What do you look forward to?

Our friend Kathy Little works as a supervisor for TSA.
That’s the federal Transportation Security Administration.
Depending on your point of view, her people are:
• Protecting us from crazy people with bombs.
• Subjecting us to personal indignities at the airport.

Kathy sent me an intriging email the other day.
She had a performance evaluation question.
She wanted to know how best to ask:
"What do you look for each day in coming to work?"
That is an interesting question to ask of TSA people.
They look, one assumes, for crazy people with bombs.
They look for liquid explosives in your luggage.

Is Kathy looking to evaluate their observational skills?
If so, that’s the right question.
Or is she looking for motivational clues?
If so, she needs to amend one word in her question
"What do you look forward to each day in coming to work?"
We should ask our people - and ourselves - that question.
What do we look forward to in coming to work each day?

My feelings about work have not changed in 50 years.
Mine is the most exciting and fulfilling work in the world.
I’m serious. Do you feel that way?
If you don’t, what’s changed or gone wrong?
Do your people feel that way?
If they don’t, what’s changed or gone wrong for them?
You need to ask yourself and your people. Do it. Now.
That’s the way of the Enlightened Leader.

Please give me your thoughts at Post a Comment below.
This is a dialogue, not a sermon.

Your passion and purpose

This light-hearted cartoon may make your day.
It certainly gave me a chuckle.
But on a truly serious note:
Passion and purpose are two major keys to success.
Our friend Kathy Little knows this well.
Kathy works as a TSA behavior detection officer.
She watches for suspicious behavior.
She says she and her colleagues do this due to 9-11.
Their purpose is to make everyone safer. She writes:
“We are here because a terrible thing happened.
“We were created in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
“ We care. We are here for you.”
TSA officials will observe a moment of silence Sunday.
They will invite all travelers to join them.
Think of how 9-11 has changed our lives.
Be grateful follow-up attacks have been thwarted
Think about that the next time you take a flight.
Sure it is inconvenient to show up two hours early.
Sure it is inconvenient to go through security.
But do you want terrorists on the flight with you?
I thank the TSA officials every time I fly.
I joke with them about my photo ID.
“That’s my grandfather’s photo,” I say.
“He looks a lot like me, doesn’t he?”
That almost always produces a smile.
On the eve of 9-11, thank the Kathy Littles of TSA.
They keep us safe in the air and on the ground.
To respond, click on Post a Comment below.