Get Out of MY Way!

I think we have all been there a time or two when our patience is just not available for the people “in our way.” In our way at the grocery store, on the roads when we are in a rush, or just in general. In most instances, this is not the typical type of article I tend to pen, but after my experience at the grocery store this past weekend, I would be remiss not to share some deeper insights gleaned.

Dodging Carts and Throwing Elbows

While no elbows were thrown, I really had to give it some thought. You would think a quick stroll down the breakfast aisle to snag a box of granola bars would be an easy feat, but just to navigate down the aisle and procure said bars I felt like an NBA point guard driving hard in the paint! In terms of basketball, I was never much of a shooter, and despite the fact that my vertical left much to be desired, I was always able to box out under the net. And in this instance, it was a handy skill as I had to fend off the weekend grocery getters to nab my box of granola bars, toss them into my cart, and head into the clear.

Not feeling the desire to brush up against my fellow shoppers in the midst of our beleaguering pandemic, I opted for a more ninjaesque ‘Mission Impossible’ approach to procure my next few items.

Breaking Point

By the end of the shopping trip, my patience level had grown thin. In fact, it was the last “get out of my way” experience that brought my cool to its limits—and it did not even happen to me.

It happened at the self-checkout. I was getting ready to leave and could see the events transpire out of the corner of my eye. There had been a young family of four meandering from the self-checkout toward the exit. Not far from this family was a man in a blue shirt who almost clocked me with his cart earlier in the trip. As this man approached the exit, the young boy from the family of four was hanging from the front of the cart and swinging from side to side—as would be expected from most four-year-old boys.

It all happened in slow motion. Mr. Blue Shirt had the eye of the tiger to leave the store and it was a tight fit to wiggle past the family of four to open field and then the exit. As the boy was periodically blocking his path when he would swing about, you could tell Mr. Blue Shirt was trying to time his escape. Just as he revved up his cart and began to thread the needle, the boy swung right into the narrow aisle into his path. At this split second, the boy’s father became a super dad with a small child in one arm, using his free arm to grab his son whose face…FACE…was just nearly missed by Mr. Blue Shirt’s cart at a fast walk pace. It took the breath out of my lungs. The father who likely has earned his patience let Mr. Blue Shirt continue on unimpeded but stared at him more intensely than a laser beam. Mr. Blue Shirt seemed indifferent.

What Does This Mean?

While there are most certainly some larger inferences we could glean from the growing impatience we experience, there are some salient considerations we can notice and harness in our workplace.

1.????Make It About Them

As the late great Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” A great strategy to lead or navigate any workplace is to be service-minded. It is amazing how much more optimally a team functions when instead of constantly trying to compete with each other, they go out of their way to help each other and ultimately better serve the customer.

2.????Normalize Culture

As leaders, it is our job to dictate the culture of our organization as our team members will follow what we do, as our actions are viewed as acceptable or unacceptable. As a high “D” on the DISC behavioral assessment, I am no stranger to the need to compete. Many functions in business thrive with competitive personnel, however, it is vital for leaders to draw clear lines as to how this is manifested, and to model the desired flow and oscillation between competition and collaboration.

3.????Empathy

I once read a timeless quote, “hurting people, hurt people.” While some may think this to be a stretch from the core topic of this article, I do not. For over 18 months we have been in a topsy-turvy world with instability in 2020 and a pandemic that continues to drag on. While we are able to more freely move around, many people still face job insecurity, isolation, remote work burnout, and augmented living conditions. While I am not always fond of his colorful language, I think CEO of VaynerMedia, Gary Vaynerchuk is correct when he states that the antidote to our hurry and inward culture is a massive dose of empathy. In Vaynerchuck's mind, he simply cannot be angry when people are callous online or in real life, as his vast amount of emotional intelligence and empathy considers the struggles these haters face and channels any anger into compassion. I know. Woah.

Culture Wins The Day

Building a strong others-focused culture is no small feat. But the hard data consistently demonstrates that organizations that build a collaborative employee-focused culture, see customers well-served and a healthier bottom line.

How is your culture? Are your team members others-focused? If not, as the leader what can you do to model your desired culture and bring engagement and performance to the highest level possible?

Helping organizations answer questions like these and implement action is core to Apitra, and what energizes me day in and day out.

Wishing you wellness and healthy organizations,

Anthony N. Warren

Principal and Founder, Apitra Innovations

Want to learn more? Visit us at?apitra.com!