The difference between first and second place in a race is often less than a second. In golf, it may be an inch on a putt that makes the difference between the winner and everyone else. Yet the reward for being just slightly better is often several times as much as it would be for coming in second. Reading the green correctly and making that extra one inch on a putt could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The little things, the details, are so crucially important in life. In the Army, those details can mean the difference between life and death. The term "Attention to detail" can be heard on any American military post several times a day instructing someone to remember to pay attention to the little things.
Every shot when qualifying on your weapon could mean the difference between being promoted that year or having to wait until the next year's promotions come up. Small mistakes can be career-enders when you are dealing with large equipment, deadly explosives, and complex machines. In artillery, moving a howitzer to the left just one degree would make the round land 500 meters to the side at max range. Not properly clearing a weapon could lead to a negligent discharge and kill a fellow soldier.
Oftentimes it's not doing the big things right that really counts, it's doing the little things right.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Motivation
Just to add my view to the plethora of knowledge concerning motivation, the Army provides an interesting study in how people can be motivated.
During a deployment, given that most people have no chance of changing rank, how does leadership continue to motivate people?
Whether you work your hardest, or barely show up at all, you make the same amount of money. Further, all of your peers at your pay grade who have been in for the same amount of time make the same amount of money. What is worse, people who have been in longer than you, but do far less work and are far less proficient, may make much more than you. There are no performance-related bonuses or incentives. So money seems not to be a factor in motivation. If anything, it takes away motivation, as people who are otherwise motivated see the discrepancies in pay based on value added.
Further, I know that after this deployment, my military career will be over as I am not re-enlisting. Therefore, any desire for advancement cannot be a motivating factor for me.
So if money and advancement are not used as an incentive to get people to work harder, than what else could there be?
There are several things that motivate me each day to wake up early and either drag myself through the desert into an office or out onto a flight line to go somewhere and work a long, tiring, and sometimes monotonous day.
The first is a sense of mission and ownership of my job. I know that the actions that I do have a direct impact on other people's lives. If I thoroughly plan, I know that things will go much better for my bosses, my fellow soldiers, and the people we interact with.
Recognition is another motivator. People can see that impact that I have, and they acknowledge it. People come on missions with me, and see the extent of planning, preparation, and confidence I have in my tasks, and note their approval. Little statements such as "you think of everything," "wow, how did you know that would happen," etc go a long ways. This confirmation by peers of a job well done is an extraordinarily strong motivator for me.
Pride and self-actualization are other motivators as well. Seeing my own work and knowing that it was the best I could do is a wonderful feeling. However, without the previous motivators this one could easily fall by the wayside through becoming discouraged.
So if these motivators can make a person strive to achieve excellence in a job as demanding as a deployment to a combat desert environment, imagine what they could do in many other industries.
During a deployment, given that most people have no chance of changing rank, how does leadership continue to motivate people?
Whether you work your hardest, or barely show up at all, you make the same amount of money. Further, all of your peers at your pay grade who have been in for the same amount of time make the same amount of money. What is worse, people who have been in longer than you, but do far less work and are far less proficient, may make much more than you. There are no performance-related bonuses or incentives. So money seems not to be a factor in motivation. If anything, it takes away motivation, as people who are otherwise motivated see the discrepancies in pay based on value added.
Further, I know that after this deployment, my military career will be over as I am not re-enlisting. Therefore, any desire for advancement cannot be a motivating factor for me.
So if money and advancement are not used as an incentive to get people to work harder, than what else could there be?
There are several things that motivate me each day to wake up early and either drag myself through the desert into an office or out onto a flight line to go somewhere and work a long, tiring, and sometimes monotonous day.
The first is a sense of mission and ownership of my job. I know that the actions that I do have a direct impact on other people's lives. If I thoroughly plan, I know that things will go much better for my bosses, my fellow soldiers, and the people we interact with.
Recognition is another motivator. People can see that impact that I have, and they acknowledge it. People come on missions with me, and see the extent of planning, preparation, and confidence I have in my tasks, and note their approval. Little statements such as "you think of everything," "wow, how did you know that would happen," etc go a long ways. This confirmation by peers of a job well done is an extraordinarily strong motivator for me.
Pride and self-actualization are other motivators as well. Seeing my own work and knowing that it was the best I could do is a wonderful feeling. However, without the previous motivators this one could easily fall by the wayside through becoming discouraged.
So if these motivators can make a person strive to achieve excellence in a job as demanding as a deployment to a combat desert environment, imagine what they could do in many other industries.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Poem on Uncertainty
"Dreaming about Providence,
And whether mice and men have second tries."
-Switchfoot
Uncertainty
Eight months into this,
So far five months in country,
And four months to go.
A looming mortgage
Ten percent unemployment
And no job back home.
But it's balanced by a college degree
Unquenchable ambition and an inimitable work ethic
As I prepare to dive into the sea
I hope that I can swim and preparation brings its effect
And whether mice and men have second tries."
-Switchfoot
Uncertainty
Eight months into this,
So far five months in country,
And four months to go.
A looming mortgage
Ten percent unemployment
And no job back home.
But it's balanced by a college degree
Unquenchable ambition and an inimitable work ethic
As I prepare to dive into the sea
I hope that I can swim and preparation brings its effect
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Breaking Large Events into Milestones
A deployment (or college, distance running, distance biking, saving for a house, weight management, or any other number of long-term goals) takes a very long time. Unless you have been through it several times in the past, which most of us have not, it is hard and frightening to try to comprehend the enormity of the challenge lying ahead.
Luckily we have the ability to break down these larger goals into smaller more achievable and easier to comprehend milestones. When I go running, I keep the end goal in the back of my mind. However, foremost in my mind is what pace I am keeping for the next mile. I know how far miles are, often I can even see on the road in front of me when that mile will be, and therefore I can take action to pace myself correctly and finish that mile at the given pace. Before the run, I planned out what pace I would like to keep through each mile in order to generate a coherent plan around the entire run. This makes the complex long run into a compilation of many understandable individual miles.
The same is true for larger goals, such as finishing the deployment. The entire year-long deployment could be broken down into three major eras: "Mobilization," "Time Before Leave," and "Time After Leave."
These eras could be further broken down. For instance, I just entered "Time After Leave." As such, I have it broken down into goals I am looking forward to that have been yearly traditions since I was born. Those are Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year's, and then coming home.
So right now I am just making it until Halloween. As such, I have runs, trips, workouts, and other smaller goals that take me to that milestone. Each day I can clearly see my progress towards one of these events. This makes the larger goal of finishing the deployment as productively as possible into a compilation of many simple tasks. It's much easier to take the next step forward when you are working towards a simple, though perhaps difficult, short-term goal.
Luckily we have the ability to break down these larger goals into smaller more achievable and easier to comprehend milestones. When I go running, I keep the end goal in the back of my mind. However, foremost in my mind is what pace I am keeping for the next mile. I know how far miles are, often I can even see on the road in front of me when that mile will be, and therefore I can take action to pace myself correctly and finish that mile at the given pace. Before the run, I planned out what pace I would like to keep through each mile in order to generate a coherent plan around the entire run. This makes the complex long run into a compilation of many understandable individual miles.
The same is true for larger goals, such as finishing the deployment. The entire year-long deployment could be broken down into three major eras: "Mobilization," "Time Before Leave," and "Time After Leave."
These eras could be further broken down. For instance, I just entered "Time After Leave." As such, I have it broken down into goals I am looking forward to that have been yearly traditions since I was born. Those are Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year's, and then coming home.
So right now I am just making it until Halloween. As such, I have runs, trips, workouts, and other smaller goals that take me to that milestone. Each day I can clearly see my progress towards one of these events. This makes the larger goal of finishing the deployment as productively as possible into a compilation of many simple tasks. It's much easier to take the next step forward when you are working towards a simple, though perhaps difficult, short-term goal.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
My First Marathon
Saturday 12Sep09. A relatively easy day with 2.5 hours in a helicopter, two hours of weightlifting at the gym, and 8 hours in the office. The plan after work was to run 16 miles at a sub nine-minute pace due to the relative coolness of 93 degrees. Previous farthest run was 15 miles.
At 2116 (9:16pm) we began our run, and found exceptionally ideal conditions. We ran a 5-mile loop, a 7-mile loop, and another 5-mile loop. Finishing these at a 8:57 pace, my friend and I were quite happy. Displaying a slightly confused perspective of distance, I said, "Let's just keep running, we're almost at a marathon." My friend disagreed and went back to his CHU to sleep, but I decided it would be worth it to keep going.
I ran another 3.5-mile loop, which covered 1/3 of the remaining distance, and realized just how far there was yet to run. However, since I had told my friend that I was going to run a marathon, I knew I had to finish it.
Becoming more mentally impaired and hitting a wall at around 21 miles, I slowed down considerably and began taking breaks every mile or so for a minute or two. My stomach was churning in pain after I would run for about a mile and forced me to stop for a bit for it to recover. I was now only running a half-mile loop around our living area over and over to make sure that if I did trip or pass out, I wouldn't be too far from home or from people. Without anyone else around, I resorted to praying and talking to myself to pass the time.
Finishing at 0219 (now 91 degrees out), with 4:32 of run-time and 31 minutes of total stop-time, I cheered for myself and then walked over to a colleague's CHU to drop off my Garmin for him to use the next morning. Feeling pretty fine, I went home, told my roommate who was still up watching movies, and then walked to the shower trailer and got ready for bed (noticing in the shower I was still talking to myself, I think that I need to eat more during the next time I run something like that).
Asleep by 0300, I slept in until 1300 for the first time on the deployment. On waking up, I felt fine and went into work. That evening Tom and I ran a 5k in 26:15 (8:13 pace) and are now training to run a marathon in the future a little faster. I figure if I am lucky enough to be in the shape I am without injuries right now, I have to take advantage of it and try as hard as I can to capitalize on the opportunity.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." -Colossians 3:23
At 2116 (9:16pm) we began our run, and found exceptionally ideal conditions. We ran a 5-mile loop, a 7-mile loop, and another 5-mile loop. Finishing these at a 8:57 pace, my friend and I were quite happy. Displaying a slightly confused perspective of distance, I said, "Let's just keep running, we're almost at a marathon." My friend disagreed and went back to his CHU to sleep, but I decided it would be worth it to keep going.
I ran another 3.5-mile loop, which covered 1/3 of the remaining distance, and realized just how far there was yet to run. However, since I had told my friend that I was going to run a marathon, I knew I had to finish it.
Becoming more mentally impaired and hitting a wall at around 21 miles, I slowed down considerably and began taking breaks every mile or so for a minute or two. My stomach was churning in pain after I would run for about a mile and forced me to stop for a bit for it to recover. I was now only running a half-mile loop around our living area over and over to make sure that if I did trip or pass out, I wouldn't be too far from home or from people. Without anyone else around, I resorted to praying and talking to myself to pass the time.
Finishing at 0219 (now 91 degrees out), with 4:32 of run-time and 31 minutes of total stop-time, I cheered for myself and then walked over to a colleague's CHU to drop off my Garmin for him to use the next morning. Feeling pretty fine, I went home, told my roommate who was still up watching movies, and then walked to the shower trailer and got ready for bed (noticing in the shower I was still talking to myself, I think that I need to eat more during the next time I run something like that).
Asleep by 0300, I slept in until 1300 for the first time on the deployment. On waking up, I felt fine and went into work. That evening Tom and I ran a 5k in 26:15 (8:13 pace) and are now training to run a marathon in the future a little faster. I figure if I am lucky enough to be in the shape I am without injuries right now, I have to take advantage of it and try as hard as I can to capitalize on the opportunity.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." -Colossians 3:23
Friday, September 4, 2009
Leaving Home Again
Sitting at home on the last day, watching the hours and minutes slip away as you inch closer and closer to the inevitable.
Staying up all night to try to get as much time as possible with loved ones. Being tired, feeling drained, and having the weight of five more months ahead of you as you arrive at the airport.
Seeing the pain in your loved one's tear-filled eyes as you give her one last hug and kiss and walk into the terminal.
Leaving home yet again for the Army, hopefully for the last time, was just as excruciating as every other time.
Staying up all night to try to get as much time as possible with loved ones. Being tired, feeling drained, and having the weight of five more months ahead of you as you arrive at the airport.
Seeing the pain in your loved one's tear-filled eyes as you give her one last hug and kiss and walk into the terminal.
Leaving home yet again for the Army, hopefully for the last time, was just as excruciating as every other time.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Stockholm Syndrome
On my way back to Iraq, I noticed that I kind of missed some of the things in Basra. I missed the workouts, friends, job, schedule, travels, laundry service, food, culture, and more. My friend on the trip claimed it was Stockholm Syndrome, in that I was looking forward to certain aspects of my semi-captivity in the military. I guess it can happen to anyone.
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