Self Selection

About 3 years ago when I started working for my current boss, he shared a management philosophy that he tries to manage by. It's called the Phoenix Fire Department Way.

The basic principle is that everyone is part of the family. However, there will be times where members of the family will "self select" not to participate. In the work sense, this means that someone might not be the team player on a given day (or even week) that you'd really like for them to be. You talk with the person about their choice to see if there is anything you can do to help. Sometimes, you just need to let the person "ride it out". Once they have gotten through their funk and are ready to come back to the family, they are welcomed back with open arms. In the work place, there are times even under this philosophy that corrective action and write up is necessary but the family approach has lessened that need.

Recently, I have given the Phoenix Fire Department Way a lot of thought and have decided to apply it to my actual family. I gave it a great deal of thought after Jon called me last night while he was driving to mass in another town and told me that a friend of his wants him to start shooting on Tuesday nights. My initial reaction on the phone was that I got really upset. With Knights meetings every Wednesday, shooting 2 Saturdays a month, a state match committee meeting once a month I began to feel like Jon does not want to be at home with Jonnie and I.

When I finally fell into bed last night, I thought more about the PFDW and that's when I realized, this was the approach I needed to take. I hadn't had a chance to talk with Jon before he left for class so I called him before I had to get Jonnie ready for mass. I told him briefly about the PFDW principles and that if he wants to shoot with his friend James on Tuesdays or do things any other day of the week, I just need to know what he's doing. I did say that I refuse to give up Sunday ushering or Monday night Adoration as I've given up pretty much all other activities to stay home with Jonnie so Jon can shoot or plan the state match. I think Jon was rather surprised and started to stutter and stammer which is not typical for him. I told him that once I thought about it that if he doesn't want to be here at home and I force him to be at home, we'll all end up being miserable because I know his attitude will be poor. I mean if he'd rather be shooting with his friend James and Jonnie wants him to play trains, he's not going to be very happy and he'll eventually flee to his basement retreat. I emphasized to Jon that I just want to know where he's going to be and when so I know what I need to do as far as meals and should there be an emergency and I want to give him a courtesy call to let him know what is going on. I think I flustered Jon when I said that instead of trying to force him to be a part of our family that I was allowing him to "self select" not to participate.

Jonnie and I have had a pretty good weekend while Jon's been away at his pistol shooting class. We went to a birthday party yesterday and picked up some things at Wal-Mart after the party. Today, we went to mass although I had to bribe Jonnie with brownies after we got home to get him to mass. That's the bad thing about Jon not being around which is Jonnie got used to going to the pool at the OSU rec center on Sundays and I had him convinced that in order to get into the pool, it was required that people attend mass first. This also works with going to the park, too.

Well, I have someone trying to build a zip cord between my desk chair and my desk drawer. Jonnie thinks he's "Sporticus" off Lazytown on Noggin. I'd better sign off here and help.

Have a great week!