My nick name was “pit-bull” in the trades…

Yeah, that’s right I was in the trades, I ran construction-welding crews. The name “pit-bull” was given to me by one of the top Construction Engineering companies in Cleveland, Ohio.

My passion and values came out in everything I did –
I didn’t take no for an answer –
Being off budget and not on time was not in my vocabulary –
Cutting corners and sub-standard work was not acceptable –

I was who you called in to find the problem and fix it. Project management was my niche’ I was working in my strength zone – planning, seeing every detail, being ten steps ahead of the problem with the ability to think and act outside the box.

I was in my zone when it came to project management.

One March while running crews for a new twenty-one mile, forty-eight inch water main project, winter was still in the air with the rain and winds of the north, our ditches were flooding making the challenges to complete the job on time, without incurring daily penalties was becoming a little intense. The supplier for our welding rod and gases did not know how to advise us to overcome the problems that were cropping up due to the weather on the project. So I did my homework and put things in place giving our team the tools and techniques they needed to overcome hurtles, and move on.

So after the completion of the project that same supplier called and offered me a position with their company due to the huge hurdles and savings I had saved them on just this one project.

I was ecstatic, to say the least, set the appointment to go in and fill out all the paperwork, ready to start a new chapter in my life – then in that same hour I felt like I had just lost everything, including everything I stood for.

The same person who had just sang my praises said I’m sorry we can’t hire you – we thought you had a degree and you’re not even a college graduate – I’m sorry but we can’t hire you.

I felt so humiliated, so deflated. I had never focused on my weaknesses, till that day – I remember it, like it was yesterday.

That one day, that one person in one hour had the power to destroy me.

Then out of nowhere I was afraid, I was afraid to be me – I was uneducated, no degrees, and no real direction in life. I second guessed everything I started to do. I was now is the audience of my own self-talk. All that I had accomplished seemed to be drowning in a sea of fear.

After months, maybe years of drifting, I started on a personal development journey to be the best leader I could be to grow people, helping them to be more than they ever thought possible. Fear, and self-talk were no longer controlling me, I was back working in my strengths as an independent management consultant, working in the areas of strategic planning, and transforming organizations, building teams, and teaching the five levels of leadership.

Today I have that same “pit-bull” mentality back – in making my dreams a reality. I am learning to grab hold of the passion that fuels me, to focus and conquer my goals in life.

I’ve learned the “self-proclaimed experts” who spend their time telling others what’s wrong with them never win with people – nor do they develop leaders.

I once read an interesting fact based on research that said “every person can do at least one thing better than ten-thousand other people. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE! You possess an ability that can’t be mastered by anyone in your own town, or neighborhood…or in your university or college….or in your company or just maybe even in your industry.”

But how do you discover that ability? Or maybe you already have.
Finding you, this is where personal development will help you to raise your lid of clarity.

Set your priorities on personal development, and focus on your strengths today.

Peace be with you.
See you on the curve to success.
Vicki