Keeping a Promise

Keeping a promise sometimes carries a degree of discomfort.  I experienced such discomfort today when I made good on a promise to my staff.  The gist of the matter turned on the challenge I made.  If they raised a threshold dollar amount of support for one of the causes our company supports I would wear a tutu to the office.  The money raise far exceeded the threshold leading some on the winning side thinking they didn’t ask enough of me as the payoff.

Until late yesterday I thought everyone forgot about the challenge.  Some of my staff was sanguine about me reneging.  That’s not how I roll.  If I didn’t fulfill my end of the bargain there was no way I could ever task the team to raise the support on the wings of a reward, regardless of how outlandish.

I learned that respect flows freely when you payoff.  Only half of the staff was in attendance but not one thought the display anything but human and innocent.  The minor and temporary embarrassment I experienced paled in comparison to the trust and respect I earned.

I would definitely do it again if my actions, within the limits of decency, spawned the team to rally for something worthwhile.

“What's your point Nikki?”

Your word is your bond.  Don’t promise if you can’t or won’t follow through.  And you need to be internally strong enough to withstand the crosswinds that may buffet whatever initial shock factor accompanies your delivery.

Live strong is more than a slogan relegated to those who wear yellow.  Those words are a call to action.  Building the strength to support a fulfilling life takes effort.  Some people might label it a heavy lift.  I guess that depends on the condition of your intestinal fortitude.  Do you have what it takes to carry on; to move along life’s road without falling prey to every sinkhole and bramble bush you encounter?

No, your journey will not be free of perils.  You make no progress crashing through open doors.  You know that and I know it from personal experience.  It’s not the problem that defines you; it’s how you handle the problem.  I know you’re picking up what I’m laying down.  Your ability to break down barriers will earn you kudos, respect and probably the benefit of the doubt to be utilized later.  Some refer to it as a ‘get out of jail free card’, ‘a chit’ or ‘a favor that can be called when needed most’.

Live on and live strong.  If you need the path defined, look to those who have set the pace, provided the example.  They are like the North Star, always there even on cloudy nights.

Love and hugs, Nikki DiCaro