Care the Death Panels. (We know Obama Care was made to help you). So, the Imperial Ship was designed to go from system to system providing assistance to those in need. The government workers on board are there to help out local governments that simply could not run themselves effectively. Sometimes they have to find new ways to motivate people to get off their butts and stop wasting Imperial money. Today we call it tough love.  

So, the rebel thieves take their stolen information and get on a hot rod space ship and fly off. Alerted to the intruders, the Imperial State Police get into a space ship pursuit. The rebels are now endangering all of the space travelers driving at a normal speed through that area of space. Like all law enforcement officers, violence is the last resort. The rebels were warned to stop, but did not hail the advice. Actually, a member of royalty is also a rebel and they try to use her as a human shield to continue their criminal enterprises. So, what to do? The imperial Star Cruiser, in order to save lives, shot the reactor generator, a gutsy move. Most law enforcement agencies today are afraid of litigation for shooting at a moving vehicle. But not the Imperial Cops, they are excellent shots. Most people did not notice the bumper sticker on the back of the Imperial Cruiser, “We’re from the Imperial Government and here to help”.

Now, the rebels’ engine has been taken out. Did they give up? No, they continued to resist and put lives in danger? Even in the scene you can hear the Imperial Cops knocking on the door trying to get the rebels to come out. Instead of surrendering and facing punishment for their actions, “if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime”, the rebels line up in a haphazard fashion along the sides of the walls. Two grave mistakes here. First, use cover! Second, bullets usually travel close to the walls. These amateur rebels were done before they began. Next time get some training before you take on the COPS!

The Imperial Cops are forced to blast open the doors and endanger their own lives to make the arrests. One the doors come open the lasers start going off.  Notice which side fired first! Well, the not so excellent, and off target, rebels were taken into custody after being hit with the laser stun guns. No one saw any excessive force being used by the Imperial Police. After what the rebels have done that shows a great deal of discipline and restraint on the behalf of the brave Imperial Cops who were the first ones through the door as the rebels were shooting at them. While the shooting was going on, the princess takes the stolen goods, puts it into the robot and shoots it toward the next planet. She refuses to stop. Even when caught dead to rights she sends the stolen plans down to the planet in hopes of someone else taking the stolen plans and safe keeping them against the Imperial Cops.

So, let’s recap. The Imperial Cops are simply doing their jobs. A group of thieves break into a government instillation and steal property. They take off in their high speed vehicle and a galactic chase starts. The rebels space ship driving is endangering other space ships in the area and the Cops are forced to shoot the engines, shooting the tires in today’s perspective. The rebels refuse to give up and the Cops are forced to crack open the door and rush in, placing themselves in danger. The rebels are now forced into a shoot out with the rebels. Instead of shoot to kill, they shoot to stun. You don’t see anyone kicking the rebels or using unauthorized force! Then, the highest ranking rebel on the ship sends the stolen information stored inside of a robot to other rebels on the planet.  George Lucas makes the rebels look like the good guys and the Imperial Cops as the bad guys in the opening scene. But I think we all know the truth now. Next time you see a police officer arresting a bad guy. Go and thank the officer, and not pat the bad guy on the head and tell him that he is the victim.  Remember good and bad is only in the perspective of the person watching the scene unfold.     

The Art of Sucking Up

A wise man once said, “Everyone sucks up, the difference is the amount of passion they put into it.” It is true, everyone to some extent or another tries to gain favor from their boss or someone else who can benefit them. Some are gifted “Ass – Kissers” who are very smooth and strategic with their efforts. Others are clumsy in their “Ass-Kissing” and actually repulse people. “Ass-Kissing, or sucking up, is an important art that can be learned. We all know it’s not about skills and ability that get you promoted, it’s who you know. The better you suck up the more people you meet and your opportunities grow exponentially.

First, the art of ass-kissing has many levels. Some are gifted and others are amateurs. The sad part is the amateurs generally think they are very good as ass-kissing. So, let’s get started. You must have a strategic plan for your ass-kissing. Do you want to suck up to everyone or keep to a small group of select people? A major fault in ass-kissers is they only suck up in one direction, they forget the people below them. Remember, a subordinate may one day pass you and then you will be stuck. You won’t be able to start sucking up to someone you abused earlier. Also, what if you’re subordinate, or someone lateral to you, is going around you and sucking up? Can you afford to alienate someone who already has a grip on the buttocks of your boss? No, you must be strategic in your ability to remove their hands from the bosses butt cheeks and reestablish a good grip. You must also revisit your technique to determine how you lost your grip on the butt cheek in the first place. Failure to examine what went wrong may be detrimental to your career; remember someone who is a better ass-kisser has just beaten you out!    

Now, let’s look at your technique. First, you must look at your hands. Many people overlook their hands and don’t realize how important the hands play in effective butt kissing. Think strategically, is your boss the outdoors kind of person? Do they wrestle bears on weekends? Does your boss simply own a 4-wheel drive, watch the survival channel on television, and dream about being a touch guy? Or, does your boss enjoy the comforts of life, drive a high prices sedan, and think roughing it is going one month between manicures? You must know your target, inside and out!

Based on your new found observations, take a look at your hands. Amateurs will simply jump in an ass-kiss. Not you! You’re a professional! You know the benefits of the touch of your hands. First, rough or smooth? What are the benefits and dangers of having the wrong skin type? Rough hands allow you to get a better grip and hold on for a longer time. You don’t have to worry about grip and can concentrate on your ass-kissing. The danger is rough hands may chafe. You boss many not appreciate having to squirm in his or her seat the rest of the day because you bruised their sensitive skin; you may lose ground. However, your rugged outdoors type of boss may like the rough contact. Now, lotion does significant benefits and pitfalls. First you have to research the lotions on the market. Go for top shelf, you can’t skimp on this endeavor. Get one with a soft effervescence which leaves a sent that marks your territory and puts the next ass-kisser on notice to back off – these buttocks are taken!  Now make sure you have no colossuses. Make sure you work the lotion in well to ensure a constant smoothness on the bottom, top and sides of your hands. Never neglect the sides of the hands if your target is VP or higher. You will have to pay special attention to your grip. You will have to reach a little deeper, and hold a little tighter. You don’t want your hands slipping off during this critical career building time.  You don’t want your nose to poke into the buttocks and make your boss jump up. By picking the right lotion, after your ass-kissing session, your boss will sit smoothly in his or her seat, rather than sliding around in their leather chairs. If they slide around because your lotions make their butt squishy you will lose points.

Now that you have arrived on the varsity team of ass-kissers, it is time to get the collegiate scholar ship. You have two hands; each one has a specific perform. Think this way, one had can be slightly rough and the other one can be smooth. Hey, you’re on scholar ship, you figure it out! So, let’s look at the different levels and you can figure out where you rank:

·        Ass –Kiss openly without a plan                                            Pre-kindergarten

·        Ass-Kiss lower level managers                                                  Elementary School

·        Ass-Kiss boss – leave out subordinates                                  Middle School

·        Ass-Kiss – neglected hands                                                        9^th Grade

·        Ass-Kiss no strategic plan for skin care                                 10 Grade

·        Ass-Kiss with smooth/rough hands                                         12  Grade

·        Ass-Kiss 1 smooth -1 rough hand                                              College Freshman

·        Ass Kiss with 1 smooth, 1 rough hand, scented lotion          Harvard Business School

Remember, there are a gifted few that have taken the artistry of ass-kissing to the level of a Monet painting. They work their bosses with grace and perfection. They get ahead twice as fast with one third the actual skills of their counterparts. The majorities of people are clumsy and objects of ridicule. At first, shoot for the middle ground. Perfect your art with the lower managers; treat their buttocks like a VP. Once you have your boss swooning for you to come in to work every day you will perfected your technique and ready to move to the next level in your career. Good luck, and never give up sucking up!

Miracle or Evil within the God Particle?

Since before the time that caveman drew pictures of animals on the walls, and thus the first recording of history as animal hunts, the question arose in how things are tied together. From this first question, superstitions emerged, and then a polytheistic and monotheistic religion developed; and finally in the age of science, and the need to have definitive proof, atheism materialized as comfort to those demanding explanation. The ability to believe and trust has been replaced with probability charts in understanding. Hence, miracles can not happen without an explanation, and henceforth cease to be miracles.  One must release the requirement of having to know everything with precession to understand that the glue that holds the fabric of the universe together becomes the force which allows miracles to happen.

In early July 2012, a message rocked the scientific world: The director of CERN, Rolf Heuer, confirmed that two separate teams working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have discovered the Higgs boson, aka the God Particle. The “God Particle” now completes the standard model of physics.  The theory explains that the God Particle is the energy force used as building blocks connecting other particles, allows them to grow, and why objects in our universe have mass. The God Particle may even form the background energy as described by people, barely removed from the primordial sludge in the overall scheme of time, as dark matter.

For the past 40 years we have watched movies such as Star Wars, and television shows such as Star Trek, that unknowingly dance around the blessings and hazards of the power of the theorized God particle. Luke Sky Walker and Darth Vader used the “Force” to battle each other for control of the universe. In Star Trek, Dr. McCoy used futuristic machines that used an unknown energy force to heal people, what today we would call miracles. In other shows, an invisible energy force field holds the good guy prisoner. Today, we still look at this power through the eyes of cavemen looking at the night’s sky in amazement of shooting stars.

So what of the miracle of the God particle? First, understand that the God Particle is the glue that holds everything in place. “Everything” is actually an “image” that we understand to describe a particular object. Over time, “everything” changes, and thus the “image” changes. But we like things in their original image. Imagine when someone develops cancer the image of the interactions of atoms of their cells change. Then, as the image of the interactions continues to change and the cancer grows. Eventually the image becomes too distorted to support life and the person dies. Now, with the God particle working at a smaller than sub-atomic level, the image of a cancer free cell can be replicated and transmitted into the damaged area. Thus, the atoms of the damages cells are rearranged back to the image of a cancer free cell, an instantaneous cure for cancer. The handheld medical device Dr. McCoy used in Star Trek healed through the same process. Rearrange the cells, at the subatomic level, back to the chosen image. If you have a broken bone, simply reset the image back to an unbroken bone. Want to be young, reset the cell image back to another arraignment that makes you feel younger. The universe does not judge the atomic pattern; it simply governs how the atoms interact.

The god particle is not good or evil; it simply exists and is the force, creates mass, and builds atoms. For the benefit of man, the application can apply to a plethora of diseases to include HIV, heart disease, and muscular dystrophy. By simply recreating the subatomic patterns of atoms, through the intentional application of the God Particle, you can eliminate disease erasing the molecular patterns that create the diseased cell, and replacing it those with a diseases free pattern of atoms and cells. You could potentially live forever by repeatedly having your atoms reimaged into a younger version. Imagine, through the ability to control the power of the God Particle you can change your life. You can change your own reality.

The use of the power of the God Particle can change the environment. Once you tire of the current environment, you simply restructure the molecules and create a new one.  On a larger sphere, as a killer asteroid approaches the earth, a beam of harnessed energy from the God Particle reach out and destroys the object, preventing calamitous destruction, even before the populations are made aware of the oncoming danger.

 The use of the God particle can be used for maleficent intentions as well. Imagine a government that wants to eliminate a dissident. They simply focus and unleash the God Particle, on the cells that create the image of the person, and thus eliminate the cell patterns at the subatomic level. Poof, the person no longer exists. Entire civilizations can be enslaved or enriched by the intentions and applications of the God Particle by an individual, group, or government.  Only in time, will humans be able to truly harness the power of the God Particle.  With the power to create or destroy in hand we will see the true intentions and image of man. 

Acronyms for Performance Conversations.

At a conference, I was asked to explain how supervisors can use different acronyms to remember critical performance elements during disciplinary conferences. First, I would recommend you write down the critical issues to be discussed. Most problems are not as easily resolved as they may seem. You have to drill down into the issue to find the root causes. Then you can start to make changes.  Develop your plan. Remember, during performance and disciplinary conferences you are holding people accountable for their actions; its not personal.  Stay professional, and remember during the conversation the other person will be looking to shine the best light on their actions, or in actions. Stay on course and set performance standards for the future.  Here are a few acronyms for you to use if you need them:

ACORN:
Accept conflict as inevitable

Conflict has negative and positive impacts

Opportunity to grow and develop

Responsibility and accountability crucial

Neutral actions by staying professional.

COPS:

Connect to the true cause of the problem.

Offer people an opportunity for explanation

Provide resolution and responsibility

Set standards and hold people accountable.

KRIPTON:

Know what happened

Responsibility for the problem

Information gathering is important

Prepare for the meeting

Target individual accountability and resolution

Ongoing evaluation

Now move on

WIG-SAPS

What is the true extent of the problem?

Identify all parties responsible

Gather information

Striate talk – we have a problem

Accountability for actions

Prepare to handle the responses professionally

Set standards for the future behavior

The biology of how we read impacts the way we see leaders

How is effective leadership reflective in the way we read? The question is actually very interesting, and one of those ah ha moments, where you see deeper into biology and psychology of everyday life. In the book by Susan M. Weinschenk “100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People”, she explores how we actually read through the use of saccade and fixation patterns. We don’t read smoothly and actually work through patterns. While we are reading, our eyes are using their peripheral ability to scan the letters coming up. So, we are interpreting patterns as information that we use to create images for what we are reading. We are so well tuned to figure out patterns, when reading words that are misspelled, we can instantly figure out what the misspelled word should have been: example wihch bird hsa hte sharp lcaws?  

So, what does my lack of proof reading have to do with leadership? Answer, everything! Everyone has said sometime in their lives, “I wish my boss would be consistent”.  Realistically, you want a great leader over a good leader. You want a good leader over a bad leader, right?  But, I bet you want a bad leader who is consistent over one that fluctuates from good to bad at the drop of a hat. It all comes back to consistency in action. If you have a great boss, you can prepare each day to have a relatively good day. If you have a bad boss, you come in, sit down, strap in, prepare for work, and sharpen your resume. It’s the boss that fluctuates that drives everyone crazy.  Your peripheral vision cannot read the pattern and prepare you for the future. It’s like a roller coaster ride through a dark tunnel. You never know what is about to happen and you don’t know if you are coming or going.

It is easier to improve a bad leader than an inconsistent one. Why, because the inconsistent one sometimes makes good decisions. They have to learn to look deeper into issues and how they would naturally react. Then, they have to learn which action they would normally do is correct. They have to relearn and apply new decision making patterns to become more consistent. Sometimes they become bad leaders, but that can be easily fixed. Hopefully, they become great leaders, and that should be reinforced. But it still comes back to how biology has helped us survive through the use of patterns.           

Riding the Wave of Engagement to Make an Impact

When we arrive at work each day, we unconsciously decide if we are going to be rolled, or ride, the tide of engagement. The other day, my officers left a nice picture on the board with rainbows and “Welcome to Phibbsville’. The officers and I understand that sometimes we are over whelmed by calls and crime, and occasionally feel we have too few officers. However, I try to keep them motivated and upbeat at every turn. I tell them, “Everyone Makes an Impact”.  Together, as a team we will make a stand and overcome!

It is all in the attitude you bring to new assignments, and your daily activities. I feel one must always try to create a vision for a team that resonates down to the individual level. Motivation should come from the top down and bottom up. Individual officers do extraordinary things that make everyone scream, “YES!”  If I‘m wrong in my philosophy and vision, the officers may take it as a joke and quite working hard, I lose, the city loses.

Last week, I gave the officers areas to patrol. Hard works can now focus their efforts and lazy officers can’t hide in the peripheries avoiding calls and responsibility.  They don't have to stay in the area the entire shift, but they are required to handle the problems in their areas.  “No Excuses Allowed”. The officers have embraced the idea. They like having the ability and responsibility to have an impact and focus on an area. Within the sector we have a “maintenance zone”, and area that is the key to the success or failure of the entire sector. Every officer in the sector is required to assist in the “maintenance zone”. As a team we help each other out in the individual areas; and, as a team we “all” maintain the zone.  With all changes, questions came up. I'm glad they could be resolved early.  I like to use examples from the book "It’s Your Ship". If you have ideas run with them. If you have problems in your area come up with an answer. I tell the officers to come up with something that has never been tried before. I will support you. If the officers plan fails, we’ll do an after action evaluation and see what went wrong. It’s about providing trust to let people stretch out and makes the difference. However, with trust comes responsibility and accountability for actions.

To get every shift and everyone on board, I have spent more time with the night shift than I can ever remember. This begins to build trust and I am hearing, "Lt we have your back."  That is enough for me. Those guys do have a tough job. They put the city to bed and wait for it to wake up in the morning. The patrol the areas in the mean time ensuring the citizens are safe. The officers then go to court and go home and sleep during the day. Some people love the night shift, others hate it, but together they get through.

The key to creating synergy in a 24/7 operation is to show each shift how their collective actions impact the all three shifts and sector effectiveness. By creating a unified vision and having targeted initiatives that all three shifts work shared responsibility. Together, we all share in the rewards and failures of our collective actions. There is now more efficient cross communication between shifts.  Officers are more willing to come in early, or stay late, to accomplish the mission and vision of the sector. They can do plain clothes assignments, or ride bikes, depending on what we are targeting.  The key is to get the individual excited to come to work. The individual impacts the team. The team impacts the shift. The shift impacts the sectors. Together, we make an impact to improve the communities.  Eventually, we all move on. I'm setting the stage for the next guy to ride the tide of engagement and knock it out of the box.

The First Week and Creation of Continuity

I have been in charge of my sector for a week. During the first week I found every shift, each shift has two platoons, had a different set of priorities and no common language to describe the areas of the sector they were sending their officers.Once The six platoons use different roads as boundaries for inner sector assignments.  There was no clear vision for all of the shifts to focus. This problem led to each shift, and platoon, looking out for its own interests.

So, I took the  map out and broke the sector into 4 areas. The boundaries I set were created by looking at both physical and psychological boundaries. I call  each onean  areas,  and have officers assigned to the problems in a specific area.  The areas are numbered by priority of assignment and and need for coverage. If I dont have enough officers on a specific day to cover all of the areas,  then I cut area 4, because it is a low priority area. Each officer will have a specific area to resolve community problems. I have not told the officers they have to spend their entire shifts in the area, but must  work on resolving community problems. This way, the officers can not say," I didn't fix the problem because I was running calls and couldn't do anything". Now, they spend their discretionary time in their area, or somewhere in the sector. They decide where they spend their time, but I hold them accountable for the results in their areas, and not except excuses.

I met with each platoon, and each shift, to tell the individula officer  my vision for the sector.  I want all platoons working together to accomplish tasks. I call it continuity of operations. Each shift helps the one who is going off and the next one coming on to accomplish sector goals. It is like everyone eats a meal during their shifts. During the shifts they are fixing the table, eating, or cleaning up. For example: the day shift must walk a specific area to deter drug deals and provide high visibility to the afternoon commuters. The evening shift would came in and do their own thing. Now, the evening shift comes in and sends someone  to the area  day shift was walking  and add 2 more high visibility hours.  So, the push goes on longer and the drug dealers who waited for day shift to leave before coming out have to wait till their buyers have left the area on their evening commutes to the suburbs. The evening shift sets up later in their shifts for the bars to open, and a whole new set of challenges begin. When the midnight shift comes in they now assist the evening shift with the bars. When the evening shift goes home  a continued presents is still made in the area. Before the midnight shift goes home, they ensure the downtown area is safe and they check the decks for people who come in and set up in hiding places to break into cars. When day shift comes out of roll call, they immediately head into the area cars get broke into and insure the offenders are not in the area. Later in the day, as the dealers come out  they shift their focus to that area. By blending all of the shifts efforts I can focus their energies. 

We all share individual areas of responsibility, then as groups, we all have an area, "maintenance area" where each officers is expected to spend at least 30 minutes. A 24//7 presents deters criminals and allows the area officer an opportunity to make community connections and resolve the problems. Then we have a focus area, an area in the sector crime is occurring. I shift officers around, and bring in specialized units. to resolve those issues.

By going to the midnight roll calls I can meet with the people who put the city to bed and protect it while it sleeps. They have an important job and no one of rank ever comes and tells them how appreciated the officers are. Well, that changed with me! Each shift, and platoon, knows how much I appreciate them. Each individual officers can, and has, made an impact on protecting the citizens of my sector.  

Ego vs Perspective On A New Job

When you get promoted, or moved to a new temporary position, with more responsibilities you have to look at your reasons for wanting the position. What does it really entail? What is the impact on your family? It is about ego or your conviction that you can make a difference?

Luckily for me, I have the opportunity for a "test drive" right now. I'm responsible for the downtown area of a capital city. I have neighborhoods, a general business district, and protecting half a billion dollars in new hotel development. All with 33 people? Can I make a difference? Absolutely . Am I up to the challenge?Yes. Is it worth the damage to my family spending 12-14 hours a day trying to stop crime, and turn around a demotivated group of people? No, no it's not.

So, what is it really about? Determining what is important in life and setting priorities, that's it in a nutshell. The "ego" drives people for more. People who can facing struggles and coming up with a workable solution have always fascinated me. It's like watching chess, and seeing a master in action. One always wonders if you are really that good. Hopefully you are. Hopefully, you are taking the assignment because you want to make a difference, and believe you have something to contribute. Hopefully, it is not to make a difference in your take home check, because you will loose more than you gain. 

The challenge for me it to motivate people who have been neglected for a long time. The key is to do it one small victory at a time. To reach the individual, three layers below, who works the middle of the night, and make them believe they make a impact. Again, the "ego" in action. However, the impact of touching an individual to do their best transcends a single career. They will one day motivate someone else to do their best.

Together we success or fail. The true test is determining if the job is right for you, or is the "ego" that says go ahead and take it. To quote Buddy the Elf, " Some people forget what is important in life, and they end up on the naughtly list."

Laughter at work in Public Safety

In public safety we see it all from the deepest inhumanity to the greatest sites of compassion. However, it is the platoons, their sense of purpose, and most importantly the “Gut Busting” laughter we have at times that gets us through. It is the sense of community at the lowest level that separates us and makes us great! Only the people in public safety will know the benefit of a great laugh after a heart breaking day!

Leaders Inspire Creative Thinking - Managers Make Rules and Policies

I found the quote “Rules and policies are created to help make jobs easier” in a book about leadership. Clearly the author does not understand what differentiates leadership from management; To protect their ego, I left the name of the author out.

Rules and policies are the tools of management to protect the organization. They set out lines that are not to be crossed. Rules and policies are necessary for organizations to operate and protect employees from harm, each other, and potential criminal and civil penalties for violating state and federal laws. If you need to know how to request time off you “follow the policy”. If you need to fix a widget you follow the “procedure”.  You follow the rules or you pay the consequences. This is about management, period.

The reason why everyone encourages out of the box thinking is it shows leadership through courage and a willingness to break the rules. . Leadership is about freeing people to innovate and use their energies to be greater than they thought possible. Management, on the hand, tries to quell out of the box thinking because of the loose of control. Management is used to rein employees in and keep them following the rules.   Companies that have high performance cultures cleverly integrate management and leadership techniques to create synergy and take their organizations to the next level.

History is filled with organizations that once were innovative and on the cutting edge of technology for that day. Leaders lead and people dreamed of taking the company to the next level through a shared vision of what could be. As success came someone always decides we need more “rules and policies” to keep things running smoothly. Then as more rules piled on innovation was stifled and the most creative people left to start their own companies. The large management centered company then looses product share and eventually closes. Don’t lose cutting edge leadership by becoming a bureaucratic organization centered on management. If you have people who think being a good leader is setting out clear rules and policies then it is time to realize your company’s days are numbered.  

Encourage leadership that creates motivates, inspires and takes your organization to the next level of success. Never let your company be run by managers who think they are showing leadership by creating rules that stifle your employees creativity.

Leadership versus Management models

Management: P-3
                     Process
                     Policies
                     Procedure

Leadership: I-3
                     Inspire
                     Innovate
                     Include

Which one do you do?

A good manager ensures a "well oiled machine" form of production. A good leader can motivate people to do more than they though possible. A Transformative Person blends great management and leadership skills to take their team into the stratosphere of efficiency, effectiveness and innovation.  

Great Comment on Supervisor Resonance

Theoretically every fire starts with a single spark but it starts either by accident or on purpose. So anything that starts accidentally is as a result of an action that is goes unnoticed by the one who starts the fire. Just like the supervisor or manager who is unaware of the effect that they have in the work place upon whom they work with. Like a bull in the proverbial China shop.Unaware of their effect the people around them. They may be in a bad mood because of what is going on in their lives or oblivious and insensitive to their own actions or words to the people around them. In either case it starts with a single spark...
Posted by anonymous

Organizational Branding: More than a Logo - Its a Way of Life

A Vision and Mission statements describes your organization and where you want to go in the future. When in doubt, it provides a platform for people to make decisions, eg. a potential action is consistent with the values of the organization.

The Brand is much more; it describes what makes your organization special and differentiates you from the rest. The organizations brand strikes at all of the senses. It is more than a logo, it is a way of life.  It answers the question, what does it mean to work for your organization? It should describe your history, customs and traditions that differentiate your organization. It connects and engages current employees to your organization. It energizes and builds pride in your community and potential customers. It attracts potential employees to you, while repelling potential applicants who may not "fit" well within your organization.

The potential impact of your organizational brand is enormous to your organizations success. Every organization has a brand. You can either control it yourself, or someone else will be in control.  

When Seconds Count - The Police Are Only Minutes Away

When seconds count, police officers are only minutes away. Officers being out of position, or unable, to immediately respond to emergency calls should generate concern for any community, regardless of their crime rates. Let us examine this concept a little more in-depth. These types of situation can be caused by several reasons. However, for this blog we will look at two situations.

First, the platoon is unable to respond because a lack of engagement, or ability, prevails through the shift. Direct supervisors have the greatest impact on an individual’s success throughout out the individual officers career. Supervisors should ask the officers his or goals and begin to develop the individual towards fulfilling those goals. Little victories slowly add up to create an atmosphere for engaged and knowledgeable shifts.  However, the problem may not be disengagement or ability. The problem may stem from a policing philosophy which is not supported by the actual structure of the organization. You may not have enough cars or offices to accomplish your new goals. likewise, the officers may not beleive in your new philosophy. Officers are hired to ago out and arrest law breakers. Most organizations operational structures are designed to support that mission. If you change philosophys you must also obtain buy-in from the officers who have to go out an implement the new idea.

When you add intelligent policing, advanced community policing, private sector/police partnerships, then the demands on the organization grow. It no longer focuses on “you call - we hall” crime and punishment practices. With the new philosophies you need more equipment and a new bread of officer. No longer can you simply train someone to go to a call, determine if an arrest is to be made, and resolve the issue and move on. Officers now go to community meetings where they forge relationships with community leaders. They get involved in the actual building of communities. This requires a different mindset, a more liberal point of view, where an “arrest is a failure of society and its community” prevails. In this scheme, officers become very connected with the life cycle of communities and its inhabitants. They try to change the individual’s habits and perspectives before they commit serious trouble. This holistic approach is very good in theory and romanticizes the “man walking the beat and knowing his community” style of policing.

Now for reality, our personnel units are not good enough to select people who fit that mold. They, they are interested in getting people to apply rather than preselecting people who will “fit” the philosophy of an agency. Therefore, as people get hired, trained, and sent to their units they have an expectation in their mind what “policing” is about. When they find out their agency wants in-depth community relations they may begin to feel frustration, anger, and later disengage because the though they were here to “lock people up” and save the communities be removing the criminals. With lower engagement, they will take longer on calls and have slower responses. Also, for changing police strategies after someone is hired requires a lot of preplanning to get buy-in from the street officers. The command staffs may expound a new practice, but if the street officer refuses to follow along it will not get done. The command staffs must overcome the “what’s in it for me” mindset inherent in human nature. If the agency does not prepare the ground before building the new “touchy-feely” philosophy then it is doomed to fail. Entire shifts can then become disengaged and thus slower response times. The entire department must be “willing and able to participate” for the scheme to be successful.

Even if an entire work force realizes the benefits of the new philosophy and is excited about becoming a part of the process you will have to obtain more officers, vehicles, and other equipment. By shifting from the enforcement of laws to community policing philosophies the offices will necessarily have to spend more time on each call to determine underlying problems, making calls and referrals and as a last resort making an arrest. This takes more time per call and thus you will need more officers on the street to keep individual response times down to an acceptable rate. With the need in additional personnel and equipment budgets will have to increase in the face of slow economic conditions. Politicians will then be forced to determine what their priorities are in government services. Are they willing to add to police budgets and cut other departments? Are they willing to accept slower police response times in order to take credit for a new philosophy where police are guidance counselors?

The problems and rewards of changing philosophies of policing are many. The cultures of the community and police agencies must evolve to accept the changes and expectations of different police styles. Unfortunately, if done in a haphazard fashion where, “somehow this will work out, I just don’t know how right now” implementation strategies are undertaken then time lags will develop. Employee engagement will drop, and when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.     

The New Interdependence of the Working Class - We Need Each Other

Think about work from a different perspective. When you call 911 you need help. When you buy a car you need transportation. When purchase new chairs, televisions, or anything else, it is because you need that particular items or service.  

You have a job because someone needs something that you are producing or providing a service for. If you own a business you must have customers to survive. Your work may be directly impacted by situations half way around the world, which you may not even understand. Case in point, a bank in Europe crashes. The wealthy investors loose everything. One of the investors owns a soccer team. The soccer team now goes into receivership. The best players leave and the team now has a loosing record. Therefore, no one comes to watch the team play and the local economy dries up. Then the person in China making the team’s uniforms and souvenir shirts loses his job because no orders have been placed for a while. He is then forced back to the farm and kicks a young farming boy off of the plot of land he has lent him to work.

So, reverse this and see what happens. The farmer needs the bank to work and the investor to make money, so he can effectively run the soccer team. The local economy needs the team to be successful so people come into town and buy goods at the stores. The person making the souvenirs in China needs to team to win so people buy his products. Back to the farmer who needs everyone to do well so he can work the plot of land and survive.

As you can see, everyone working in manufacturing or providing a service needs someone above them to want what they do, in order for them to survive. We are all connected now

Using Employee Evaluations to Create High Performance Organizations

The employee evaluation tool is an invaluable score card for correcting mistakes and a tool to create high performance employees. Most employees, and supervisors, dread evaluations and believe they are a waist of time. Well, done improperly they are a waist of time. Now, let’s begin to change the perspective by making positive use of the tool.

You can begin to use the evaluation to create a high performance organization, one person at a time, using three simple techniques.  From the outset, look at the evaluation as a score card for what you have done correctly and then areas for improvement.

First, each week write a little note about a person’s performance. Write a date and if the action was positive or negative. In this way, as you begin to work on your evaluations they simply write themselves. You have already done the work documenting past performance, and now you simply transfer the information onto the evaluation form. You also have facts, with a date, to back up your rating. Instead of guessing and trying to remember behaviors and actions you have them in front of you.  If you can not spend a few minutes each week to write a note about your employees then you should look at how you are accomplishing your tasks as a manager or supervisor.

Second, use the tool to develop the employee so they can reach their goals. Ask the employee to create a one year and five year plan for their career. If you want to go the extra mile and show leadership, ask them about their five year life plan. Now they have a long term strategic target to shoot for. Now it is time to make actionable goals to reach the target. You will find people have dreams for their careers; however, they fail to meet those objectives because they were did not know where to begin, or they are actually afraid of success. You job is to help them be successful, if not; never say you are a leader.

Talk to the employee about their goals and help them to reach them by embedding the action steps directly into the evaluation. Tell the employee how you will obtain resources and training, if possible, for them to reach their actionable goals. Then, indicate what they are required to do to meet those actionable goals. At the end of the rating period, you have started to bring the employee along to meet their long term strategic target. Now that they see they are on the path to success, they will be more engaged to accomplish their regular tasks and energized to go the extra steps to reach their goals.

Third, during the evaluation conversations ask how you can improve. What areas do you seem to need improvement? First, this creates a connection between you and the employee. Together, you now have skin in the game.  This will also help to clarify any misunderstanding that may have developed during the rating period. If they believe they can talk to you about your own performance then trust develops. As trust develops, when you ask them to complete a project they are more willing to put more effort into the assignment. Lastly, we all think we perform at a certain level; unfortunately, most of us are not at that level. When we seek feedback from our subordinates we find out what we are doing right and wrong. Then, after taking the ego out, we can begin to reinforce our strengths and improve on our weakness. As we improve our team improves. When we use the evaluations as a tool to improve the employees, as well as ourselves, we begin to transform our mediocre companies into high performing cultures, all done one person at a time.