Learning
Together Language is ripe with idioms, metaphors, and similes that serve a bigger purpose than making us sound clever or poetic. Idioms, for instance—phrases with figurative meanings that differ from their literal meanings—serve to buffer our messages and make them softer on the ego. When we say things like “We’re in hot water,” “We don’t see eye to eye,” or “You put your foot in your mouth” the figurative translation of these phrases sounds less abrasive than, “We are in serious trouble,” “I don’t agree with you,” or “You really said the wrong thing there.” We use this kind of indirect language to get a point across without ruffling feathers (see what happened just there?) but to also make sure the message does indeed get noticed. To truly understand another’s perspective, we must “walk a mile in their shoes”. Of course, we don’t literally mean swapping boots, but we do mean to stress the importance of sharing, learning, and respecting one another’s perspectives. Most often when we hear something we don’t agree with, we take an emotional stand and our brains immediately begin to formulate a rebuttal or contradiction to that thing. But if, rather than a counterpoint our first reaction is curiosity—rather than “No” we say, “Why?” and rather than “Stop
talking,” we say “Tell me more”—everything changes. Taking a moment to “swap boots” requires a pause before reacting, and in that pause the brain resets to a calmer, more thoughtful and less reactive state. In just 10 seconds, stress hormones are reduced, the heartbeat slows, and breathing becomes regulated. In just 10 seconds, an entirely different future unfolds. This issue of Partners in Progress is full of examples of this. Our cover story (see page 4) looks at ways SMACNA and SMART can walk together for greater change by staying focused on the common goals that bridge the industry. The struggle to make fire life safety regulations mandated in legislation has been fierce, and it only came together when those on either side of the discussion chose to widen their perspectives. Read more about the importance of certification on page 6. If there was ever an example of “walking a mile in another’s shoes,” it is in the legacy of Eugene Bramlett, who fought so hard for equality and fairness in the industry he loved and never acted with an ounce of resentment because he understood how it felt to be misrepresented and treated poorly. Read about his amazing life on page 8. Our final two features—on exit strategies and building your online presence—ask you to walk a mile in your future self’s shoes. What kind of legacy do you want your business to leave? Where do you want to be on one, five, or 10 years? It can be difficult to plan outside of one’s immediate environment but we owe it to our colleagues and industry to be brave and widen our perspectives ever chance we get. ▪
Register Now for the Partners in Progress Conference - Feb. 25-26, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada The 2020 Partners in Progress conference—All In—will feature sessions on emerging markets, market recovery opportunities, projects fueled by partnership, and opportunities to keep the workforce strong. Register for the conference now through Dec. 13 to get early-bird pricing. Click the Register button at the top of pinp. org/conferences/pinp20/ for the online registration form and details about deadlines, changes, and accommodations. You will also find details about some of the speakers who will be attending. Click the Schedule link on the left for the preliminary agenda. Consider bringing along someone who has never attended or a future leader in your organization. Look for #pinp20 in social media posts and tag your own posts related to the conference. As part of the conference, Partners in Progress has launched the Strive to Succeed Challenge. Each local area can earn up to $3,000 for use towards future marketing. This initiative is designed to assist SMART Locals and SMACNA chapters and contractors with building a collaborative labor-management relationship. Each Local and chapter completes simple sets of predetermined tasks in phases before, during, and after the conference. Partners in Progress will maintain a leaderboard that shows how each area is progressing. Participating areas will be featured and participants
will be recognized at the Conference, in Partners in Progress, and on social media for their contributions. Find out more by clicking the Challenge link in the left menu. Part of the Challenge involves assisting with the onsite conference charity project, Project 150. Project 150 is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization that was created when the founders learned of 150 homeless high school students at Rancho High School in Las Vegas. The students were in need of support over the Christmas break. The charity now serves more than 6,000 high school students in need, including 3,300 registered homeless and 3,100 non-registered homeless, displaced, and disadvantaged high school students at 58 high schools in Southern Nevada, and 20 high schools in Reno, Nevada. Find out more at pinp.org/conferences/pinp20/project-150/. Visit pinp.org to keep up to date and find useful resources available to SMART locals, SMACNA contractors and chapters, labor management cooperation trusts and committees, training centers, and individual members of SMACNA and SMART. Registration is required for full access to all resources. It is free but limited to members. You can also find us on Facebook as “sheetmetalpartners”, on Twitter as “smpartners”, and on Instagram as “smpartners”. Tag us in your social media posts for more recognition of your work. ▪ Partners in Progress » September 2019 » 3
