3 minute read
PARTING WORDS
One of Those Days
Sometimes in your job or life nothing seems to be working for you. You get upset, frustrated, angry, confused. Nothing you do or say seems to be right. Everything you touch turns to you know what. We all have these days and our own ways of trying to deal with these downers. Or at least we should have ways to step back when nothing seems to be working for us.
Over the years I have witnessed many who have had that look of trouble. And sometimes I have looked in the mirror and seen someone with that same look. I think we would all agree that this business of loss prevention is full of stuff that can lead to “one of those days.”
So, when nothing is working for you, how do you handle it? Following is my suggestion, which by the way is not my creation; just merely observations of some very special people who seem to be able to maneuver through trouble better than others.
Look Inward and Speak to That Person
Looking inward means to literally talk to yourself through the rough time. This involves self-talk directed at refocusing your intention and reminding yourself what you are trying to do. We all know bad days and crises occur in short spans of time and that they will pass. Your objective is to keep yourself aligned during the troubled times and focused on your task. Have positive self-talks. Step back, reorient yourself, and think. It is okay to go away alone if you must. I once had a partner who would just disappear for a few days. He would go out hiking by himself just to rid himself of all the craziness and prepare to deal with the trouble. He literally would talk out loud to himself. I have tried it; it works.
Find Ways to Give to Others
As much as any group of people I have ever seen, the LP world is remarkable in giving to charities and associations that help others. That is one powerful way of giving. A more personal way is to find someone you can give something to. Don’t drown in thoughts about anything other than just lifting someone higher than you. Find ways to give. Make it simple and constant. Make it who you are. I once heard someone say, “If you don’t like what you’re getting, take a look at what you’re giving.” Try it. One of those bad days for you may turn out to be one of those special days for someone else.
Jim Lee Executive Editor
Those in Transition
There are two groups of people who are likely to have “one of those days”—college graduates and military in transition. Getting a college degree does not mean getting a job. Leaving military service does not mean doors will automatically open and a job will be waiting. If you are having a downer day and want to give back to others, find out how you can help someone else find a job and maybe a career. Ask your boss what you can do to spread the story of retail loss prevention to college students and military men and women in transition. If you are the boss, ask yourself…out loud…what are you doing?
If you would like a structured approach to helping these two groups, contact the Loss Prevention Foundation. The Foundation has developed a program to help individuals and companies attract college students, recent graduates, and veterans to loss prevention. Many college students often say they were not aware of a career in loss prevention, or they didn’t realize the job was more than just floor-walking or standing around. They did not understand the complexities and value of loss prevention to a company. Or when they applied for work, they were told they did not have any experience. The same can be said for our veterans.
How might the hiring process change if these young people had an opportunity to complete the basic LPQ certification? The chairperson for the Foundation’s Military Transition Team, Kevin Lynch, coined the phase, “Give our veterans a fighting chance. Invest in them for your LP team.”
So when things are not going so well for you, talk out loud to yourself, get back on track, and then go look for someone you can help.
