Sometimes, I see lessons in the strangest of circumstances. This is one of those times…
A month ago tomorrow, we had new appliances installed. Long story short, unbeknownst to us, we were left with a refrigerator water line that had a pinhole gently spewing water on the wall behind and next to our refrigerator. As you can imagine, even a gentle spray adds up to a lot of water over time. When we got home from vacation, we discovered the leak.
The walls and lower level ceilings will dry out, thanks to the space age equipment our insurer brought in yesterday. The biggest concern – and the root of the lesson – is my less than six months old wide plank wood flooring in the dining area.
<sigh>
About a third of the planks are warped. I thought they were done for. I figured we would have to have all that wood pulled up and replaced. I even worried about not finding the right match and possibly having to start all over.
However, our water damage rescue team had a plan. They put down numerous special mats, put several fans and l-o-u-d engines in place, all the while talking about how the floors may not be lost. My husband asked,
“Do you really have much luck saving wood floors with all this equipment?”
To my surprise, the men said they do. And not just occasionally, but often.
The rescue team has a plan and a process they follow for water-related damage. First they lay suction mats and super-powered fans that heat and circulate air. Then they will pull moldings off and snake hoses into the subflooring. If needed, they may open walls and suction even more. They will come and measure moisture levels everyday for three consecutive days, moving equipment around based on readings they will take during each visit.
Then we wait and see what happens.
I know what you’re thinking…”OK, El, where’s the lesson?”
How often are we quick to be discouraged by a team member’s performance that isn’t where we want it to be? Do you ever think to yourself, “There’s no hope for getting this person back on track.” Is your first thought, “This person’s got to go!”
A coaching plan, though, is like my water damage rescue team.
We don’t give up on our staff. We put together a plan that outlines clear steps for success. We tackle one thing, check for progress, then layer in another, and check for more progress. We measure performance regularly to track what improvement is being made. Once all the steps of the coaching plan are completed, we wait and see what happens. More often than not, we have successfully coached the individual to an acceptable level of performance. That’s a win-win for everyone.
It’s going to be about six weeks before we know if my floorboards will “un-warp” or have to be replaced. Our coaching plans are about six weeks, too. A good plan, patience and optimism are keys for both.
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Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.
