This is just a short little update to tell you that after about an hour at that circus (Lusaka International Airport) I was finally able to put my hands on my other bag. Everything seems to be there too! I guess none of the folks handling the luggage at the Johannesburg airport knew what to do with mac and cheese and Jif.
Just about back to the norm here. We had the lab meeting this afternoon and I wasn't terribly caught off guard by anything. Pretty much the same stuff, new year. We are working on making that 'same stuff' being a thing of the past though. It will take a little work to plan but, Kahler and I have a plan to see that the inventory issues are done away with. The trick will be getting admin on board. Reasons that our stores are not restocked when they should be is often because of some budget strain. We are doing our best to work around that little snag.
So I am here, one week down and hoping that I can coax the next twenty-eight or so by without too much trouble. I am still thankful for the experience that my time here affords and still enjoy the differences between this place and home. All that said, when I am headed for the airport again it is very likely I won't look back. There is still a good deal of year left though and I will do my best to keep my eyes open and soak in the opportunities that come my way here in Lusaka.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I praise the Lord that I live where I do, with a family like I have and friends like you all. I know that I could not make it here without you. Praying that you have a blessed day. Thanks for stopping by and stay classy America. All is on the mend
Great post, as usual. I am glad that the baggage handlers did not prepare and peanut butter macaroni casserole with the mystery cut of meat from some animal!
ReplyDeleteRegarding making the 'same stuff being a thing of the past' change has roots of Biblical proportion. The Israelites remained slaves long after they Moses led them out of Egypt. Even when all the old folks died off, the children carried a slave mentality: "I wanna go back to Egypt and be a slave like my daddy was". The plant where I work was designed to produce $18 - 20 million a year, we have ramped up to $30 million, but the work force has an $18-20 million mentality. While the FACILITY can operate at the level, the MENTALITY (culture)cannot. It is the "We have ALWAYS done it that way" or the "We have NEVER done it that way" mindset that is very difficult to bridge. Current management style (operations based management, i.e. those who have never DONE anything, they have just read about stuff being done) use one of several tactics to impose / impress change, the most common of which is to use the pain method..."If we make it uncomfotable enough they will change or they will quit". When you see people as overhead, this is an easy way out. If you see people as an asset, then partnering with them to see/experience/feel(?) their anxiety,fear,or expectations can have a positive result in allowing them to solve the problem. As Robert Yates (owner of Dale Jarrett's NASCAR race team) has said: "It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit."
A thing you help build has much greater significance than a thing you watch being built. And if you have built it, you know the stress points, the strong points, and the things you will build differently the next time. The problem is that you are being directed by those who have never built a thing, repaired a thing or can contribute. What they see as a 'process' is really, ultimately a bottleneck...and there is no changing their thinking, until they have to actually dirty their hands...and with academia AND government invovled it must be MUCH worse than I can imagine. I will bet that your Uncle Bill has some pretty good ideas about implementing a process which even the elitists cannot mess up. Your Uncle Mike does too, but it involves a lot of blood, screams and head bashing,,,I'd opt for Uncle Bill's solutions until end of July, then Uncle Mikey 'em!
Reading your post has blessed my day immensely!
Love you a bunch,
pappy
I woulda bet a nickel that you would not get your bag. I woulda bet another nickel that it would be minus several items. Glad that it arrived intact.
ReplyDeleteYour attitude and your trademark Captain Farragut quote ("Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead") are a model for all of us.
I appreciate your pappy's response above. Your pappy is 100% right on target about organizations, the management of 'em and the people in 'em. There is no magic bullet for transforming the way that mediocre-minded folks behave. Just hard work and not yielding to "we have always done it that way" and persistence will prevail.
Just keep on keepin on.
Oh, and as your Uncle Jack would say, "Keep Smilin".
Love
Uncle Bill