Thursday, September 19, 2013

Banker’s Hours

Would you put your money in a bank that was only open 9-9:30am Saturday mornings?  What if the bank only accepted 6 clients? Would you bank where no interest is paid (like now) and the only loans available were from the other 5 members and terms were negotiated during the short Saturday session?  What if the funds were kept in a locked tin box (see photo) kept in the freezer of a refrigerator locked on the back porch?
So it was in the Bishop home growing home.  Once we started to earn money, we needed someplace to put it.  When we were 14 we could open an official bank account at the local FDIC backed bank on Main Street.  The current participants would all gather around the table and my mother would “open” the bank.  Deposits were made, withdraws taken and loans made.  Even if you had no immediate transaction, you showed up to watch the action and count your worldly treasurer.  This process clearly taught us the value of things, the importance of saving, risk management and negotiation skills.   

Understanding and managing value and perceptions of fairness are an important part of the leader’s job.  Statistics show that many people leave jobs due to feeling undervalued or underutilized.  Having a clear and accurate estimation of the value we each create helps keep this equation in balance.

How are you helping your team understand their value?  Are you helping them increase it daily?   


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Sunday, September 8, 2013

CT2CA

After a week to exit, fantastic five week CT2CA road trip and a week to unpack, have returned to Huntington Beach and LiaV should start to republish.  Plenty of lessons were learned on the journey, but here are a few facts from our trip:

·         6658 miles (5147 in the Tahoe, 1261 on the Harley and 250 pedaled on the beach cruisers).
·         34 nights (8 campgrounds, 6 hotels, 3 family stays).
·         15 states and 2 countries (not counting entering Wisconsin 3 times – long story).
·         17 family members visited (2 parents, 8 siblings, 3 in-laws, 4 niece/nephews).
·         12 wild animal sightings (grizzly and black bears, bison, elk, deer, wolf, coyote, horses, prairie dogs, wild turkey, mountain goat and llama).
·         6 national parks (Apostle Islands, Theodore Roosevelt, Glacier, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens and Cater Lake).
·         1 jump start needed.
·         1 motorist assisted (a local in Montana).
·         1 ticket warning (missed that darn stop sign in the middle of nowhere).
·         758 photos taken (2 iPhones and a Pentax).
·         1,000,000 mosquitoes (it actually was not bad except at Bobcat Lake State Park in Michigan where we were attacked by swarms).

Observations during travel:

·         People have way too much stuff.  There were self storage business in the most remote places.
·         Wire ties are the new duct tape. They fix anything.
·         Everyone has an interesting story if you take the time and effort to engage.
·         98 MPH in 660 feet is fast no matter what Tom says.
·         There are jobs in America.  You might have to go where they are (like North Dakota).
·         America is truly a remarkable and beautiful place. 


 

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