LTS at work

One of my favorite shows is "Chuck", on NBC Monday nights (although I watch all my TV from the DVR at later times...). For those who aren't familiar with the show (shame on you!), Chuck works at "Buy More", where he's the head of the "Nerd Herd", a group of computer fixers. I'll let you figure out where they got that idea.

Anyway, the "bossman" is a guy called "Big Mike", who is constantly yelling at his crew of workers to be more efficient, work harder, etc. etc. And you can't blame him much - most of the workers he has are not exactly stellar. And the workers, honestly, they work at the Buy More - not exactly the career path chosen for inspiration. So you have an environment set up where the workers feel largely unfulfilled, don't work very hard, and their bossman is constantly on their case to do work harder, which in turn causes the workers to feel less inspired to work harder. The workers don't get much respect, and for the most part their efforts don't exactly deserve it.

Love-Think-Speak at work doesn't mean BigMike is all gushing over his strugglin' employees - but it does mean he treats them with respect. Respect for their dignity as human beings, which is always there. But we tend to look at the outside - a person's look, attitude, and general performance, and base our respect for them on those things, and when they are scruffy, sloppy, or otherwise unattractive we deny them respect that their humanity requires. Of course that doesn't mean they can continue their poor work habits, and simply get a pass. Respect for one's humanity requires keeping them honest about who they are, what they are capable of, and how they are measuring up to that.