How does one judge character? Should we?
When I was a teenager, my dad volunteered me to help a guy from work winterize his boat.
Whatever image you have in mind, please, relish it for a moment and set it aside.
They worked in a plywood mill. The boat was small, about 2 hours drive away, and needed work done on a Saturday.
I don't recall being upset, just unsure how this was going to go. Two hours of driving with family was one thing, but 4 hours with basically a stranger was something else. I figured the work might take an hour.
I trusted my dad and "agreed" to what I had already been committed to.
We made the drive and arrived at the dock. The boat clearly stood out from all the others. It was bigger that an average rowboat and had a substantial smokestack... because it was a steamboat.
We didn't get right to work, we went sailing. A calm, slow, chilly journey. For compensation, I was given dinner and downhill snow skis. This was the first of many adventures.
Again, my dad set this up. When there is trust and integrity, we can do things we didn't previously expect.
At work, you have opportunities to foster relationships where team members will push themselves past comfort into learning and development. If someone you trust recommends is time for you to get uncomfortable in a positive way, it is worth your consideration.
What's an example of a time when you pushed or were pushed into growth and development?
Cover Image Source: https://www.cwb.org/program-boats/puffin?format=amp