Family Commitments - MEMO

I wasn't going to post this memo as a blog.

It was a personal memo / note, sent to my staff in-confidence.
However as you may have grasp from my previous post, I tend to be an open & transparent guy, this is part of who I am and I try not to change or dilute this at work. 

Plus, my people asked if they could share with their loved ones and others, and in turn encouraged me to post.

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Folks;

In most cases it will go without saying however it may benefit some and if nothing else it will clarify how I want you to be supported.

As most are aware I have spent a large part of my career at project sites in remote areas, located all over Canada, through this experience I worked for many different types of leaders / companies with varying beliefs and corporate expectations.  I also personally put myself in positions where I thought I would be letting down the team, company, etc., if I left a given project and focused on family priorities / obligations. Now that I look back and in turn look forward, to another chance at raising a young one, I personally have much regret associated to the times I didn’t focus on family first.

So with that said, I want to clarify that I do not expect nor do I want you to miss or sacrifice family responsibilities for work. This includes important family events, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, vacations, religious ceremonies, etc., as well as for illness or a loss.

Please appreciate I am not mandating anything here; as leaders and individuals you all need to decide what is best for you and your family as well as balancing what’s best for your projects and teams, not an easy task for any of us. However I do express the above from personal experience and with great appreciation for you.

Thank you for your endless commitment to the company and each other, and also for the hard work and passion shown consistently through your actions. I’ve never been prouder to work with such an amazing group of people. You are not only my work colleagues but I see you as friends and I deeply care about you and your family’s well-being.

Sincerely,

Trent Fequet

HOW DO YOU SHOW UP?

I'm rarely the smartest, most experienced, most educated person in the room. 

I think a lot of us find ourselves in that position. It's tempting, when placed in a situation where we feel inadequate, to try to overcompensate and prove like we belong at the 'adult table'. 

We have two choices in these situations;

Choice #1 - Show up in an attempt to prove that we're good enough, smart enough, experienced enough, or educated enough to be there, even though in many cases we're not.

or,
Choice #2 - Show up knowing that we don't yet fully belong and use it as an opportunity to learn, ask questions and contribute in an authentic and meaningful way.  

These two choices will bring very different responses;

Choice #1, you'll likely find that others in the group will take some pleasure in knocking you down a few pegs, likely below your actual level of knowledge, experience or intelligence.
or,

Choice #2, you'll likely find that the group will take pleasure in helping you gain the additional knowledge, skills and experience needed to feel like you belong there.  

When we show up to improve ourselves and contribute whatever we can to the group, everyone will want to help us.

"Don't show up to prove. show up to improve."  - Simon Sinek



Choose to Care....

Confidence - paying back or forward.

Throughout life we look to gain confidence, we are in an endless search for confidence.

It is truly amazing, that when we find "our" true confidence, we look for others that are confident and when we find that, we find trust... Interesting ......  I know ... lol..

Think back, quickly throughout your life, of the teacher(s) / people that help you build confidence?

List the name / names..
for me..

My Mom,
Ozzie - (High School Gym Teacher, Coach)
Mr. Fraser - (College / University Dean)
My Uncle Burns
My Wife

Can't remember many other teachers / people ? Usually it is 2 or 3 key people early in life that make a mark and care enough to provide support and ensure you are gaining confidence.

Same for all other areas of your life, who helped / are helping you to gain confidence? How?
Again for me,

My Uncle Ben,
Gordan Graham
Bill Elkington
Paul Poscente

NOW, think of people you have helped? Why? How? Great circle isn't it?

If you are in a managerial role or a mentor-ship position at work or in life, it's as simple as going out of your way to support people in gaining confidence, this can be the backbone for you, in becoming a good leader in your own-right and forming a group that will support each other.

Care enough to support others, they will remember and pay it forward...

Please choose to Care....