Transparent....Not Invisible!

During a recent Facebook Live Jeff Parton and myself decided we would discuss why we are trying to be so transparent on social media and what we hope to accomplish by doing so. Now, when I am talking about being transparent I’m not talking about being invisible nor am I talking about making yourself unseen on social media. It’s really the opposite and it’s very important so let’s discuss a little bit of what we talked about.

In the business we are in, the car business, it is very important to continue to learn and adapt. The old school mentality and way of doing business is basically headed out the door. It’s getting both harder and easier to sell cars. What do I mean? Well, with the expansion of the internet it has created a new culture of buyers. The new buyer does much of their actual research online before they even go to the dealership and now, because of that, they are visiting far fewer dealerships. So why do I say this is a good and a bad thing? Well, the good is the fact that buyers are far more educated and knowledgeable about what they want but the bad is the fact that if they are indeed doing most of their research online then they are also shopping online which in turns causes less actual dealership visits. What this does is gives us fewer chances to physically be in front of customers on the lot but the good thing about that is, though you may have fewer customers on the lot, the ones that actually make it to the lot are probably buyers. 

So, that being said, being transparent online is important and could prove to be beneficial. Why? Well, if people are doing most shopping online then it would be important because if they do happen across your info or social media during their searching then they will be able to see who you really are and see what you’re all about. I’m not saying that you must expose all of your deepest darkest secrets but it’s about sharing your ups and downs. It’s about showing your good times and some of your struggles. It’s much easier to trust people that are open and transparent and that’s part of why it’s important to be so.

I know you’re probably thinking that you don’t want to share things online for everyone to see. I get that and I sometimes have issues giving everyone every single one of my struggles so I try to be selective but I still try to give the ones that I believe may help someone else. One thing I try to remember and that is the fact that here in the near future video is going to be the most rendered result during online searches and if that’s the case you have to be able to be found on video and video is the best way to show people who you really are. Now, I’m not suggesting that everyone needs to run out and start doing videos because not everyone is going to be good at video but there are other ways to be transparent and let people know who you are such as regular written post or maybe even a blog post.

So, I have touched a little about why I try to be transparent online but let me go a little further.

The fact is that people buy from who they like, know and trust. Just a few years ago customers would come to a business or dealership and that’s how they got to know you. Now, they can know about you and your business beforehand and decide if they want to even visit you or not while sitting behind a computer or phone. So, if that’s the case, you not only want to have online presence but you also want to be real. The more real you are then the more people can get to know you. Again, I’m not saying to expose all of your past transgressions necessarily but you must be real nonetheless. 

Having said all of that, there are basically 2 reasons why I want to be transparent to some extent online.

1) I do it so people can get to know me and possibly like and trust me. If most people are searching and shopping online and most people buy from people they like, know and trust then it only makes sense to help them during that process. First, if you have no online presence at all you will probably struggle in the future but second, if you aren’t open and transparent then people may think you’re fake. It doesn’t help that most people have a negative view of car salesmen anyway so why must we continue to confirm what they already believe and act like we have things to hide. Often times if they see you being upfront and transparent about possible struggles in your life then it may be a little easier for the customer to actually believe what you’re telling them during a buying transaction.

2) I try to be transparent in order to help others. Ultimately this is the one that I think of most of the time. I think about who I can help with what I say or do. If I am sharing a struggle or tough time in my life it is usually because I think there may be someone else out there with a similar struggle that might can relate and maybe what I have to say may help them. Also, if I have something positive or uplifting that I think may help someone then I share that as well. This could be anything from motivation, a certain way to do something or helping a customer buy a car. I try to have a wide range of videos and avenues in order to get information out that may can help others. 

Again, I am not saying that everyone needs to run out and do videos and to share all of your deepest darkest secrets. I am simply sharing the reasons I do it and how it may help. If you’re in sales then videos and online presence will be helpful but I totally understand that not everyone is comfortable doing them and posting them but you must find another way to get a presence online and let people know who you are and what you’re about and in doing so it is very important to let people see who you really are because no one likes a fake person. If they see you as fake they definitely won’t like, know or trust you. 

Walking uphill both ways?

Today as I was coming up with my topic I thought of an old saying that some older people use to say. It went something like, "When I was your age I use to walk to work/school uphill both ways in the snow, backwards and with no shoes on" or something like that. Okay, so I added one or 2 things but it still makes sense and is relevant to my topic for today.

Does it feel like this sometimes in life? Does it sometimes feel like you're walking uphill both ways and that you never seem to be able to reach the top? Does it feel like you're struggling when you have no real reason to feel that way? Often times we feel this way and yet don't even know why. We all of sudden one day just start feeling like the world is on our shoulders and can't explain it or why it is happening.

I did come up with a few reasons why this may happen and I would like to share them with you.

1) Sometimes the reason we feel like this is self-inflicted. Sometimes this feeling comes on us because we are naturally negative and always assume the worst. We sometimes get in these moods where we believe nothing will go right for us. On the other hand, sometimes we end up feeling like this because maybe we've made a poor decision or maybe even multiple poor decisions. Either way we are the one that causes us to feel this way and maybe the ones to blame.

2) Maybe something happened in your life that brought you down. We often go through things in life that could cause us to feel like the world is on us and maybe it was something that is uncontrollable like some health issues or maybe even a death. There may have been some abuse in a relationship that's caused the uphill struggles that you can't seem to get over. Sometimes this category is the hardest to fight through.

3) Maybe there was a decision at work that was made that wasn't in your favor. I know it's easy to say to not let work get to you but sometimes this can be a hard task especially if you spend most of your time there. It is especially true if you actually care about what you do and who you work for. If there are decisions made that are outside your control it's true that we shouldn't worry about it but sometimes that's easier said than done especially if it affects you financially. 

4) Maybe there have been some changes at work or maybe some restructuring. Maybe the declining culture where you work has brought you down to the point where you see no way out. There may have been some new rules or guidelines that you see as impossible and that has caused you to become a little down in the dumps where it seems impossible to come out of. 

5)Maybe the people you're around on a daily basis don't seem to care and you think there is no reason for you to care either since they don't. This one is easy to let get to you since it's the one that seems one of the most common. Though I don't expect everyone to care I do expect some to. When this is a common thought process I can assure you that it will rub off on you.

Can you relate to any of these? I'm willing to bet you can relate to at least one if not multiples!

Why am I going over this? Well, in an effort to be transparent and show you that even some of the most known or maybe even most successful people go through times when they are struggling and I wanted to share that right now is one of these times for me. I can't explain why really but it has been going on for a little bit now. I haven't been having any issues at home.... which is the most important thing to me. I have had some issues at work that may have contributed to this feeling but nothing that should drive me to unhappiness. I know we all go through things but not everyone shares what they go through in order to help someone else which is what I am trying to do.

Now the question might come up as to what am I doing about it? What am I doing to try and get out of this funk that I am in? Well, there are 4 things that I think help me and may help someone else in this predicament. Not that these are going to work for everyone or that everyone cares but these are the ones that I rely on.

1) Keeping my faith in the One that gives me all things and also prayer. Neither one of these are easy and neither one am I perfect at. I try and stay strong but it's often times easier said than done. The hardest thing to remember is that He is in control and knows more than I do. He knows what He's doing and I don't and I have to try to understand that, though it is a very difficult and daunting task.

2) I try to remember that there have been struggles before and that I have come out of them okay. Though every situation is different I try to remember that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel even though the tunnel looks extra long sometimes.

3) I try and continue to do things that keeps my mind engaged and clear. The mind is probably the most powerful and yet the most dangerous thing we possess. The mind, if allowed to, can determine so many things that you do or don't do in life. It has that kind of power! So I try and continue being positive, jovial and outgoing even though I don't want to sometimes. I try to still shoot my videos and make my posts even though sometimes I'm not posting exactly what I want or how I actually feel. 

4) I try to make sure I have people that I trust in my corner. It helps to have friends that will tell you the truth and not necessarily what you want to hear. It helps to have people surrounding you that can and will listen and actually give you good advice and it also helps if they have been through something similar as you in which they can relate.

I don't tell you these things because I want some kind of sympathy or anything like that. I don't even claim that I have a handle on life because clearly I don't. I'm not even saying that I'm able to overcome every obstacle that comes in front of me because I can’t and don’t. I am not even offering you the way out of every situation because what may work for me may not work for you at all. I am simply wanting you to see that many people struggle with things that may not bother someone else at all. I just want to show you that it's okay to be transparent and to show people that you are indeed vulnerable. I want you to see that sometimes showing your weaknesses may be of great benefit to someone that you may not even know and yet can help them during a tough time in their life. I surely don't have all the answers, no one does, but I'm hoping that my struggles up this steep never ending hill may help someone else top theirs!

Are you missing something?

As I pulled up to the light on my way to work I noticed that there had just recently been a car accident. There were two vehicles that looked to be disabled on either side of the intersection but no one appeared to be injured. It looked like the suv may have slammed into the back of the compact car while it was sitting at the light. By the looks of it there were no airbags deployed but the front of one and the rear of the other were smashed in pretty good.

As I drove by, it appeared that no one was hurt as the emergency vehicles I’m sure were on the way to the scene. While I was driving I started wondering what might have happened and how I could use that situation in a video and blog post. 

The first thing I thought of was all of the reasons or excuses that someone may give when involved in an accident like that. The sun blinded me, I couldn’t see their brake lights, I spilled coffee on myself, I was yelling at the kids in the backseat, I was playing with the radio or I was texting on my phone were all excuses that I thought may be used.

Often times I think many people are in a huge hurry to get to their destination and many times are distracted. Maybe they are running late and they think they have to drive fast to get to their destination even though they would still be late no matter how fast they drove. 

All of these things are very much realistic as to the excuses some may use if they get into an accident but none of which are good excuses especially if you are the one responsible for the accident.

How can I relate having an accident to living life?

Well, first of all, as I tell you this just know that I am talking to myself since this is a lesson that I must learn too. Second of all I think this lesson is one that many can relate to.

Often times in life we get in a hurry. We get in hurry to go somewhere or get something done because we think we will miss something. Maybe we put an unnecessary time limit on something we want to do or a level we want to reach and in doing so we get in a hurry and blow by everyone and everything else in our path.

My point is this.... when we get in too big of a hurry in life we seem to get distracted. When we get distracted we tend to miss the more important things in life. It’s very easy to get distracted with our busy lives and in turn miss those moments we can’t get back. We miss opportunities and events that may never be replayed. 

So, what are we learning from the accident?

Well, when you get in a hurry while driving a car you could get distracted and possibly cause and accident and maybe even hurt someone in the process. When we get in a hurry in our day to day lives we may also get distracted and miss something and possibly hurt someone in the process.

What can be done to make sure this doesn’t happen? It sounds simple but may not be all that easy to accomplish but I will tell you what I think. 

You have to slow down, keep your hands on the wheel and focus on the road ahead of you! If you focus on the most important things in life then you’re less likely to become distracted and therefore maybe you won’t miss those moments you won’t get back! Don’t go through life in a hurry and miss the more important things in life. Don’t be the one that looks back on your life and wonders why you missed so much because I am still relatively young and I already wonder that very same thing myself!

How much dirt is under your rug?

Saturdays at our dealership we are furnished lunch so that way we can make sure that we are here and available to assist customers. Well, this past Saturday we had fried chicken which is something we have about once a month or so. Each time we have it there is quite the mess left on the table. Well, everything was cleaned up before we left and all seemed to be in order. Today, as we prepared to have the morning meeting, I pulled out a chair and there were the remnants of the lunch from Saturday in the way of fried chicken skin in the seat. How gross and disgusting! I can’t imagine what some visitors may have thought had they seen that!

Finding these dirty chairs got me to thinking about how this is very similar to seeing someone sweep dirt under the rug on some of the old cartoons that I use to watch. Often times there would be a character that was responsible for cleaning the floor but instead of scooping up the trash and putting it in the can they simply lifted up the corner of the rug and swept it under there. 

It started me thinking to why someone might actually do that and how could I relate this to life.

First, why would someone sweep the dirt under the rug because if you did that enough the rug wouldn’t lay flat? Second, wouldn’t it be simpler to go ahead and scoop up the trash now instead of having to deal with it later on down the road? These should be obvious but what would make someone want to do this? 

1) Maybe they are lazy and they feel like this is the quickest and easiest way to get by.

2) Maybe they are in a huge hurry and that’s the fastest way to get it out of the way.

3) Maybe they just don’t want to deal with the dirt!

All of these could be a reason why but none are good enough reasons really because it would be more work down the road if you were to keep putting it off. 

So, how does this effect you and what could possibly happen if you continued to sweep your dirt under the rug and hide it?

1) It ultimately becomes a bigger mess than it would’ve been had you cleaned it up when you first were sweeping! If you had just taken a little extra time to scoop it up there wouldn’t be a huge lump on the rug where the trash has been accumulating! Instead of being able to get the dirt up with one small scoop with the dust pan now you may have to make multiple trips.

2) It usually becomes harder to deal with! With a bigger mess comes bigger problems. When you allow the dirt to pile up instead of dealing with it you will get to the point where it’s hard to deal with at all and you won’t want to. You may let it get to the point to where you feel there is no way out. 

3) Someone else will find it! Think about this as a kid cleaning their room. You ask them to clean it and they say they do but then you start wondering how they cleaned it so fast so you decide to check. You open up the closet door and an avalanche of stuff comes down on you. This is what happens when you consistently allow your dirt to pile up! It piles up until someone else finds it and now there is no way to hide it and more than likely you will be much more embarrassed than you would’ve had you cleaned the dirt up when you swept.

How does this apply to life?

Simple! We often times don’t want to deal with the dirt we have in our lives! Maybe it’s dirt we created or maybe it’s the result of someone else but either way we don’t deal with it. We keep letting it build and build until it becomes a bigger mess than it would’ve had we acknowledge it and dealt with it from the beginning! It is much harder to deal with as you sweep it under the rug or pile it in the closet and you get to the point where you think it’s gone or you forget about it until someone opens the closet or lifts the rug and sees all the dirt you didn’t want to deal with. Now you have a harder time and a longer road ahead of you to clean up the mess. 

The moral of this analogy is that it is much better to own up to and deal with the mess you make early on because you don’t want it to become too big of a mess to clean up. Though you seem to be hiding the dirt and it does seem to be hidden well in the beginning eventually the carpet won’t lay flat and the closet door won’t close and it will be visible to everyone at that point so doesn’t it make sense to deal with your dirt early on? Don’t wait until someone else finds it before you want to deal with it because then it may be too late!

Your friends bleeding you?

At some point in your life I’m sure you’ve washed clothes if you’re old enough to do so. In doing so I’m sure that at some point you’ve washed some that’s bled on others in the wash. It’s very frustrating for this to happen especially if it’s happened on more than one occasion!

As a young man, as I was learning life, I had this happen on a number of occasions. Most of the times it either involved darker towels that bled on each other or even jeans that bled on other clothes. It’s definitely a costly lesson to learn. It’s a little frustrating to pull out what was suppose to be a white towel or T-shirt that is now pink or or blue or black. 

Why did this happen though? Well, in my case, I was usually a little lazy and just threw everything into one load and the new towels would bleed onto whatever else was in there. So the problem lies in the fact that I didn’t separate the clothes. Sometimes it’s necessary to separate the lights and the darks or the clothes from the towels to make sure nothing is ruined during the wash cycle. 

What could happen when you don’t separate the clothes before you put them in the wash? Well, for starters it could cost you money. Often times once your clothes got stained or bled on by other colors you would either trash them or they turned into yard working clothes or something like that. The second thing that might happen is you might feel a little heartbroken if your favorite shirt or pair of pants became discolored while in the washing machine. You might often also end up throwing them away. One thing is certain though and that is if you were to have these things happen then you would likely learn your lesson and not let it happen again because it could become costly. 

What does separating clothes have to do with anything?

It’s a simple analogy actually!

Let’s apply it to life in which I think many of you will be able to relate!

Have you often times had to fight many battles that you thought might be unnecessary? Have you been in constant struggles that you feel there is no way out from? Have you been placed in difficult situations which required difficult decisions? Have you possibly had problems trusting people or maybe even landing the job you want? 

If you have then you may need to evaluate the people you are around or hang around on a regular basis!

The reason I say that is the fact that often times, though you don’t intend it, the people you hang around have a tremendous effect on you and many times it isn’t a good effect! Often times they are bad influences whether it’s a friend, family member or even a coworker. It could even be someone you grew up with or maybe even a mentor that has been a bad influence on you and because you were close to them you couldn’t see it.

I want to submit to you why I think that you must separate yourself from those same bad influences and what may happen if you stay in their company.

1) They can hurt your reputation because often times we are guilty by association. Somebody may see us with a certain individual and just assume we are doing the same bad things they are. It’s unfair seemingly but it definitely could happen! So, the next time you miss a promotion or don’t get the job you wanted you need to look at your center of influence and see if there is someone there that is affecting your reputation and contributing to the downfalls or shortcomings in your life!

2) They could be costing you money! Ever seem to go through your paycheck faster than you thought? Ever run out of money after the first weekend after you got paid? Do you seemingly support someone else’s habit?   Do you end up paying every time you and your best friend go out? Yes?! Then chances are you have someone in your life that is taking advantage of you and costing you money!  I’m not saying this happens in every case but in my case this was a big indicator. You may need to have a separation!

3) They could cause you to have trust issues! This could come from family or friends that’s maybe taken advantage of you or hurt you in someway. In many ways this one will hurt more of your future relationships than any of the others and is often times the hardest one to fix or get over. If you constantly have someone in your life that is taking advantage of you, lying to you or maybe even hurting you in some way then it may be that you need to separate from that friend or family member.

4) They could be keeping you surrounded by the temptations that you are trying to get away from! This one is also tough and dangerous. It could be a variety of things that this one covers from drugs to theft but whatever the vice or addiction it doesn’t help to stay around the people that possibly helped you start your habit in the first place and these are also the ones that are usually enticing you continuously! You need to separate yourself and not allow them to dictate the direction of your life through temptations!

All 4 of these things come down to the fact that often times these people that are causing these things in your life are really just trying to hold you down and hold you back. Many times they aren’t going anywhere in life and they just want company. They are usually the ones complaining that they have no money and no one will give them a job. They are often the same ones asking you to front them some money or wanting you to take them out so you can pay. It’s easy to see them if you’re looking for them! I didn’t use to be able to see them when I liked their company! 

If you are constantly struggling in certain aspects in life then you may need to evaluate your company. It may not always be the people you’re hanging around but definitely could be. If it turns out that you have bad influencers in your life then it may be time to separate the laundry so they don’t bleed you anymore!

Are you taking risks?

This morning, as I’m sitting in my couch, I have to admit that I’m a little nervous. I guess anxious may be a better way to explain this feeling. In a few hours my wife and I will be signing the papers to close on the land we are purchasing and this is a new venture for us.

This started just a couple of months ago once we decided to stay put in the area we are in. My wife started telling me that she thought it would be a good idea to build a venue where you could have weddings and parties and such. While she was telling me this I could see the excitement in her eyes. She is a very talented woman and I knew by just the way she was telling me this that she had some great ideas. The next day I really started thinking on it and let her know that I also thought it would be a good idea. 

Once the decision was made to move forward with it we said that we should also build a house. My father in law helped us find some land which he bought some too in order to build. We are going to build an event barn and a home on the same acreage that we decided to purchase. At this point it’s very hard for me to see the entire vision of what’s going to happen very soon but I trust my wife’s creativity and ability to see everything set up and I will go along with that. She has the ability to see something before it’s done. She makes stuff for people and it’s amazing to see her mold them into a final masterpiece so I see this as being no different. 

Why am I telling this story?

Well, since we are on the verge of taking a huge leap in our life I want you to know that I am a little afraid. I am afraid of the unknown. I am afraid of what happens if all this doesn’t work out like we want. I am afraid of what happens if something goes wrong. I’m afraid to think of what happens if one of us is not able to work or perform to the top of our abilities. I’m afraid of things that haven’t happened yet and that may not ever happen.

Why is this something that I’m willing to reveal?

Simple! I want you to know that it’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to have concern or doubt. It’s okay to wonder what the future holds. These are all normal feelings when you take big risks. Make no mistake about it,  I do want this to happen and can somewhat see the vision but when taking a risk of this sort it gets a little scary. One thing is for certain, this I want you to know, and that is the fact that in order to find out what will actually happen you must take risks! If you never take a risk you will never know what you’re capable of or know your potential. Taking a risk is the only real way to see what you’re made of. So whether it’s moving to take a new job or building a new home when you don’t necessarily know what your future holds there will always be a risk taken. 

I want this to happen for my wife and I’m willing to do anything to help her realize this dream. I know this is a big risk but I want her dreams to come true and I want to support her. I haven’t exactly realized my dreams in life since I’m not sure that I’ve really had any real ones but this one that she has I feel will become a reality but it’s a fearful thing nonetheless. 

Remember this if you don’t remember anything I said in this post...

If you want to realize your dreams there must be risks involved! Sometimes it may involve an investment of money or maybe just time but it’s a risk nonetheless. It’s very hard to know your full potential if there are never any risks in life. Will things always work out like you want them to? No, but how will you know if you don’t try at all?

 I’ve played it safe my whole life and now it’s time to risk something in order to gain something! 

Who keeps pooping on the porch?

If you are an adult then chances are at some point in your life you had a dog as a pet. In many instances you got the dog as a puppy and took the liberty of raising it and nurturing it as it became a part of the family to some aspect. It probably ended up sleeping with you or very near you and even stayed by your side while you were walking around your house. One thing is for sure and that is that the relationship probabaly didn’t start off too grand!

When you get a new puppy it seems to be so sweet! It is so cute and cuddly! It has the cutest little bark and even has nice puppy breath. You love on it and squeeze it and all is fantastic.... until you have to house train it! The first time you have to pick up puppy poop or step in it you realize that this may not have been a good idea. You start trying to train it but you realize that this little animal is a pooping and peeing machine and no matter how much you take it out there always seems to be more to come!

We were always taught to rub it’s nose in it or close to it and pop it’s butt and put it outside in order to train it to not go in the house. You have to make sure you get up in the middle of the night to let it out so you don’t end up stepping in something on your way to the bathroom. You have to make sure you take it out multiple times during the day to make sure it doesn’t go in the house. Taking care of a puppy is almost as tiring as taking care of an infant. 

Well, let’s say that your puppy gets a little older and has learned to scratch at the door to go out and you think it has finally learned. Then you let it out and instead of going to the yard to use the bathroom it goes on the porch. So now you have to spend time trying to get it to actually make it to the yard to finish its business. It almost seems like there is no end in sight.

Then the dog gets older and for some reason or another  the dog always wants to poop in the house or on the porch and you’re thinking to yourself ‘What am I doing wrong?’ So, you decide to find a different owner since you’ve stepped in its poop for the last time. Though it’s hard to do, it may be necessary because possibly the dog doesn’t like you or the circumstance it lives in or quite frankly maybe it’s just very stubborn and likes to make you mad. Either way you have to make a tough decision and let it go. 

What is my angle here and what does this have to do with anything?

Who keeps pooping on the porch?

Do you have someone at work that you work with or supervise that for some reason or another likes to always poop on your porch?

Chances are that you either have one currently that you work with or supervise or without much effort you can think of one from the past.

What’s does pooping on the porch mean before you answer that?

Well, do you have someone, that you work with, that’s always negative and loves talking about people. Do they often talk about fellow employees in a negative light? Is there someone that talks about your place of business or the people they work with negatively in public?  Are they quick to point out all the the faults and negative things about the people or the business and rarely, or if at all, speak of anything positively? If so, you may have one that likes to poop on the porch!

How do you deal with one that does so?

 Well, first you have to be able to see how this affects the people and the business. Chances are that this type of attitude is a huge distraction and more than likely causes others to be negative as well. If this type of behavior continues it could actually be a disease that infects all involved and may possibly decay the workplace from within.

Is there anything that can be done? Sure, if someone likes to poop on the porch like this then it can be a couple of things. 1st, maybe there is a training issue. Maybe this particular person is so negative because they weren’t trained properly and seems to think that they deserve more.(Not that negative behavior is ever a good thing and should ever be tolerated).

2nd, maybe this person is just bitter. Maybe they are just mad at life in general and don’t see anything in a positive light. Maybe they had a hard life and like to take it out on everyone else. They are the one that wouldn’t take extra training or positive feedback as a good thing. This is the one that you’ll probably recognize and see the most. They are the negative Nancy that can’t ever see the good or positive in anything and yet are the same ones that don’t seem to want to help do anything or help change things to make them better. They would rather complain and make everyone around them as miserable as they are.

Both of these are legitimate reasons that someone might continually poop on the porch but neither should be tolerated because it could take a detrimental effect on the workplace and the other people that work there. Should one person’s views and negative behavior be able to influence everyone else? I think not!

The only two things that you can do is to try to help them by training them or let them go to a new home. 

The1st is training them. If you decide to train them then you would have to do so with positive reinforcement and feedback. They need to know why you are doing it and what you’re trying to accomplish. This may be difficult with a very long term employee. They may not understand why the necessity of this new training and feel like they are being singled out. They are being singled out in a way but it’s only because they shined the light in themselves!

The 2nd thing is you have to give them away to a good home! Much like the dog may need a new home to strive, the negative person may need to be let go to show how much their demeanor has effected everyone to the point that they are let go. I know this can be hard but sometimes in order for them or the other people that are employed there to grow then sometimes you have to prune away the dead or fruitless limbs. Sometimes, in order for them to change, they must see the seriousness of their actions and sometimes merely words are not enough.

If this is you and you find yourself constantly being negative and being a bad influence in the workplace then maybe you need to go somewhere else before you are made to go. On the other hand, if this is you and you want to continue where you are then maybe you just need to ask for help and see if there are ways to help you get some training to stop pooping in the porch!