High Performing Business – Influence – Good Cheer
Mr. Bear makes a visit to our project.
Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT
Yesterday was cleaning service day out here at the Alaska Research Garden. I had a couple cheetah staff visiting, so we went into town while the cleaning service was over. I didn’t stick around to supervise (and really who wants to supervise the cleaning service anyhow?)
While we were gone, the cleaning service discovered my science project going on under the sink – it was an airtight container with the compost – totally sealed and not stinking at all. I’ve been accumulating produce waste all summer to put into the keyhole compost bins once we get our hugel culture key hole garden beds complete (to watch this progress follow Alaska Research Garden on Facebook). Needless to say it was more than disgusting. Thinking it was garbage, they double bagged it and put it outside – right under the window that was open where we had the fan bringing “fresh” air back into the kitchen. We get home to the most rancid stink in the kitchen – I soon found the source. I couldn’t bring myself to return this putridness back indoors so I moved it over to the garden zone as we are going to be finished with the beds this weekend.
After dinner, Cheetah’s Digital Marketing director – Madison, comes in and says – “I think we need to get the dogs down to the ocean as they got into whatever stink was in that bag.” Wow and what a stink that was – I went to clean up the mess. Came back into the house and realized – OMG, I need in the shower like now and these clothes have to be sanitized. Luckily it’s still summer and the out door showers are still open. I realized coming back from the shower, the ocean would not do for the dogs. So instead of getting dressed, I managed to get a bathing suit on my wet body (not easy).
Out back next to the outdoor showers is a utility tub – exactly for this type of grossness. Granted it was 60 degrees out and the mosquitos were in full force, but there was no way I was going to co-exist with two make you vomit stinky puppies. They both got fully doused and sudsed. One of my house guests was getting concerned about me out back as I was gone for a long time. And she did not want to run into me naked back there – who the heck wants to see their boss naked? So she waited around the corner for me to walk around with the first washed puppy. She was much surprised I was back there in my bathing suit at sunset when it was getting colder, but very relieved I was not naked.
We got the puppies dry, I got into more seasonally comfortable clothes, and we were sitting around the kitchen table amazed at just how gross this whole scene got and fast. We have a mason working on the property doing a project for the Alaska Research Garden. He walked in on this scene and says “my gosh is there something really disgusting smelling outside. I just ran into a huge bear in the driveway on my way in here. But he ran away as soon as he saw the truck.” We quickly filled him in on why we all found that so funny.
I’ve realized over the years, no matter what the job, or how disgusting, since I’m going to do it anyhow, I may as well do it with good cheer, and find the fun in whatever way I can. Cleaning up this horrific mess – well if this is the grossest thing I have to handle – I am one lucky person. Finding a way to be excited, engaged and enthusiastic about the task at hand influences people far more than being apathetic or even angry about necessary and required work.
To learn how to likewise inspire yourself and to take on the more challenging (and rewarding) projects of life, become a Cheetah Certified Project Manager.
