Perspective

I started writing a book awhile back, based on tokens and tales of my career in healthcare and human resource management. My working title is "WTF?".
Stop gasping and let me tell you the story of how that term became etched in my mind.
The story of WTF goes back to my Marine Corps experiences as a photo-journalist in the southeast Asian section of our world. Its origins and subsequent memories over the years speak to my use of humor in crisis.
Imagine, if you can, a squad of Marines trudging through the jungle. It's 100+ degrees with humidity to match. They're chasing "Charlie" and all of them are hot, tired, angry, scared, and otherwise edgy.

Then it happens. They come "under fire". They are pinned down and it doesn't take a genius to figure out they need help to get out of the situation.
The squad leader does what he's supposed to do; he grabs the radio and calls back for help. He asks for artillery, helicopters, jets, he doesn't care... he just needs a break to get his men out of harm's way.
His request is answered with, "we have other actions going on and can't get your support now".

He keeps his cool, and restates his case, this time citing the number of casualities he's already taken and the impending catastrophe about to come upon his squad.
Once again he's told, "can't do it for some time, try to hold on."
Finally, after several attempts and his voice increasing in volume, most of the men in his squad have picked up on what's not happening. They are realizing that they're alone; and that they are pretty much on their own.
Then, the squad leader, feeling totally frustrated and helpless, yells into the radio, "WHAT THE F---, OVER?".
At that moment in time, his men realize the total surrealness and insanity of the situation. One of them surpresses a cry and it comes out a laugh. Then another, and another, and pretty soon this group of young men who have little hope, start laughing... and the laughter grows louder and louder.
"Charlie" hears this, and the firing stops, as he no doubt wonders, "WTF?".
And in that moment, the young men rise up with a new sense of energy that comes with nothing left to lose and they fight their way out of harm's way.

Yes, it's true.


Now read this story again and make a correlation to your world.

Think of those young men as your colleagues or your staff.. or your family, and the frustrations they feel when every request or idea they have is met with a "no" or you give them 100 reasons why something "just won't work".

Think of the boss, when every time she asks her boss for something for her group is given a policy or a procedure or a budget process or some bureaucratic nightmare to answer before anything can happen.

Odds are that those scenarios won't create the laughter of my story. Lives aren't necessarily in danger. BUT,spirits and motivation are. And, if the spirit dies what have you got?


My life has shown me that there is rarely enough time, money, people, or resources available to do much of anything; and sometimes a good old, "WTF?" serves to put things into perspective and focus attention on the idiocy of what, or who, you're dealing with.

Success isn't in the policies, procedures, rules, regulations, or other reasons "why you can't do something". Sucess is in opening gates, finding ways to get things done, facilitating the accomplishment of your mission. And that's true in your personal life too. Don't wait for the day you decide you need a "bucket list".

And, laughing in the face of adversity still does make the other side stop and think you're just nuts enough to ..........

Bill