Lost for words
Part of the success of leaders in the business of business is the ability to react effectively to the situation and to the people issues in real time, as they actually happen.
We are fortunate to live close the beautiful river Wye as it sweeps down from the Black Mountains of Wales. On an informal basis I look after the Bartonsham Meadows stretch, which means that I occasionally collect rubbish from the banks that people leave or which is washed down river in the floods.
I have one sack for paper and another for metal and plastic. One sunny day in August I walked past the farm where I could see a man drinking from a can. As I approached he could see what I was doing as I made my way along the bank towards him. As I got nearer I saw maybe four or five empties in the grass where he stood.
What I couldn’t see was his partner, and presumably, their toddler in a scruffy pushchair by the water’s edge. The child was restless and what remained of a chocolate ice cream was smeared over its face and clothes.
I smiled at the family, commented on the weather and asked if he could please take his tins home with him.
He looked at me quizzically. “I work on the garbage for the Council,” he said. “We get paid for what we collect,” he said tossing another can onto the ground. “I lose my job,” he went on, “and who’s gonna feed the babby?” He stared at me.
I had no reply.
Labels: Effective reaction to situations and events in real time
posted by Tim @ 10:37 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home