When I worked at Expensify, the former tech giant of the expense world, there were two simple rules that everybody in the company agreed to follow.
1. Get sh*t done
2. Don’t ruin it for everybody else
In our society, I believe that these two rules can also be applied – with equal success that I saw in the ranks of Expensify. What separated Expensify from other companies – more than anything – was their culture.
Right now, I think our culture could use a healthy dose of both of these rules. There’s a general theme of unrest, criminal behavior and a weakened perspective of police authority.
Frankly, that’s not an attitude that I want in my neighborhood. I don’t want to see people spray-painting profanity that my child can read, or blocking roads that could prevent me from taking him to the emergency room.
Causing choas for innocent people isn’t just problematic – it can easily slide into the realm of criminal behavior.
What happens when a protestor blocks an abulance, and the patient dies inside?
On the other side of the line, I see the police getting beaten, spit on and targeted with bricks.
These are people who made a sacrifice to go to Police Academy – many of which are veterans – so they could serve and protect the American people. They have spouses, children and a future they hope to enjoy with their family.
At the end of the day, these people simply want to go home and kiss their children goodnight.
There’s a really big gotcha moment for all of the people involved in chaos…
It’s not 2020 anymore.
As arrests begin to stack up – days after a crime was committed – people are now facing the reality that our law enforcement agencies now have much better tools to ensure justice is served against criminals – a cry that the protests demanded.
Also, it’s not 2020 anymore.
What I mean by that, is that these few years of protesting, causing chaos and wasting tremendous amounts of time, money and energy on causes with no resolution – these people will soon face a new reality; the upcoming wave of unemployment as AI gets ready for its first round in the workforce.
Regardless of what side of the proverbial fence you find yourself on, there’s one simple truth that both viewpoints are bound by; a hard responsibility to fend for their own survival and well-being.
My Dad used to tell me that it was hard for him to go to work when he was angry; something he often shared with me after we had an argument. At the time, I simply couldn’t understand why Dad couldn’t just turn on the work ‘light bulb’ and get back to it after we fought.
I understand now.
It’s really hard to produce good work when your mind has had a grenade thrown inside of it; whether that be from an argument, near accident on the highway, or physical pain.
Recently, I was driving down a neighborhood road when suddenly a car sped around a corner and headed straight for my lane. In a split second, I had to decide whether or not I was confident enough that he could correct, or if I should cut around in his designated lane.
I chose the latter. The choice saved me from a serious accident.
The adrenaline spike I felt after the near-miss was enough to leave me couched for several hours when I got home. I simply couldn’t function.
When I look at all of these events on the news, I can’t help but wonder what level of impact it has on the observers mind, similar to the near-miss.
Does screaming at protests help develop a mind that can think clearly, problem solve and put food on a table – or does it cause harm?
That’s great food for thought. In the meantime…
Get sh*t done.
Don’t ruin it for everybody else [please]
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