Flexibility

"Somebody has to say something funny. I don't want to have to start making up quotes."
- Kaye Borchers

I know you're all curious, so just to let you know-it's really dusty on the top shelf of our supply closet here at Choice One Sidney. And we (obviously) don't have any sort of step-stool to reach said shelf. Hence the dust accumulation.

When we're out of options around here (perhaps for a Choice Mindsets idea, as in Kaye's statement), or when we can't reach the top shelf, it helps to be flexible. If we're willing to be flexible, perhaps the right words will come out of our mouth, or the shelf will be stable enough to climb.

Being flexible doesn't just help us design around a tricky existing water main, but it also allows us to work out problems with what's available and not be nagged by worry and fear, or frozen by obstacles in the way of our goals. And it helps us to find all sorts of things on the top shelf we didn't realize we had.

Happy New Year, everyone, from Choice One Engineering!

Don't Get Sloppy

"Look at that signature. There is no possible way to get 'Brian' out of that."
- Matt Hoying

If you haven't seen one, our Christmas cards are hand-signed by each employee here at Choice One. And, according to Matt, sometimes certain people (ahem... Brian Schmidt) get a little sloppy with their signatures. (In Brian's defense, it's probably because, like most things that require any sort of repetition or accuracy in our office, The Signing of the Christmas Cards becomes a competition to see who can sign all 500 the fastest. I believe Wes usually wins, being that he only has three letters in his name.)

Whether signing Christmas cards or cleaning up a topographic survey, no matter the task here, frequent repetition can be both highly advantageous and highly dangerous. Doing the same task again and again leads to mastery and expertise, but can also lead to mechanization and carelessness. There are many times in our office when we have the need to do repetitious tasks that require precision, and to be successful at these tasks we need not only be focused and attentive, but also work together and have someone else check our work for mistakes. Measure twice, cut once!

Now if Matt will just check Brian's other 499 signatures for readability...

Happy holidays, all, from everyone at Choice One Engineering.

Getting to the Snack Room

"This is the best idea we've ever had--we should have done it a long time ago. Now it's easier to get to the snack room."
- Andy Shuman

We recently moved a few rather weighty filing cabinets that had "always been there" to allow for an under-used bookshelf to be put in a more accessible spot. Not only did our Administrative Assistant Brittany have more room for the bidding documents that seem to be spontaneously generating lately, but the furniture adjustment allows for everyone to get through the break/snack room door with less bottlenecking.

Yes, sometimes moving our old habits, the status quo, or "business as usual" around here at Choice One is difficult and heavy, but what doors might we open that we can't even fathom until "the way we've always done it" is changed?

Laugh and Fall. Often.

"I guarantee that two things will happen today: Brittany and Kaye will giggle uncontrollably and Nick will physically injure himself."
- Jeff Puthoff

Some time ago our entire company took the afternoon off and played some indoor beach volleyball. Jeff made the statement above beforehand because Brittany and Kaye have a tendency to laugh until they cry for no reason at all, and Nick tends to fall down and break things a lot. We're all sort of predictable like that.

In our office, we found that it's important to not be afraid to laugh often, and to not be afraid to fall down. In fact, we make a fool of ourselves doing both quite frequently. Learning to laugh until we look ridiculous, especially at our mistakes, is a valuable practice to get into.

(Oh, and just for the record, yes, Brittany and Kaye laughed until they cried, but Nick did not injure himself. Tony took care of that by giving himself a concussion.)

Thinking Big

“I swear, you guys, I’m 5’9”!”
- Mitch Thobe

Our engineer Mitch is a little on the small side when you line everyone here up at Choice One from shortest to tallest. But that doesn’t stop him from claiming he’s 5’9” tall. And while we’re pretty sure he’s not THAT tall, you have to admire his persistence and confidence.

Even if we’re wrong about our perceptions around here from time to time, believing that we’re the tallest, the smartest, the fastest, or the best at what we do gives us confidence to take chances, not to mention the mettle to prove all the doubters wrong. And even though we may fall a little “short” from time to time, the experience we gain from our failures is invaluable to our growth at whatever form our passion takes.

Focus

"I'm not grumpy, I'm busy."
- Brittany Clinehens

Sometimes, when we're overwhelmed with work, personal matters, or whatever, it's easy to focus on the task at hand or our own issues and become short or snappy with those around us. That's not all bad--focusing on an engineer's estimate that needs sent out ASAP rather than chatting about last night's football game is sometimes very useful and often downright necessary.

Still, here at Choice One, we try not to let focus and determination override our efforts to be courteous and patient with our fellow humans. Not only will we be labeled grumps (or worse!), but we probably won't make (or keep) many friends, either.

Standing Out

We decided here at Choice One Engineering that we wanted to infuse a little more humor and a lot more personality into our "Choice Mindsets." So we figured how better to do that than to find real-life examples of our way to thinking?

"The only reason you beat me at ping-pong is because you have long, goofy arms."
- Andy Shuman

Yeah, so Kaye is tall and rather ungraceful, and that lends itself to having long, goofy limbs, as Andy lovingly pointed out. But you know what? Having long, goofy limbs not only allows Kaye to beat her coworkers at ping-pong, but it allows her to reach things on high shelves, pile on the mushrooms that are WAY in the back at the salad bar, and pull a lot of change from behind the couch.

Since we're all a little goofy here at Choice One, we try to avoid looking at our oddities as negatives. Something that makes us unique makes us stand out; our attitude towards our differences and how we use that distinctiveness determines whether we perceive it as "long and goofy," or "useful and agile."

Reactions

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." - Charles Swindoll

Whether it is at work, at home, or even with strangers, the way you react to a situation can make a difference in your life and others involved in the situation.

Bills will always be in the mailbox, someone with always cut you off on the highway, there will always be an endless pile of work on your desk, and the worker at McDonald's will put onion on your burger when you specifically asked for no onion. These situations may be out of our control, but we do have control of the way we react to these situations. Is it really going to fix the problem if we don't pay the bills, spit swears at the driver on the highway, ignore the workload, or throw the burger at the high school student trying to make money to put gas in her car? None of these options are solutions to the problem, and we will probably feel worse anyhow.

Not too long ago, I became overwhelmed with a situation at work where it seemed like nothing was going to work out. I immediately became frustrated and froze. I had to take a deep breath, clear my head and change my reaction to the situation. By doing that, I became more efficient and more pleasant.

Changing ourselves is one of the most challenging goals we can give ourselves. But maybe if we start smaller, and change our reactions, it would be one step closer.

- Brittany Clinehens

"I Beat People Up"

"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up." - Muhammad Ali

Hey, that's my job, too, although my younger sister would disagree with who was beating up whom when we were kids.

I admire Ali, however, this whole "it's just a job" mindset bothers me. It's not "just a job." If it was "just a job," why do so many of us put so much effort into it? What would that say about the relationships we build while at our jobs? Are they just acquaintances that serve one purpose and that is all we care about? Of course not.

These are all questions that demonstrate it isn't "just a job." Our performance at our jobs reflect on who we are as people. The way we approach our job, the care and effort we put toward our job, the friendships we build while at our job all show that it isn't just at a job. I am thankful that I have never thought of what I have the opportunity to do every day as "just a job".

We may never know how what we do every day affects other people or who it all affects, but I think we can all agree that the way we go about our work affects more than just us. Try telling people today how their job affects yours. Let them know that you appreciate that it isn't "just a job" to them, because it makes your life easier. Why not let them know, and make their day better too?

- Matt Hoying

Problem Solving

"We all have problems. The way we solve them is what makes us different." -Unknown

Some people see themselves as victims of their circumstances; others take responsibility for creating their circumstances. Some people complain about everything that's wrong; others discuss solutions to make things right. That being said, letting your life become all about your problems is a surefire path to unhappiness.

When a problem arises on a construction site, there are people who complain that everything is wrong and point fingers, making everyone involved uncomfortable. Others notice a problem and work together to find a solution that works for everyone.

We will always have problems, always with uncertainty about finding solutions. Once you've done what you can do on any given day, let go of your need to worry and commiserate; that won't fix anything any faster.

What kind of person will you be today?

- Tony Schroeder

Fear of Mistakes

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." -Elbert Hubbard

Too often I find myself not taking a chance because I fear what negative repercussions it will have. This kind of fear can be paralyzing and leads us to never advance. We may worry what outcome a chance will have on our life personally, professionally, socially or even privately.

This kind of fear may stop us from getting a promotion, meeting new people, or doing our own rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" at karaoke Thursday night.

There aren't too many things I am socially hesitant of, but striking up a conversation with a complete stranger can sometimes be intimidating. I usually fear feeling awkward, being rejected, or getting into a conversation that I feel is over my head. However, I can usually settle my nerves and confidently start talking. And most of the time? The complete stranger appreciates my willingness to reach out.

Believe in yourself and you might be surprised who else will then believe in you, too.

- Brittany Clinehens

Slumping?

"So many ideas come to you when you're slumping, that you want to try them all, but you can't. You're like a mosquito in a nudist camp. You don't know where to start." - Reggie Jackson

Wouldn't that be nice... to have a mosquito not know where to start, I mean.

For many of us, summer not only brings the heat and mosquitoes, but also brings lots to do: outdoor projects, construction season, more daylight to squeeze in more activities. Things start to pile up on desks, in voicemails, and in email inboxes to the point we feel overwhelmed, often because we don't know where to start. When this happens, it's easy to think the best way out is to do only what is needed to get the job off our desk and out of our hands; never mind that in doing so, we didn't do our best work.

But rather than sacrifice accuracy and quality (and possibly clients), take a moment and take a deep breath. You will be amazed at what you can do when you are relaxed and have a clear mind.

For instance, the last several weeks have left me feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and easily agitated. When I feel like I am in over my head, I dread coming into work in the morning to face the mound of work on my desk. If I am proactive, however, I catch myself before I get too deep into this state, calm myself down, and start chipping away at my task list. The next morning, I am back to enjoying my job and waking up is much easier.

If I don't catch myself, my coworkers let me know by not coming around my desk or greeting me in the hallway. You see, when I get in a slump at work, not only do I restrict my own enjoyment, but I also deny my coworkers/clients/anyone else I may talk to that day of their enjoyment, too.

I am going to make a much greater effort to enjoy my own work environment so those around me can enjoy theirs too. What about you? I think I'll pass on the nudist camp...

- Matt Hoying

Being Honest

"An honest answer is the sign of true friendship." -Proverb

Maybe someone asks, "How are you?" and, instinctively, you say, "Fine." Or someone asks, "What's new?" and you automatically respond, "Not much." Or someone asks your opinion, and you gloss over what you really think to avoid making waves.

I suspect we do this because we don't want to burden people with what's really on our minds, open ourselves up to judgment, or somehow upset them.

This happens to me with all kinds of people I come into contact with, from fellow employees to clients.

It can be scary to speak what's really on your mind, particularly if you need some guidance and feel vulnerable admitting that you don't have everything figured out. The truth is, no one does. Sometimes we all need to lean on each other--and that only works if we're all willing to be honest.

We do have many clients that I am not afraid to be honest with and I guess that comfort level is a sign of true friendship. I have one client in mind that is an engineer (you know, a geek) and we are very honest with each other; we let each other know when we are getting too detailed and make fun of each other for it. In these cases I think an honest answer is a sign of true friendship.

How could your world be better if you were more honest, both with yourself and with others?

~Tony Schroeder

Common Courtesy

"When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another--and ourselves." -Jack Kornfield

In today's hectic, get-out-of-my-way society, we ignore each other, avoid eye contact with strangers, and forego common courtesies that were, well, common years ago. We may not intend to be too busy and narrow-minded, but it's good to remind ourselves that a simple act of courtesy can go a long way.

Just today, as I was leaving a public building, I held the door for the elderly lady behind me. "Thank you so much," she said, "I bet you didn't know that my arm bothers me and it's hard to push open doors nowadays." That simple, 20-second connection with a stranger not only provided the woman with a small physical relief, but it brightened my day mentally, too.

Connecting with one another doesn't have to be big to-do. It can be as simple as a smile to a coworker or a thank you wave to the guy who lets you get over on the interstate. Not only will you provide a moment of kinship to the other person, but you just might make yourself feel a little better, too.

~Kaye Borchers