Trying Times Reveals The Depth Of Our Character

The last 6 months have been a laser-beam-string of escalating challenges, culminating to key successive breakthroughs.

I am homered to share from the depths of my heart a key 'win' I have had the privilege of watching.

Bradley relaxing at home

Bradley.  My brother Brad inspires me…and for that matter, should inspire all of Canada (K, I know I am bragging).  Here I find a man of pure modesty. Humility that seeks to come under and inquire, learn and think.

Brad has been the backbone (legs, arms, neck and feet) of B&R Custom for 11 years.  My business partner who 'looked after the floor' led our lowly machine shop to become what it is so far today: a powerhouse AS 9100 Aerospace Machine Shop.

Brad uses his hands to create

As if this was not enough, he recently set up an incredibly complex tire processing plant (our new company) where we take whole tires and turn it into amazing quality crumb rubber.  Every person who has toured the plant was unable to believe Brad, at the meager age of 31 could figure out, assemble and produce such incredible results.  Our key bank lender praised our efforts as remarkable. 

We just worked on a massive shredder project where our machine shop re-designed and built the shredder wheels and knives (a part of our system).  The project was an incredible success!

Links:

Tire Vs Shredder...who wins?

Brad is really happy...big tire

Our project will work: Brad did not give up.

My inspiration did not come from Brads success, but from his response to failure after failure.  Brad had hundreds of setbacks over the last 6 months trying to get a complex processing facility to function.  The pressure and weight of taking the risk to borrow, then turn that into a turn-key operation was seen in his step almost daily.  I saw the weight of the setbacks on his face and in his eyes.  Many times he called me in frustration saying, "how do I know what I don't know?".  He was exasperated and many times defeated  by the overwhelming circumstances.  In a 'robot like fashion', he picked himself up and drove into work each day determined to learn, adapt and understand.  Bradley, your perseverance through adversity marks you. It goes before you and declares, "I will not give up!".  You have stayed in the game and overcome.  Your successes are well deserved.  Since you will never boast about yourself, it's only fair for Canada to know that it's guys like you who represent a part of what makes our country strong.  God bless you my friend and brother.

We make crumb rubber from tires! Lots of uses!



Experts say, "Your competition spent 5x as much to be able to produce what you are doing!" Cheers Brad.



I encourage you today, when you go through challenges, refuse to give up.  Keep thinking, learning and fighting for solutions that advance you and your loved ones.  Failure does not define us; declare it today.

You Are The Answer To Your 'Idiot' Boss...Nobody Else

Here's how to avoid being dumped on, regardless of your pecking order:

1.  Being a victim is (often) a choice.  I know, I know...it's really popular these days for all levels of government to create a "victim class" and then seek to prop up and protect the "poor helpless victim".  Where being a victim is a choice, choose not to be one!  Stand with confidence in your services and your ability to take them elsewhere should the boss have a problem and not be willing to look at it.

2. Let the free market be free.  If this pic explains your work situation, just tell yourself, "I am better than this!".  Then choose to go to a place that honors and respects you, or work with your boss to let her know the standards she must meet to retain your services.

3. Appeal to your boss and let him know that he may be right with his point, but he packages it with such garbage that it really devalues you.  As a boss, I know firsthand how easy it is to have good intentions and bad actions.  I try my hardest and sometimes still devalue others (never intentionally)...I dump weight and pressure on them.  I continually ask for feedback, and over time, am learning not to dump weight/crap on people, rather communicate the point and value the other person.  This is hard work!  I get lots of help on this.  Most bosses who dump weight like the top bird in the pic needs your help, not your frustration and certainly not your emotions of being a victim.  Help yourself, by offering to help your boss. 

4.  Recognize most bosses dump weight because they are functioning past their capacity and simply lack the skills to calmly and respectfully work through issues...so they demand compliance and results the best way they know how...sadly, often lacking in the focus of caring for input or valuing others.  I challenge you today to be your bosses solution.  Shrug off the ill treatment, get results and the next day, pass some feedback on.  Remember, you get paid to solve problems.