Empower Your People.

Are your team members empowered to make decisions on their own?? Do you trust their judgement if they need help but there’s not someone immediately available?? I sure hope so, and if they have been communicated with, fully trained, and know what the daily goals and objectives are, then you shouldn’t worry about it.? If they aren’t empowered, there could be a problem.

Okay, I pull into a Tom Thumb grocery parking lot gas station, you know the ones with the pumps outside the large grocery store.? I only do this two or three times a week, I was in North Dallas, needed gas so I pulled in.? Clean enough, no one in line or anything, so it was perfect.? I hop out, swipe the card, grab the nozzle and start the fill up process.? 30 gallons takes a minute, and as has become the norm for someone my age, I realize I need to go to the restroom.? Lock the truck, keep pumping gas, and just walk in.? “I need to use the restroom” I say to the older attendant behind the counter, he points over there.? I see where it is, walk over, and there’s an orange traffic cone in front of the door.? I look over at him, he shrugs, and says “you can use it, there’s just not any toilet paper in there”.? Good news since I wasn’t going to need any, I straddle over the cone, walk in, and do my business.? All the while, I’m thinking this just can’t be.

So I finish my task, and come out on a mission.? I’ve decided it’s a convenient store, they will have everything from Milk Duds to phone chargers, certainly they have some toilet paper.? I don’t say a word, just scan the place, but no paper.? I kinda chuckle to myself, walk to the truck, and as I’m returning the nozzle to the pump, I look over about 50 yards and realize that one of the largest grocery store chains in America is just over there, and I’m betting that they have an entire aisle dedicated to toilet paper, whatever number of rolls, sheets, 2 ply, 4 ply, super soft or bargain type you want.? Sidenote…two rules in our family.? (1) never put the milk in the door of the refrigerator, it doesn’t get as cold as the back and (2) never, ever, try to save money on toilet paper.? Only the good stuff please.

Can’t the guy call a guy, over in the big store, and just tell him is John over at the gas station, please bring some toilet paper?? Or worst case, just lock the door, sprint over there, grab a package, and sprint back, 60 seconds tops.? May not matter to me, but any ladies that need to use the facilities that afternoon would sure appreciate it.? Anyway, it just blew my mind that this intelligent, mature gentleman would rather put a traffic cone in front of the door than do whatever he can to get some toilet paper in there.? And if you know me, I almost went over there, got it myself, but then I wouldn’t have enjoyed telling this little lesson.

So to add insult to injury, when I put the nozzle back, it of course asks if I want a receipt.? Yep, sure do, so I push the button.? The sound those things make when they are trying to print something, but there’s not paper in it, might be one of the most irritating sounds you can hear.? How about before the shift, you walk over to the 4 pumps and make sure they have paper.? Well clearly, this isn’t the first time it’s happened, because I walk toward the door, and when I open it, without moving an inch, the clerk has my receipt printed, slides it across the counter, without a single word. ?He’s figured that one out.

Come on Tom Thumb, don’t leave this guy out there without any training, empowerment, or ability to solve problems.? If he needs paper, teach him what he has to do to get paper.? Make sure all of your people not only know how to make people Have Fun and Leave Happy, but know how to get things done in a pinch.? Me, it worked out, gave me some ammo for another Tidbit.

Go Get Em.? Empower your people.

Dale Folmar