Flat tyre on a hot day like this, could things get any worse? YES read this!

Okay–before I tell you the full story, I think this is a lesson in positivity–truth is I didn't even realise I was doing it but, as this scenario kept throwing up problems for me it didn't even occur to me to quit.. I just kept going ..read-on!

On my way home from an appointment this morning, I decided to detour to the local garage to have a tyre changed that had a slow puncture in it. About 100 yards from the garage, I hit a pot hole (thank you Bury Metropolitan Borough Council!) and BANG the tyre completely deflated. I pulled into the side of the road, (into a petrol station actually) inspected the damage and realised that to change my tyre in this weather, in my shiny new suit (on the garage forecourt), was not going to be a pleasant experience. I thought, “I'm only 100 yards away from the tyre fitting garage–I'll  drive at 5 mph and 'limp' there. 10 min later, hazard warning lights flashing and with several curious looks from passing motorists I pulled into the garage forecourt only to realise it had closed down! - Forlornly I called the number above the door, "No problem they said we relocated we're about 10 miles away!" - Oh dear.

Never mind I thought, forget the suit change the tyre. Jacket off sleeves rolled up (beginning to sweat), spare tyre out of boot, jack out of boot, find the jacking points, begin to get dirty, more sweating, position the jack and start to raise the car, (remembering before the tyre leaves the ground), loosen wheel nuts!- Get wrench from boot, loosen first nut, loosen second nut (lots of sweating), get to locking wheel nut find its seized fast! Won't budge even with my considerable weight behind it! - It's no good, I'll have to limp across town to the nearest tyre garage.

Put all equipment back in boot (incredible amount of sweating and getting dirty) set off at 5 mph again,  then remember my iPhone can locate things like tyre fitting businesses–amazingly it informs me there's one near–quick phone call to Express tyres "Do you fit tyres, are you open?" "yes" came the reply, "where are you?"–"about a hundred yards away", I'll be there in 2 min" I said.

The nice man explained that he didn't have any new tyres that would fit my car, but he did have a partially worn one that would be slightly less than half price. "I'll take it" I said (at this point I hadn't mentioned about the seized locking wheel nut!)

Now my new best friend, proceeds to grunt grimace and sweat around the aforementioned seized up locking wheel nut.. However he was sweating, grunting and grimacing with the right equipment! In about 30 min he'd got the "x5$^362'er" off, and another 10 had fitted the part worn tyre, which happened to be exactly the same make as the rest of the tyres on the car all for £35! Bargain of the century!

Is there a moral to this story? Well plan A didn't work, because I got a puncture on the way to the garage, plan B wasn't much better because the garage I drove to had closed down. Plan C got nowhere because of the seized up wheel nut, it wasn't until I got to plan D that things improved and although I got a little sweaty and it took about an hour longer than it should have, Plan D was actually much better than Plan A!

My own take on the situation, 99% of sucess is down to "just keep on trying!"

BE positive with our online project management software  Collabor8online provides online project management solutions and whether based document sharing solutions for all businesses large or small click or call 0203 369 6491

You Need Commitment Not Compliance

Someone asked me today what was the biggest challenge when managing my team. I resorted to an old adage I adopted quite some time ago.

“You need commitment not compliance"

I developed this approach quite some years ago when dealing with a quite brilliant but often stubborn office manager. We would often discuss the issues of the day, I'd put my point of view she would put hers, an argument would invariably follow at some point she would usually end the argument by saying;

“Okay, we'll do it your way".

"But do you now believe my way is the best?" I'd ask. 

"I said we'll do it your way" would be the reply.

“But do you believe?" I'd ask.

"No, but you're the boss we'll do it your way" would be the reply.

"Then, probably better if we do it your way" would be my answer. Because, I need you to be committed to this project not simply doing it my way because I said so.

Far better to have someone carrying out a task that they believe in than simply simply going through the process because you've told them to. So unless “their" way truly compromises the effectiveness of the project, better to have them being truly committed and simply complying.

Of course, sometimes if you're taking responsibility for the delivery of a project, you have to do “dig your heels in" and insist but you'd be surprised how often a little "flexibility" can ensure that the results or project gets delivered first time and on time.

Of course the right tools help and if you're looking for online project management  or online document sharing  then http://www.collabor8online.co.uk/  would certainly be a good place to start!  you can create  projects in folders, assign tasks, share files and even see progress in the project calendar!