I’m going to tell you, paraphrase, (for space and time reasons) two stories and focus your attention on the “take-aways”.
Story No. 1: Picture a young girl on a beach strewn with star-fish that had washed ashore at high-tide. If they were not returned to water they would literally dry-up and die. (Yes, star-fish are alive when in water.) She is throwing them back into the water one at a time. A man approaches and tells her that her efforts are futile and won’t make any difference. To which the young girl picks up a star-fish and throws it back into the water, turns to look at the man and politely says “It made a difference to that one.”
Story No.2: In the Old Testament portion of the BIBLE, there is reference to Shamgar, a family man and farmer who is only mentioned two times by name. The reason for his notoriety comes from his success in facing up to large, big-time obstacles in the form of invading hordes threatening his region, his village, and his family. He faced his obstacles and prevailed against all odds. If you take the magnitude of his success as accurate, alone; he prevailed over hundreds of invaders (many hundreds.) Those around him, neighbors relatives, etc. did nothing and hoped the problem would go away. Historians credit Shamgar with following 3 Principles: 1) Start where you are. 2) Use what you have. 3) Do the best that you can.
In one story, one person takes action that benefits something other than themselves. (OK, it was a star-fish). It could just as easily have been helping another person. Helping one person at a time is huge.
In the other story Shamgar does not back away. He stands his ground. He doesn’t put-things-off. He takes inventory of what he has to work with. His actions are the best he can deliver. To his own surprise, I’m sure, and to his opposition even more, his results are impressive. (Read the book “The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar”.)
For the young girl, one at time, was meaningful. For you as a supervisor developing one person at a time will be MEANINGFUL.
I don’t believe any one reading “The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar” would ever call Shamgar complacent. If things need to be addressed, if standards need to be met lead the charge by starting where you are, using what you have, just doing
the best that you can.
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