"Workstyle" Change

It is often hard to notice progress in life and it has always been hard for me to wait for things in life. So I am trying harder to look at the long term more often and recently I noticed a very encouraging sign among my co-workers in the Lincoln office.

Let me give you some background.

People that know me know that I value organization and keeping things neat. I believe it is hard to keep things straight in your head if you can’t keep your surrounding tidy. I have never said or heard anybody else say about another person, “Their office looks chaotic but there are really organized. “ (You can substitute the words desk, room or house for the word office if you like.)

I have worked with people on trying to be organized in their approach to their work space over the years and had some success but during 2014 I have made it a focus. Word organized is part of our brand promise.

So in addition to modeling organization I have been openly talking about it. I have suggested resources for helping people be organized and have even given out books on the topic. I wanted to see organization grow past Sylvia’s desk.

I would have assumed that everybody would see the light and get organized quickly. They didn’t. At least not everybody all at once.

But Justin Jung did. He took it upon himself to organize and maintain an organized office. Eight months later he is still going strong.

Then came Tyler Brown. He took it to the next level. Now I try to match his level of organization.

Now Dan Williams has jumped into the game.

Slowly but surely we are getting more organized. It's fun. I say that not because I want others to be like me but because it works and people are becoming more productive and are easier to work with as they get organized. Our common spaces are 200% then last year and we are continuing to make improvements. Many others not named in this blog have made progress in this area but Justin, Tyler and Dan are completely transformed!!! The have made a change in their “workstyle.”

I realize that other areas within the company have also followed suit. Some examples are:

-The part carts at Camp Ripley and Fort Sill.

-I have been told that the cupboards in the corporate office are labeled and it is easy to find things in them.

-Steve Gardner’s drawers would make Tyler Brown proud.

-But the best example is the Willmar Shop. We have come a long ways in keeping it organized and it is not a coincidence that projects in the area started to save hours (and material) as the shop got more and more organized.

Approachable, On time and Organized. We talk about it every day in our huddles. Tyler, Justin and Dan in addition to Jake, Justin, Ruth and Steve along with several others that are taking being organized serious on a day to day basis. It is great to see.

Three books are very good resources in this area.
-“2 Second Lean” by Paul Akers
-“Take Back Your Life!” by Sally McGhee and John Wittry
-“Getting Things Done” by David Allan