Just exactly how honest a person are you? Are you [1] not at all, [2] whenever you have to be, [3] when it comes in handy, [4] some of the time, [5] usually, [6] mostly, painfully so when cornered, [7] pretty much right down the line, [8] count on it. Whatever the answer keep it to yourself. If you fall into the ‘count on it’ category I have one for you, and like they say, the rest need not apply.

This is the most difficult type of honesty, honest with yourself. When you are not honest with yourself, you are lying to a fool.

We can all pretty much cruise along in our daily lives without facing up to our own shortcomings. No biggie - set the cruise on ‘life’ and go for it. When something like this little slowdown action happens we need to take a closer look at the guy in the mirror that is driving our bus. As operators, we need to do a spreadsheet on ourselves. How do we measure-up? Filling out this spreadsheet is not for the faint of heart, and for damn sure not for anyone that is less than totally honest with themselves, otherwise…. What is the point?

You can start at the place we all like best – telling ourselves all the good things about us.

Am I a worthy employee [operator?]

1.     I come to work drug and alcohol free every morning

2.   I am always on time

3.   I always check my truck out before I start it

4.   I always do a DOT walk around

5.    I always check my pump for the proper gear for today’s pour

6.   I always check my paperwork before I leave the yard

7.    I always check my directions before I leave the yard

8.   I always leave the yard on time

9.   I always drive like a professional

This is the point at which you stop and put the real answers on the above questions. How many did you change? If the answer is 1 or more; stop reading this and go back to being a fulltime self-bullshiter. If the answer is [0] keep going.

You know the rest of the questions to this part of the spreadsheet; go ahead and fill them in and get ready for the second part.

1.     Do I cost more than I make?

2.   How much company gear have I lost or broken?

3.   How many customers have I lost

4.   How many tires have I screwed up

Continue with questions

Here is the bottom of the spreadsheet, all the good stuff on one side and all of the negative stuff on the other side. It is time for the calculation. Remember, everyone that lies to the guy in the mirror should be home rolling a fat one and shooting beers and shots. This is for those that want to know bad enough to deal with the reality. Time for the bottom line, Net gain or loss.

Would you want you for an employee?

Ouch, brutal!

i am guilty of not taking care of 3 and 4.

I guess I made an A  Fourty seven years old taken one sick day in over thirty years of employment. 

Does one get credit for making a consistant effort to improve on a couple of these areas?

Here's the only guy that counts to me. He also counts on me. It's nearly impossible to lie to them... 

 What's up with the old posts being 're posted'?

 I miss Bobs motivational messages.. even the not so motivational ones had good content.