“Always have a Co-Pilot”

September 5, 2011

Today’s Bit of Advice….

“Always have a Co-Pilot”

Today is Labor Day and that means a picnic at the Barrow House for the family (my sister insists that we always host an event on Federal Holidays – LOL!)  In order to put together a dinner for the masses, however, I had to take a trip to the grocery store.  Not something I enjoy doing on a Federal Holiday.  Just too many people there with long checkout lines.  But, nonetheless, I had to get that shopping done so on I went.

I was only in the store just a few minutes when I noticed something I had never seen at the market before.  A man was shopping with a list on his ipad!  I always shop with a list too but mine is on a piece of scrap paper attached to a clipboard.  His was beautifully arranged by aisle with boxes to check off when items were safely placed into the cart.  And then he told me the best part of the ipad list – if his wife thinks of another item that needs to be picked up, she can log on to the list from home and add it while he is at the store.  How cool is that?

After getting all my groceries bagged up and deposited in the back of my car, I headed for home.  I live in a town that has the great distinction of being the home of the roundabouts.  If you aren’t familiar with roundabouts let me tell you about them.  Roundabout is a British word that describes a junction of two or more roads where traffic moves in one direction around a central island (Thanks Wikipedia for help with that definition).  Roundabouts are supposed to be safer for automobiles and pedestrians and most statistics do show that.  But, if you’ve ever driven through a roundabout, you may not think it’s the safest thing.  We got our first roundabout a few years ago and it took some time to get used to driving through it safely.  Since that first roundabout we have added many more in our town.  In fact, between my home and the grocery store, I have to drive through three roundabouts if I go one route and four if I go the other.  And there are more being built as I type.

Today, as I approached the second of the roundabouts on the trip home, I had to wait to enter as a car was making its way around the circle.  The driver appeared to be confused about where to go to access the interstate.  A woman in the passenger seat was straining to point out signs indicating the correct lane and exit.  She was using greatly exaggerated hand gestures to show the driver the way to go. (And, I must admit, she looked a mite nervous herself!).  Fortunately, the car and its passengers made it safely through the roundabout and were soon on their way to easier roads.

Once home I had many bags of groceries to unload, food to prepare, and a house to clean.  Despite the need to get these tasks done before my guests arrived, I had an important professional obligation to meet.  I went to my computer and wrote an email to a first year teacher at my school (oh, I did put away the frozen food first – priorities!).  She is very excited about her new job and I know she’ll do a fabulous job in the classroom but she’s really feeling pressure to prepare perfect lesson plans and perform like a veteran teacher on her first day of school.  This pressure is mostly self-imposed and is quickly wearing her out.  I decided to share some wisdom earned through my own attempts to be “perfect” in the classroom over the years.  I felt she needed to know that she was not alone in her efforts but that there are also other ways to approach a brand new teaching position.  I worded my email carefully to let her know that I would be happy to serve as a mentor for her if she chose.  She emailed me back a few hours later and was very appreciative for the advice.  I’m hoping the encouragement will be helpful to her.

So, what does all this have to do with my advice for today?  Always have a co-pilot.  Don’t trust your memory to retain all the items that you need to purchase at the store.  Trust me when I tell you that you will always forget something (and it will probably be the bread, milk, or eggs!).  Use a list – use an awesome list that others can update while you are at the store!  Don’t try to navigate a roundabout in an unfamiliar town.  You need a partner who can read the signs and point out the right paths.  Don’t try to go it alone at a new job.  Find a colleague who will hold your hand (figuratively, not physically) and keep you going straight.  It is important.  Really important.

Everyone needs a co-pilot.  We can try to go it alone but we will never have the success that a good co-pilot can provide.  Get yourself one.

Hope you enjoyed the read.

(Today’s installment brought to you through the inspiration of my friend, Mark.  Eventually all my friends will probably make it into my blog somewhere!)