* why did so and so team get to do this and we did not; they stole our ideas
* why do we have to meet twice a month now
* i knew sooner or later attendance would be part of our reviews
* management only does an idea they can take credit for
* the new bathroom blowers are disgusting because they blow air from the bathroom air
* the new blowers blow water in my face
* we don't want a free dinner if we have to come in to work and not be able to change
* we don't want to go to that restaurant for a free dinner because they made the last team wait an hour
* people are not made to crosstrain on changeovers, not fair
* some packers still refuse to come over and work and they get away with it
* I put in a work order, I don't know why it is not getting done; just take it off the list
* the production wheel is not followed at all; management does not know what they want
One definition of complaining is this; to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault. Complaining occurs, in part, when one does not want to be part of the solution for a myriad of reasons, but still feels the need to express dissatisfaction, resentment or find fault. What I listed above represents most of the discussion in our 1 1/2 hour meeting. At one point, I just listened and marveled. After the meeting, I went home exhausted. Then during the night I thought about this. Why do people complain? What is really at the heart of complaining? At the church I am attending, people were complaining regarding where the capital campaign money would go; a brother talked about running into someone at a convenience store and the person complained about the hypocrites at the church; at work people complained they couldn't read the writing, it was too small; at work someone complained about too much administration in Lean; the Israelites complained to God so much over and over He called them stiffnecked; I complained to the Plant Manager about being on a team with someone I don't really get along with; and on and on and on and on and on and on. In a typical day, I wonder how many people at some point in our work lives or family lives complain. I bet the number would be staggering.
When anyone complains, I think there is underlying discontentment in a person's soul. We expect and desire perfection but human beings are imperfect. We see the imperfections and complain because we know this is not right. This is not how it is supposed to be. I don't have control or perceive I have control over the situation so therefore all I can do is complain about the injustice or unfairness or...the way it makes me feel. Therein lies the problem. I believe when I complain, the complaint reveals my own self-centeredness. After all, when I complain, the complaint is generally about how it makes me feel, or the injustice to me, or the unfairness to me. The root is my selfishness.
I find there are times in my life when my spirit-filled joy in Christ ceases the complaining. Unfortunately, to date, I have not been able to maintain this spiritual high. Therefore I still complain. I wonder if people like Mother Teresa or C.S. Lewis ever complained. Were they able to rise above complaining? Is it not true spiritual joy does not cohabitate with complaining? The two seem at odds. Is it also true loving others and complaining are incompatible?
From now on, when I hear others complaining, this is what I want to say.
"I would like to share something with you. When I complain, and there are times I do, I find the reason why is two fold. One I do not want to be part of the solution for any number of reasons, but still feel a need to express the perceived injustice or unfairness to me. I want the easy way out so complaining is alot better than working with someone on a solution. Plus, when I complain to someone else, I put the burden on their shoulders. Two, when I place these burdens on others, I find my complaining is rooted in my own selfishness and self-centeredness, because complaining is indeed about me wanting others to do or treat me in a certain way. I am not really wanting to love others, because I would rather have my own selfish needs met."
"I would like to share something with you. When I complain, and there are times I do, I find the reason why is two fold. One I do not want to be part of the solution for any number of reasons, but still feel a need to express the perceived injustice or unfairness to me. I want the easy way out so complaining is alot better than working with someone on a solution. Plus, when I complain to someone else, I put the burden on their shoulders. Two, when I place these burdens on others, I find my complaining is rooted in my own selfishness and self-centeredness, because complaining is indeed about me wanting others to do or treat me in a certain way. I am not really wanting to love others, because I would rather have my own selfish needs met."
This is sort of a rambling post. I may come back and add some more thoughts later. Why? Because in my work career, hearing complaining regarding The Toil is a reality. Somehow, I need to express to others something deeper by being open with my own admissions.
Ok, I am done complaining about how others complain. And yes...I understand my own irony in writing this post. Stop complaining about it.
Update: Later on I talked with the Production Manager about the team meeting which generated this post. Part of what the team wanted to do was invite him to their next meeting and unload all this stuff. Again, when one complains to someone else, they relieve their responsibility to be part of the solution, and perceive because they voiced it, the other person is now responsible. Then three months later when nothing has been done because the Production Manager has 100 other priorities to work on, they complain about their complaint not being heard. Not fair. The reason behind teaming is not to pawn off complaints on to someone else, but to be part of the solution to their own voiced issues.
What we talked about was the team has to tell the Production Manager what they want to complain about. He responds, great ideas, please work with your team leader to complete an A3 with solutions and I would be glad to come to the next meeting to hear about the wonderful fixes.
Also in team meetings, we have joked, everytime a complaint is voiced and no one wants to work on the solution, write it on a post-it-chart with the heading "Complaints". Then at the end of the meeting, in front of the team, wad it up and throw it in the trash. I wonder what the reaction would be?
Ok, I am done complaining about how others complain. And yes...I understand my own irony in writing this post. Stop complaining about it.
Update: Later on I talked with the Production Manager about the team meeting which generated this post. Part of what the team wanted to do was invite him to their next meeting and unload all this stuff. Again, when one complains to someone else, they relieve their responsibility to be part of the solution, and perceive because they voiced it, the other person is now responsible. Then three months later when nothing has been done because the Production Manager has 100 other priorities to work on, they complain about their complaint not being heard. Not fair. The reason behind teaming is not to pawn off complaints on to someone else, but to be part of the solution to their own voiced issues.
What we talked about was the team has to tell the Production Manager what they want to complain about. He responds, great ideas, please work with your team leader to complete an A3 with solutions and I would be glad to come to the next meeting to hear about the wonderful fixes.
Also in team meetings, we have joked, everytime a complaint is voiced and no one wants to work on the solution, write it on a post-it-chart with the heading "Complaints". Then at the end of the meeting, in front of the team, wad it up and throw it in the trash. I wonder what the reaction would be?
No comments:
Post a Comment