Exceptions
Once a very long time ago, in what seems like another life, my section of our class at Maritime Forest Ranger School were out standing on this Peat Bog. Now we were a fine bunch out there standing; this not like out standing in our field, we were out standing in our bog. It is much different than if we were out standing in our field.
It was a cold and wet rainy day, the kind that penetrates deep into your very soul, thus taking three days huddled next to a panting wood stove just to bring the feeling back to your self proclaimed walking corpse. I don’t have an inkling as to why, but it seemed that these were the times that our learned mentors decided it was time for a lecture. So it was, this day not straying from the norm, which found us all trying to concentrate on what was being said by the most learned of the learned Mr. Williams (not his real name).
“So folks…here we are then….on this lovely fall day; out on this beautiful bog full of natures wonders for us to experience.” He said, while bouncing up and down on his toes, with his hands on his hips. His face bore his usual light hearted expression with the familiar twinkle in his eyes.
He went on as we huddled together, closer so as to hear him. “Tell me then folks….what do you all see here…don’t be shy speak up.”
These kinds of statements always made me nervous, for one never knew what answer he was looking for. Mr. Williams was a man of great knowledge. I always felt him to be smarter than a whole room full of geniuses at a think tank on how to burn water. By and by, as always, there would be some daring soul that would offer up a statement. This time I began to hear, slowly at first, then faster, things like; White Birch, Eastern White Cedar, Tamarack, Black Spruce to name a few. All seemed to meet with the approval of Mr. Williams. These were all species one could expect to see in association with wet areas such as the bog we were standing on. Yet, he kept saying “what else” as if he were hoping that someone would notice what he wanted to zero in on. Lord only knew though, what that might be.
The answers began to trail off and the look of anticipation mixed with mystifying wonderment was painted on the faces that surrounded me. I think they might call that fear. “Come now folks…look around…what else do you see?” He said with a bit of frustration in his voice.
So then, there we all were looking around like ostriches in a snow storm, trying to figure out what he wanted us to see. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, a huge Newfoundlander, that I will call Jim, spoke up and said. “Yes bye…there’s an Eastern White Pine standin right ear be ind me there is.” A huge smile came to the face of Mr. Williams as he bobbed up and down with more vigour, he said. “Very good Jim…marvellous…now then Jim…can you tell the class what the Silvics of Eastern White Pine is?” By this Mr. Williams basically meant where does Eastern White Pine achieve its best growth. With hardly any hesitation Jim answered. “Yes Bye…it achieves its best growth on the well drained sandy soils it does” Jim answered, with the look of a Rooster surrounded by Hens. He was glad he was able to answer Mr. Williams.
“Very very good Jim!” Mr. Williams said with a great amount of excitement; he went on. “Now then Jim…would you say that this tree is healthy…has it achieved good growth?”
At this point I was reminded of people watching a tennis match from a grand stand, for we were doing the same, first to Mr. Williams, then back to Jim.
Jim turned and looked the tree all up and down, then he reached over and touched it as if he expected it to say something to him. He then turned back toward Mr. Williams and said; “Yes Bye…she’s got grand height an good girth she does…er top looks good n elthy it does…I would ave ta say she as achieved very good growth.” To which Mr. Williams excitedly said. “Very good then Jim…but can you perhaps see anything else that might be a bit different about this tree?”
The Rooster look was fading, as Jim looked at us hoping to be rescued, then back at the tree then he turned back to Mr. Williams and said; “well…alls I kin sees is she as er feet wet.”
Mr. Williams was bouncing even faster still and smiling brighter, he said. “Very very good Jim…Excellent!” Jim’s Rooster developed brightness again. Mr. Williams went on. “ Now then Jim…if you will…could you explain to the class…the reason.” There was a slight pause. “I mean if the Silvics of Eastern White Pine is well drained sandy soils…why is it that this tree…with it’s feet very wet…has achieved very good growth?”
The Rooster once again fell faint from Jim’s face. While we all glared at Jim, just to ensure he knew that we were interested in what he had to say, which I am sure made him feel ever so comfortable. Jim’s Rooster was now turning reddish in color as he shifted his weight back and forth several times from one foot to the other. Then after taking another look at the tree, with the hope that it just might talk to him yet, he slowly turned and looked at Mr. Williams with the look of a defeated goal tender after the third period of overtime, and said. “Yes Bye…I am sure I doesn’t know…but I am sure you are gonna tells us.”
After the chuckling subsided, Mr. Williams said. “That’s okay Jim…and you are right I am going to tell you.”
Mr. Williams went on to explain to us that the book indeed says that the Eastern White Pine does achieve its best growth on well drained sandy soils. This tree was growing at the edge of a Peat Bog in conditions anything but well drained and sandy. The tree had achieved good growth and was doing well, and there was a reason. He said the tree had not read the book.
You see he went on; there is always an exception to the rule. The seed had fell in this place and was given two choices, adapt and grow, or die. It chose life and even though the conditions were not the best for this tree to achieve greatness, it overcame the adversities it faced simply because it didn’t know otherwise. It didn’t read the book.
Mr. Williams was no longer smiling; his face had hardened as he wanted to ensure we got this lesson. He told us that we would be graduating soon and going out to various places throughout North American and perhaps even the world, to pursue our careers. Many of us would some day become supervisors. In this world there is little room for people who simply set at a desk and never go out and see what is going on. They make decisions every single day based on the book. A lot of the time the book is indeed right. However, there is always an exception to the rule. Don’t let me ever hear tell of any of you ever not believing something one of your people tells you based on the book and what it states. Keep an open mind and go and see for yourself. Better still, allot time to go out and explore no matter how busy you might be. Nothing takes the place of hands on. Go and see what your people are up against before they have to come to you with a reason why a task can’t be done.
When you find a special problem, involve everyone. Many people looking for an answer to a conundrum are better than one. Always listen to your people. Help them to grow. Help them to become innovative and come up with non book answers. And always remember there is an exception to every rule.
This was one lesson that I have never forgotten. Without even thinking I find myself implementing this type of leadership whenever the need arises. Experience has also taught me that Mr. Williams really was telling the truth. Exceptions to the rule do not just exist in the forest; they can be found everywhere, in every aspect of our everyday life.
I have learned that in order to approach any kind of task or problem, there are a few things to keep in mind. Below I will list a few.
- You don’t know it all. You are not perfect. There is no such thing. Listen and keep your eyes open and stay focused.
- Pick everyone’s mind. Each of us views things from a different angle and different perception.
- Ask questions. This prompts others to think.
- Keep everyone involved informed as best as you can.
- Be fair and show equality.
- Have clear understood objectives that are realistic, measurable, obtainable, and flexible.
- Be willing to be flexible yourself and welcome positive change for the better.
- Encourage people to use their imaginations.
- For the most part, if someone is asking for a tool, in all likelihood they need it or they would not be asking. Acknowledge them and either get them the tool or explain why you can’t.
- In every way show folks that you care, because if you don’t do this, you really don’t care. It is very hard to try and fool people. Be sincere and be truthful, it will gain you respect, trust, and dedication. People will see through false fronts very quickly, thus believe in what you are doing or don’t do it.
- Don’t be too serious; take time at the proper times to laugh.
- Show appreciation for work well done, and when someone has tried their best.
- If you don’t believe in it, how can you expect the folks following you to believe in it? And if no one believes in it, they are just going through the motions. For example, if you tell people that your first priority is safety, don’t just say this because you have too. Say because you mean it.
Ask yourself if you don’t really believe in it, then why are you doing it? Perhaps you need to move on to something you do believe in rather than stay for a pay check. You really are not being fair to yourself or to others if you are only giving just enough.
- And always remember, there are exceptions to every rule.
These are only a few of the life lessons I have learned. There are more, many more. I think for this writing, I have covered enough. I will in the future write some more for those of you interested enough to read them.
Until next time, above all else, Stay Safe! Tex January 18, 2010.
Once a very long time ago, in what seems like another life, my section of our class at Maritime Forest Ranger School were out standing on this Peat Bog. Now we were a fine bunch out there standing; this not like out standing in our field, we were out standing in our bog. It is much different than if we were out standing in our field.
It was a cold and wet rainy day, the kind that penetrates deep into your very soul, thus taking three days huddled next to a panting wood stove just to bring the feeling back to your self proclaimed walking corpse. I don’t have an inkling as to why, but it seemed that these were the times that our learned mentors decided it was time for a lecture. So it was, this day not straying from the norm, which found us all trying to concentrate on what was being said by the most learned of the learned Mr. Williams (not his real name).
“So folks…here we are then….on this lovely fall day; out on this beautiful bog full of natures wonders for us to experience.” He said, while bouncing up and down on his toes, with his hands on his hips. His face bore his usual light hearted expression with the familiar twinkle in his eyes.
He went on as we huddled together, closer so as to hear him. “Tell me then folks….what do you all see here…don’t be shy speak up.”
These kinds of statements always made me nervous, for one never knew what answer he was looking for. Mr. Williams was a man of great knowledge. I always felt him to be smarter than a whole room full of geniuses at a think tank on how to burn water. By and by, as always, there would be some daring soul that would offer up a statement. This time I began to hear, slowly at first, then faster, things like; White Birch, Eastern White Cedar, Tamarack, Black Spruce to name a few. All seemed to meet with the approval of Mr. Williams. These were all species one could expect to see in association with wet areas such as the bog we were standing on. Yet, he kept saying “what else” as if he were hoping that someone would notice what he wanted to zero in on. Lord only knew though, what that might be.
The answers began to trail off and the look of anticipation mixed with mystifying wonderment was painted on the faces that surrounded me. I think they might call that fear. “Come now folks…look around…what else do you see?” He said with a bit of frustration in his voice.
So then, there we all were looking around like ostriches in a snow storm, trying to figure out what he wanted us to see. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, a huge Newfoundlander, that I will call Jim, spoke up and said. “Yes bye…there’s an Eastern White Pine standin right ear be ind me there is.” A huge smile came to the face of Mr. Williams as he bobbed up and down with more vigour, he said. “Very good Jim…marvellous…now then Jim…can you tell the class what the Silvics of Eastern White Pine is?” By this Mr. Williams basically meant where does Eastern White Pine achieve its best growth. With hardly any hesitation Jim answered. “Yes Bye…it achieves its best growth on the well drained sandy soils it does” Jim answered, with the look of a Rooster surrounded by Hens. He was glad he was able to answer Mr. Williams.
“Very very good Jim!” Mr. Williams said with a great amount of excitement; he went on. “Now then Jim…would you say that this tree is healthy…has it achieved good growth?”
At this point I was reminded of people watching a tennis match from a grand stand, for we were doing the same, first to Mr. Williams, then back to Jim.
Jim turned and looked the tree all up and down, then he reached over and touched it as if he expected it to say something to him. He then turned back toward Mr. Williams and said; “Yes Bye…she’s got grand height an good girth she does…er top looks good n elthy it does…I would ave ta say she as achieved very good growth.” To which Mr. Williams excitedly said. “Very good then Jim…but can you perhaps see anything else that might be a bit different about this tree?”
The Rooster look was fading, as Jim looked at us hoping to be rescued, then back at the tree then he turned back to Mr. Williams and said; “well…alls I kin sees is she as er feet wet.”
Mr. Williams was bouncing even faster still and smiling brighter, he said. “Very very good Jim…Excellent!” Jim’s Rooster developed brightness again. Mr. Williams went on. “ Now then Jim…if you will…could you explain to the class…the reason.” There was a slight pause. “I mean if the Silvics of Eastern White Pine is well drained sandy soils…why is it that this tree…with it’s feet very wet…has achieved very good growth?”
The Rooster once again fell faint from Jim’s face. While we all glared at Jim, just to ensure he knew that we were interested in what he had to say, which I am sure made him feel ever so comfortable. Jim’s Rooster was now turning reddish in color as he shifted his weight back and forth several times from one foot to the other. Then after taking another look at the tree, with the hope that it just might talk to him yet, he slowly turned and looked at Mr. Williams with the look of a defeated goal tender after the third period of overtime, and said. “Yes Bye…I am sure I doesn’t know…but I am sure you are gonna tells us.”
After the chuckling subsided, Mr. Williams said. “That’s okay Jim…and you are right I am going to tell you.”
Mr. Williams went on to explain to us that the book indeed says that the Eastern White Pine does achieve its best growth on well drained sandy soils. This tree was growing at the edge of a Peat Bog in conditions anything but well drained and sandy. The tree had achieved good growth and was doing well, and there was a reason. He said the tree had not read the book.
You see he went on; there is always an exception to the rule. The seed had fell in this place and was given two choices, adapt and grow, or die. It chose life and even though the conditions were not the best for this tree to achieve greatness, it overcame the adversities it faced simply because it didn’t know otherwise. It didn’t read the book.
Mr. Williams was no longer smiling; his face had hardened as he wanted to ensure we got this lesson. He told us that we would be graduating soon and going out to various places throughout North American and perhaps even the world, to pursue our careers. Many of us would some day become supervisors. In this world there is little room for people who simply set at a desk and never go out and see what is going on. They make decisions every single day based on the book. A lot of the time the book is indeed right. However, there is always an exception to the rule. Don’t let me ever hear tell of any of you ever not believing something one of your people tells you based on the book and what it states. Keep an open mind and go and see for yourself. Better still, allot time to go out and explore no matter how busy you might be. Nothing takes the place of hands on. Go and see what your people are up against before they have to come to you with a reason why a task can’t be done.
When you find a special problem, involve everyone. Many people looking for an answer to a conundrum are better than one. Always listen to your people. Help them to grow. Help them to become innovative and come up with non book answers. And always remember there is an exception to every rule.
This was one lesson that I have never forgotten. Without even thinking I find myself implementing this type of leadership whenever the need arises. Experience has also taught me that Mr. Williams really was telling the truth. Exceptions to the rule do not just exist in the forest; they can be found everywhere, in every aspect of our everyday life.
I have learned that in order to approach any kind of task or problem, there are a few things to keep in mind. Below I will list a few.
- You don’t know it all. You are not perfect. There is no such thing. Listen and keep your eyes open and stay focused.
- Pick everyone’s mind. Each of us views things from a different angle and different perception.
- Ask questions. This prompts others to think.
- Keep everyone involved informed as best as you can.
- Be fair and show equality.
- Have clear understood objectives that are realistic, measurable, obtainable, and flexible.
- Be willing to be flexible yourself and welcome positive change for the better.
- Encourage people to use their imaginations.
- For the most part, if someone is asking for a tool, in all likelihood they need it or they would not be asking. Acknowledge them and either get them the tool or explain why you can’t.
- In every way show folks that you care, because if you don’t do this, you really don’t care. It is very hard to try and fool people. Be sincere and be truthful, it will gain you respect, trust, and dedication. People will see through false fronts very quickly, thus believe in what you are doing or don’t do it.
- Don’t be too serious; take time at the proper times to laugh.
- Show appreciation for work well done, and when someone has tried their best.
- If you don’t believe in it, how can you expect the folks following you to believe in it? And if no one believes in it, they are just going through the motions. For example, if you tell people that your first priority is safety, don’t just say this because you have too. Say because you mean it.
Ask yourself if you don’t really believe in it, then why are you doing it? Perhaps you need to move on to something you do believe in rather than stay for a pay check. You really are not being fair to yourself or to others if you are only giving just enough.
- And always remember, there are exceptions to every rule.
These are only a few of the life lessons I have learned. There are more, many more. I think for this writing, I have covered enough. I will in the future write some more for those of you interested enough to read them.
Until next time, above all else, Stay Safe! Tex January 18, 2010.
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