10-15-13

This morning at 06:45 I rolled on to the shippers scale in Breckenridge Minnesota. When I walked in to the shipping / receiving office I was greeted with a joyful, "Hey, I was hoping it was going to be you this morning ".

I've been so wound up over my tight schedule this past couple of days I completely forgot to take into account the great individual relationships I've developed over the years and how valuable they can be when you get in a bind.

It's easy to feel like a very small cog in a big machine these days. You may feel like you have little or no influence over the events that unfold over the course of your day. I've been feeling that lack of control a lot lately. But the truth is that when a small part breaks down it usually  effects the operation of the whole machine. We often take our influence for granted.

That wonderful greeting I received from Tara this morning resulted from being generous with my time and practicing a little generosity of spirit. Put another way, I've never rushed individuals I deal with when I'm picking up or delivering freight and I've always acted as if I was a guest in their house deferring to the rules of conduct they have to follow in their workplace. So these time vampires ( shippers & receivers ) that truckers love to hate become an asset rather than a liability. But you need to take the first step and be patient.

Does this approach work with everyone? No. But most people will respond in a positive way and over time your life will get easier. Of course if one of the few fools that drive for your company show up for the next load with a me first attitude they'll undermine your efforts somewhat but not totally.

Other names for this extension of generosity and kindness? Exceptional customer service, respect, friendliness, kindness, empathy, camaraderie, goodwill, just to name a few.

This approach extends beyond the dock. You know, attitude, that word you hear at safety meetings when our interactions with other drivers, compliance officials, our dispatchers & support staff comes under discussion. :)

It's so easy to feel like you have a target on your back when you're a trucker. That's how I felt when I wrote yesterday's post, and it showed.