Friday, August 7, 2009

Just got back...

A few weeks ago I was sent to NC to attend a tradeshow on waste management, what has this to do with this blog... I listened to an exceptional speaker Tracy Williams who discussed PASSION and PROFITS. I'll skip the Profits part for now, but his discussion of being passionate about what you do was mesmerizing.



Most of the folks in the audience were in the waste removal business (engineering firms, manufacturers who provide equipment, service agencies that do cleanup or containment services, etc.) Most of us thought of the waste industry as a necessary but not to glamourous business to be in - hey basically we move garbage to a place we can bury it.



Tracy though made the following comment. "you guys are more important then doctors, if you don't do your jobs huge numbers of people get sick and die. Very few doctors can keep as many people healthy as you do". It was like a bolt of lightning hit that audience. He was right - most people on earth used to die of disease, and a large number still do.

It's a good thing to sometimes get a fresh opinion on something you "know well", its surprising sometimes.