Permanent Decisions Made Over Temporary Problems

Permanent Decisions Made Over Temporary Problems

by John Kennedy

Years ago, before The Garden Center Group Fall Event was in Nashville, I took a flight down to see my favorite band—Counting Crows. They were playing at The Ryman Auditorium,  and I had never seen a show there before. Toad the Wet Sprocket opened for them and it was a delightful evening and amazing venue. I wanted to make it an extra special experience over all, so I booked a room at the famous Hermitage Hotel (I felt I had earned the gift to myself with nearly 15 years on the road) and it became the first official check on my newly scribed “Bucket List.”   Seeing U2 in concert was next, and I am happy to report I earned another Bucket List Check Mark the following year!

As I walked back from the show with my newly purchased merch-- a Counting Crows Tee Shirt with “I am Color Blind” printed on it--- I approached the hotel, and the doorman kindly opened it, smiled and said: “Oh, are they in town?”

I replied: “Yes, the new album is awesome!” (This was the “Somewhere Under Wonderland tour). I then added: “Possibility Days” is an amazing song. I had to see it live and Adam shared tonight was the first time ever that he performed it live…soooo cool!"

The doorman replied: “I used to be their drummer.”

Which I then said: “No way!” We then hung out and chatted for about 15 minutes. I asked why he left what I thought was one of the most gifted bands of the day, and he stated: "Adam brought too much drama.”

I gave my perfected tilted-head, squinty-eyed look and asked: “Was it that bad to leave a great gig? Do you regret it?”

And he replied: “I didn’t need the drama…so here I am.”

He mentioned his name was Steve Bowman, we shook hands, I thanked him for opening the door and great convo and wished him a good evening.  That was nearly 8 years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. I always wondered if he had made a permanent decision over a temporary problem.

Humans are prone to this response…if we don’t like how we feel, or how things are going, how someone is treating us, or how someone is behaving, maybe we should just bolt, cancel, over-react or terminate the relationship. I always wondered if Steve truly regretted his decision and could have been on tour with the band today following the amazing success of “August…and Everything After.” (Which by the way is an “island album” for me!)  Who knows…"God Only Knows" (different band) and no doubt  Steve knows as well.

As we look to the future of our businesses, implementing new ideas, hiring new staff members, buying from new vendors, and dealing with family members, do we sometimes make permanent decisions over temporary problems? Should we be patient enough to wait a day or two, a month or two, or even a year or two,  and see how things go? Not giving something or someone time to play out or gain traction may be why we continue to have the same challenges in our business. Self-inflicted wounds of impatience and intolerance have created challenges in many of our decisions.  Should we look at situations as a “possibility day” or as an “impossibility day?”

Granting Grace and affording the Benefit of the Doubt have become important qualities in my life. And praying for patience and tolerance on a daily basis is also an important part of living my best life.

We’ve all been a Steve at some point in our lives, and have jettisoned a career of rock and roll for a gig at the Hermitage-- Well maybe not that, but maybe given up something, or lost someone, over a little drama. When we bring humans into the calculus of our businesses, there will be drama… and accepting that fact, learning how to navigate it, and developing some emotional intelligence will serve each of us well… in August… and Everything After! 

Giving the benefit of the doubt to Steve, maybe it was too much for his comfort and stress level at that time, and I applaud him for choosing what was right for him.

There was always a lingering sense I got that he may have regretted his decision… and “Round Here we stay up very,  very, very,  very, late”... hopefully not in regret of permanent decisions made over temporary problems. (Steve got songwriting credits for that song, so his short time with the band will forever be his-story).

By the way, my favorite new band will be in Lawrence, KS the Saturday before The Fall Event 2022!  Souny and I are headed to see “Gang of Youths” before we arrive for the great show in town!  And we look forward to “Hanging Around” with you all then and there.

 

Want to discuss a Team-Building opportunity with John Kennedy? Call or email him!

John Kennedy
[email protected]
Cell: ‭443-605-7095

REMEMBER: Your interaction (by phone and email) with Group Service Providers such as John Kennedy, Tim Quebedeaux, Sid Raisch and Jean Seawright, are included in your retainer!

John Kennedy is a strategist, author and Service Provider to The Garden Center Group. John and his wife Souny offer innovative tools and digital solutions that accelerate change in the green industry. Their new “YourGroupSpace” intranet platform can be found at www.yourgroupspace.com.   They are also the co-founders of www.agritourism.life. --A search engine and digital magazine that promotes farms, garden centers and wineries of the agritourism industry of North America.

 

Share this post:

Comments on "Permanent Decisions Made Over Temporary Problems"

Comments 0-5 of 0

Please login to comment