Gung Ho
“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. I am talking about a gung-ho attitude that says, ‘we can change things here, we can achieve awesome goals, we can be the best.’ Spare me the litany of the “realist”; give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day.”
~General Colin Powell
The term “Gung Ho” means slightly different things to different people depending on the individual’s circumstances. The term first came to the American vernacular in the early days of World War II when it became a working attitude of the Second Raider Battalion of the US Marines meaning to work together or in harmony together. Today, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means: extremely or overly zealous or enthusiastic. I believe this attitude has transformed from work together to overly enthusiastic as a result of the manner in which people use the word today based from the actions in which the Marine Raiders fought all those years ago. Today, I would like to talk about the form of the phrase in the sense of working together for a common goal with great enthusiasm. Today, I would like to take a moment and talk about my co-workers who day in and day out work together with great diligence and thought for not only our clients but for one another.
We are a small office but the level of care and compassion my co-workers have for each other as well as our clients makes our office a fantastic environment for work, growth and comradery. I’m not saying that we work in Shangri-La but I am saying that we work in a good place where we support each other in and out of the office. I have worked in all kinds of different environments with all kinds of different mixes of personnel and I have to say that without a doubt, I am in a really good place today all because my co-workers have a spirit of gung-ho in their desire to reach our goals and objectives through teamwork. As part of our regular business we, as an agency, are required to be surveyed but the State of Indiana on a regular basis as part of the requirements to maintain our state licensure. All agencies in the state go through this process (as long as they want to stay in business) and because of the nature of the examination of records and procedures, this process always raises the level of anxiety within the office. I say all this because this week we have had the pleasure of hosting a guest from the state as she reviews our business. Working under a raised level of anxiety can cause people to react differently than they normally would and usually not for the better. I say all this because I count myself lucky. The women of my office have done a fabulous job of setting aside any anxiety they might have felt and they have performed to the highest level one could imagine, looking out for their own responsibilities as best they could but also lending a hand to their peers if needed. The grit of an organization is a representation actions of its staff in a stressful situation and from what I’ve seen this week, the women in our office have what it takes…like they always have.
I tip my hat to my co-workers and to all those who strive to make their work place run like Swiss clockwork. A happy work place is a more productive work place, a place where people want to come and look forward to pushing forward towards a common goal. I hope that everyone can find a place to work where they all have such a positive and pleasant attitude like me. Have a great weekend and remember, take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com