Industry Expertise and Effective Leadership is Paramount in Mission-Critical Industries

This is straight straight straight out of Crumpton with your host, Greg Crumpton. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of straight out of Crumpton. I'm Gabby Bar, and I am joined by Mr. Greg Crumpton. Greg, how are you today? Gabby, I'm doing very well, coming off a fun weekend. We had a guest guest staying with us from Norway. And, it's a guy that my wife and I have known for thirty seven years. And, exchange student for my in laws many, many years ago. So he was over visiting. And, we had a good time, hung out here in the city. Greenville, beautiful time of year to be here. So just a good weekend. And then knowing that we had a rock star coming on with a morning. I was I'm super pumped. So tell us who we've got and what we're doing so we can get this puppy started. Absolutely. Well, I am excited to introduce Joe Rieli. He is the vice president of solution architects at Schneider Electric. Joe, how are you doing today? Gabby, I'm doing wonderful. Thank you so much for having me. And, I'm not sure about a rock star. I'm I'm as equally as excited to talk with my good friend, Greg. Who is, by the way, the legend in the industry. I I I, I would say that. So I'm really happy to, to be here. And like Greg, I came off a nice weekend. And, I took advantage of that. I don't live very, very far from Greg. And so I'm I'm in, Lake Wylie, South Carolina, and, it was a great weekend for golf. So I went out and chased a little white ball around and, and, you know, I've I've come a long way. You know, my golf game is best described as this. If I'm closer to the hole in which I'm started, okay, that's a good shot. Whether it's fifty yards left or right, we're not complaining about that anymore. I'm closer to the hole. So I'm I take that as a good thing. Joe, it's all about the small victories, brother. All about the small victories. Well, thank you. First of all, thank you for the kind words, but, most importantly, thank you for joining this today. You know, when I think about relationships and all that we have in business and, you know, you and I go back a long time now. We we both, luckily have evolved as humans probably and luckily know a little bit more than we did when we met. Yeah. And, but it it's it's just been fun, you know, going through our parallel universes and and watching what you've done specifically, since you've been at Schneider's been really fun for me because I just, you know, you you get to operate in the world. I like to operate in, but I don't get to operate in it daily due to, you know, all the fun stuff I get to do. But, really do appreciate you taking time with us. And as we, as we get going, why don't you just, if you will, we always like to kick off with a little bit how you got here, what you do, a little bit about your career up to this point. And, a little background. Yeah. Okay. Well, again, I'm honored to be here and and, you know, delighted to to speak with you. So I I describe myself sometimes as, you know, a little bit of a weirdo in the sense that, you know, I've I've been in the mission critical business I was probably seventeen, eighteen years old. I really didn't know what to do, coming out of high school, you know, gonna play hockey. Gonna do this that. And the other thing, all these things people, you know, think about. And I ended up, joining the United States Air Force. Kind of what they call like. I think at the time, like, an open elective. Like, you really don't know what you're doing. And what happened was I took a test, and then I did good, and I another task. This is what about when I started to figure out ahead of brain. Up to that point, I wasn't quite sure. So I took and did good, did good. Next thing, you know, I'm in, you know, the United States Air Force nuclear program. And so, working, and learning about power, power electronics, refrigeration, electronics for intercontinental ballistic missiles. And I've been in the industry mission critical ever since then. And so kind of from there, I got on and started getting into the control world and, a friend, a dear friend. You talk about relationships and talk about how did I get to places? You know, it started with a CEO of a company in Vermont who kinda looked at me. I got out of the United states Air Force. I was back in Buffalo, New York, and I was making, I think, five dollars and eighty something cents like that as a refrigeration engineer, believe it or not mechanical. Engineer, mechanical engineer. And I got this phone call from a friend who had been in the, air force with me, who had been to Vermont, said, man, this company here, they need a guy like you and and and by the way, it's ten dollars now. So that was double. Wow. And so I I went up as an engineer, but they they needed somebody to be field labor, bending conduit, pulling wire. On the what we call direct digital control systems, what we've now termed building automation systems, you know, digital controls, basically way back then. And so I went to Vermont and started working, with steel toe boots and a leather tool belt around, around, my waist and and bending conduit. I could still tell you how much to deduct on a three quarter inch conduit versus a half inch conduit. For a ninety degree bend. And, you know, how many pull, how much you can pull. So I started there and, when somebody gave me a chance, And and very soon after that, they were like, well, you're an engineer, and you're super talented. Would life to have you, we wanna keep you, but you're probably gonna progress in time So maybe let's think about where you might wanna go where you could be an engineer. And this this just gentleman after some time, I would say maybe three years or so, said where do you wanna go? I said Atlanta. I had friends in Atlanta. Next thing you know, I'm in Atlanta, and now I'm in and I'm engineering. What year did you head down? Let's see. I'm going to say nineteen ninety one or two. You know, it's before the Olympics in ninety six, I got a funny Olympic Dory to tell you if you wanna hear about it. So I get down to Atlanta. Now I'm an engineer designing building automation system. And then from there, you know, then you're programming, how do you write in code, how it works, and, and, and, you know, of course, then, you know, in this field, as you know, Greg, if you're an engineer and you write Coney, become project manager, and you're all involved. You're doing all kinds of things, you know, procurement, how many parts and what's going on-site, one, and who's doing what, and how do you write the, you know, so all this stuff, was I a project manager? Yeah, you might say. Was I an engineer? Yeah, you might say. Was I a startup guy? Yeah, you might say, You could label all you want, you know, all these different labels. But, you know, from there, I would just say, Things have tell us to people all the time. Did I wake up and say, I was gonna be writing code For at the time, down in Atlanta, the seventh tallest building in the world, which Nathan Bank Plaz is not anymore. I would have said, what? Me, I'm writing software for No. Hell, no. I'm not gonna do that to but I was. And then my I'm I met my daughter's beautiful mom and and Charlotte and and became a father and the next thing you know, I'm I'm in Charlotte, and I couldn't really find a job. She wanted to hear about relationships and friends again, and I know it's probably long for a background, but guess Hello. I said. This is what made. So, so I could really find a job in Charlotte. My daughter's mom is neurosurgeon, e e l, specialist, and really bright. I couldn't find a job. So, you know, Gassu after fifteen or so years, twenty, maybe, even can't remember. I call my friend back in Vermont, CEO. Yeah. Say, hey, man. I I I need a job. I could use a job. Wow. We can't afford you. I listen. I'd I I'll tell you what. This I'm not looking, you know, Just get I'll take this. Super low just to have a job, my daughter's mom, so we moved to Vermont. And, after so long, great. Wonderful, but my daughter's mom wanted to come back to Charlotte, just more advanced hospital system, medical system. So I'm a supportive person. Yeah. Let's go. So off we come to Charlotte. Now this is when I think you and I first met. And Same city. Remember before I couldn't, you know, so I see this job. Remember monster dot com. I'm dating myself, not my hair doesn't, but you know, monster dot com. I'm looking at this resume or this this this record, you know, for mission critical, and I thought to myself, I mean, okay. If a nuclear weapon isn't mission critical, I don't know what it is. Yeah. I probably I can qualify. So off off I go, into Bank of America data centers, which is critical. Yep. And, you know, did I have something on an as a data center expert? No. Did the nuclear silo maybe look like a data center in some yeah. Systems, UPS is bad about it. But yeah. Okay. So all of a sudden, I'm in Charlotte in facilities. Data centers. Once again, I kind of started out almost as a, technician very quickly, though, where it's like, okay. Hey, we're Man, you maybe should run the group of people. So I did that, and then Charlotte was, let's just say wasn't operating at at Optimum Cllicks, let's just say way back then. And, this was all for as a property management firm and supporting the client of Bank of America. Bank of America said, Hey, boy, I liked what you did in in Charlotte and and and a good friend of mine had taken over leadership in in in the bank. And so I went to Bank of America for data centers globally. And that was design build, operate, change, problem, risk, and compliance management. And did that for probably a decade or so, and then at Schneider Electric, now for eleven years. And now if you would ask me, when I was seventeen, if I was tickering with the nuclear missile, I had told you you were out of your mind. And by the way, anybody who knew me who would have said. No. No. Don't let him fiddle with the nuke of it. Wrong guy. Wrong guy. You know, and so, and if you would have said I would have been writing control software for very sophisticated high rise class Aphasize. I said, no. Or if I would have been, a vice president of, of, of, at Schneider or SVP bank or even a father. I would have said no to probably all of those things, Greg. In other words, you know, where I came from and where I got you was a lot about I'd say three things, to be honest with you. Okay? The first, and there's no order here. Because I'm not sure it would do justice quite honestly. But number one is yet having people around you that look out and that help coach and guide and mentor, and maybe give an opportunity based on potential not with what you did before. And I think that's important aspect of leadership too, by the way, is you do you draft somebody in the NFL or hockey and baseball because what they did in college, or do you draft on what you think the potential is? And I think there's two camps. Some teams draft on what they saw. Some teams draft on what they think can happen. And maybe those that identify potential and then create the environment for that person to become the best person they can become. Those are the winners. So that's number one for me was I had people to help me do that. You know, number two is there's no such thing as luck, man. It is somebody that's better prepared for the opportunity than the other person. And I'll give you an example, like we're both fishing using a worm. So the boat's not giant, Greg. It's ten feet. You're in the front. I'm in the back. Using the same worm. Ten feet apart. I'm looking at the houses, the birds, and I'm not paying attention to what's going on. I get a bite, I missed a fish. You're not distracted with the houses, the birds in the beautiful view, you're paying attention, and you get a bite, you catch the fish. Now, There were two people. One was prepared for the opportunity, and one wasn't. One caught the fish, one didn't. Was it luck or was one better prepared for the opportunity? I kind of think in life that those that are successful actually, they're just more prepared for the opportunity than somebody else. And that goes to the third point. You can never say, you can't. What you could and what you should say is I never have, but that doesn't mean I can't. Okay? I didn't know how to build a guitar. I built a guitar. Because I couldn't afford the one on the wall that I wanted. And I thought to myself, well, yeah, somebody built that thing. I I bet I could probably do that too. And so I always tell people, yeah, you can. It's a matter of want and curiosity. If you're not curious, you never figure out how to. And that's a big, big trait I think I have in other people. I I I encourage them to be curious. And so that's where I came from, Greg. That's how I got here. I think I was a little bit. I think I was curious. I was super curious. I wanted to figure out how come things worked and why did it do with that? Or Well, that doesn't make sense to me or what have you. And I think curiosity leads to, knowledge, leads to trying to do things and then be humble. Not sure I was always that way and try to find people that you know, will give you the time to help. Yeah. Just bright people everywhere. And by the way, bright people don't have titles always. They don't have Brazilian dollars always. Everybody can help you become a better person. You just have to have your eyes open. And if you're only open for those that have a lot of money, you're gonna lose. And if you're only open to those that have some title, to think that they're the wizards of all, you're gonna lose. And so be humble, be who you are, and, be curious. And that's where I came from, man, and and and where I'm at. Well, Joe, I think that we could just stop right here, man, because you have laid down some good hard life lessons and facts that, you know, I I wrote those three things down. And they're all interrelated. They really are to me, because you said people, no luck. It's gotta be preparation. And I can't versus not yet. So those things all kinda swirl together. Looking for with people. Being curious, you know, some of the freaking smartest people I've ever met, I've met not doing what they ultimately wound up doing. Right. Maybe they were working at Outback steakhouse, bringing out the take home, and they were working on something bigger that I wouldn't have known about it and said until I said, Macy, what are you doing working here? And she said, I'm working on something bigger, but this is paying the bills. Right. You know, that those kinda questions. I I I love the fact that you recognize as as, foundational in success because you do have to have that. And Macy was successful, you know, she was doing her thing at Outback while she was working on this thing. Awesome. And and then, you know, you you said the humility and being humble. And, yeah, if god knows, that only comes with grace and age, because it's so difficult. When, to your point, you you using you as an example, and what you said, when you were seventeen years old, people saw something in you and and kept advancing you beyond your years probably. Yeah. And you don't get the experiences that give you humility and humbleness when you're, you know, rising like a a freaking rocket, you know, because everything is happening at a blistering pace. A lot of times, our life lessons only come through time and and, scar tissue. Right. And if you don't have time to acquire the skinned up knees. Sometimes you don't appreciate the, the humble feature or a humble, piece of life. So I I really did enjoy that. And and our our lives are a little bit parallel because I was in Atlanta at the same time you were. We just didn't know each other. Uh-huh. Because I I I got to Charlotte in ninety seven. But, yeah, it that's good stuff. It is. And, you know, the people that you still work with, you have worked with for a long time just in different roles. Right. And and that's fun, you know, I think. Right. I I love seeing, like, my boss right now is our COO. But before he was my boss, he worked for one of our operating companies, I worked alongside him. And it's just fun to see people get to advance. Yeah. You see different sides of their leadership style or personality, you know, it's just fun to go through life with people that are good people. Yeah. You know, you talk about early and and what you guys did at the bank. And now you know, y'all work alongside each other at at Schneider. Yeah. That's a great story too because, you know, for a decade, I worked for Mark. And for a decade, he's worked for me. Yeah. Now this might also be part of a good good thing to to talk a little bit about here, Greg, two things, I think, and I'll relate it this way. You know, I try to I I've not always done this growing growing up. You talked about through scar tissue and learning and and and all this type of stuff. I, You know how and why that is successful? How do you go from working for somebody to now that person now working for you? And and how's that personal relationship? How's a work relationship? How does all that work? And it's really simple. And and it and and I am a dude that wants to talk in terms of simplicity because I'm not that complicated, believe it or not. So think of the better nails. Okay. There's, ten thousand nails on the board. Do you ever wonder why the the the person who lays on the better nails? Never ever gets hurt and doesn't die. And there's three principles behind it. And if you if you can abstract that, into how you run your business and how you run your life. Okay? You're gonna be a winner. And here's, let me explain how it works. Each now is the exact same height. So let's just say that you're the CEO. Let's say you're a vice president, put me in there, whatever, or an SVP. Okay. Fine. These are all, but not to see, but to ask them to be, I had titles. Okay. So on an organizational chart, The way that might look is somebody is here with the SVP or VP and then there are people underneath. Now if that was abstract, paint that into a bed of nails. Now, I, my now, or the leader's now, it's way taller than everybody else's now. So when that person lays on that better nails, now you're it's just you're you're creating damage. So how does a high performance team work? My Bryce said humble. It's really simple, man. I don't care what my title is, and I don't care what your title is. We are all equal. Alright. Now, I support a small portion of the weight, and you support a small portion of the weight. I'll be it. We're in different places on the board, but make no mistake about it. I support a small portion of the weight. You support a small portion of the weight. And by the way, our thirty five other teammates are all supporting a small portion of the weight. Together, we support our client. Or we support our family or whatever analogy you wanna make. Now, if I, the boss, thought I was smarter, faster, better, Whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever, that my nail's taller. First principle to run a hype performance team had by equal, I don't care what your title is. So I talked to the CEO the same way. I talked to a chief engineer who's running the building. That's how come I think people resonate to me a little bit because I don't really go Oh, mister c sweet guy. And then disrespect some no. Everybody gets the same. And I treat the whole team the way. Everybody. I don't care what your title is. That's number one. Second, okay? You have to be really comfortable. As a leader, to lot to have people become their own people, be individuals. Cause imagine if I had a hundred people on a team and I ask them to conform, to me or the leader. Now I make one now. Now that's gonna kill the person, not only skewer. So a high performance team is made up of individualities leadership should embrace individuality, not conformity. Okay. So when you wanna get the most out of everybody and and the team. And you wanna kick ass in your mission, that's how you do it. Because now the person who might be the parts manager, who's loading up thirty five trucks to go out in the morning, feels important, man, and feels God, if I don't do my job, then these people can't do theirs. And if they can't do theirs, then And if they then, and if then they then, and then eventually, right? So you make everybody feel that what their job is is important. You don't because you're not trying to make them feel that way because it's some fairy tale. You're making them feel that way because it's fact. Absolutely. Okay. So that's the number one thing, man. I think it should better now. I I I use that analogy because it it's easy for people to sort of get ahold of that thing. And you know what? You have to be humble. You have to be a leader that goes, man, I okay. So You I don't know. You pogo stick as a hobby. Yeah. I don't pogo stick. I I don't even own a pogo stick. But if that's who you are, man, pogo away. Right? No. You're you're right. And one thing, here's my here's my piece, Joe. This this is something that, we often talk about here as trust. And, you know, while you're describing that that parts manager, you know, the the whole weakest link theory comes to mind, you know, we all have to do our deal, you know, Gabby had to send the link out where we could all join this thing. And I go to sleep knowing that I trust her to do that. I don't set up worrying about her sending the link to us, you know, because you establish that over time, you establish that over just being there day in, day out and making things happen And she and I are as different as night and day for every obvious reasons and other non obvious reasons, but you work together because you trust each other are gonna get the job done that you both committed to. Yeah. And that goes along with embracing what you said, you know, the individual, how she runs her deal is not up to me. Right. What's important is that she gets the link sent out. Not how when or as long as this before now, I'm cool. Great. And That to me took time, you know, learning that because my my nature is command and control because of as a technician, on the service truck growing up, that's what I did. I can only control my repair window or my my bubble But as you grow, you have to be able to let that go and trust that other things are going to happen because you have enveloped a group of people who want to succeed together. And your bed of nails is I've never heard that analogy before, but it's really good because I I'm I'm a visual person. So I was picturing that nail sticking up. Right. And, you know, diving somebody in the tenderloin when they laid down Right. Versus, you know, that equal distribution. So good analogy. I love that. Yeah. It's, I think it's gonna and it and it goes for everything, you know, I think, you know, people often determine leaders by some title. I'm so against that thought. Everybody's a leader. And, and, You know, you can you and see, this is what people don't think about, and it took me forever forever in a day to think about this. And somebody once told me, Joe, you have this have this power. You have this ability to impact people with kinda how you do things, how you say, how you act, how you even walk sometimes, you know, and so this was really difficult for me too. Let's say, agree with. Embrace it. Yeah. I just didn't because I didn't I'm just Joe. I always tell that to be believe in I'm just Joe. Forget my just can I just be Joe? Like, I'm not anything that you're trying to tell me. I'm not smart. I'm not this. I'm not all that. Just Joe. One day, I I had a hard lesson and I've and I this is how I've embraced it. I didn't embrace it for me. I had embraced it for. I embrace it for every single person. Everybody has the ability to influence and inspire. Okay? I don't care what your title is, and I don't care how old you are. A five year old can influence and inspire. A whole group of adults. Now here's here's so that's an aha moment for me. That's how I was able to embrace because I'm not above anybody. Just gave you the better now. Now, the next session of the podcast, I'm gonna tell you how important I am, and I have power. That's bullshit. So how did I get it? How do I put my hat on it? Every one of us has the same power. I do. We all have the power to influence and inspire. Here's the thing. You either are gonna make a positive influence or a negative influence. You either are gonna make a positive inspiration or a negative inspiration, but you're gonna do. You are gonna influence and inspire. I don't care if you're five years old, and you have no idea even how to say those two words. But trust me, put a five year old on an airplane That five year old can influence and inspire that whole airplane based on what that one five year old is doing or not doing. Am I right or wrong? Okay. Absolutely. So You should be sitting in front of me, by the way. So if we all say Wait, I don't need to be wrenched to influence inspire. I don't need to have some damn title to influence and inspire. I don't need to be at certain level, a certain age, a certain position, a certain blah blah blah blah blah. Those are all bullshit. It's throwing out the window. If you wake up in the morning and you say I'm a human being. First thing that you should do when you wake up, I do this. I when I taught, taught. I coached high competitive girls fast pit softball. And if you think I only talked to them about how to hit a rise ball or how to slide in a second base, you're wrong, Here's a message I told them all. If anyone are listening, they're gonna laugh, probably fall off the chair. You brush your teeth in the morning. Yeah. And you do it generally in front of a mirror. Yeah? Okay. What I want you to do when you brush your teeth, Greg, I want you to do this tomorrow, Gabby. I want you to do this tomorrow. When you brush your teeth, I want you to say, the world is about a place because I'm in it. And by the way, if you don't believe me, let me go ask your wife, Greg. Let me go ask your boyfriend or husband, Gabby. Let me go ask your and dad. Let me go ask your coworkers. Let me go ask anybody that knows either one of you too and ask him the simple question. Is the world a better place because they're in it? They're all gonna say, yeah. So this is what I want you to do. Brush your teeth go to yourself. The world's a better place because I'm in it. When you put your toothbrush down, you're gonna walk out of the bathroom, you know what you're gonna do. You're gonna be so into you're gonna hold the door open for somebody. You're gonna know that you have a an ability to make a five year old smile. You have the ability to make the eighty four year old grandmother You loved and wanted because you reached high for the oatmeal that was in the grocery store. So you're gonna help your teammate do something better. Okay? Every one of us could do all that. And if you believe what I just said, because I've I absolutely firmly believe that. It ain't a Joe thing. It ain't a title thing, it ain't a smart thing, it ain't none of this. And so when you believe that, that was a game changing thing in light bulb that happened in my head because I didn't embrace it like I have power over everybody. No? I'm just one of everybody. And everybody has this ability, and I'm not special. What I need to do is enlighten the people that they can do it. They they don't have to be an SVP. They don't have to be a VP. They don't have to be a c somebody. They don't have to be whatever somebody that they think they need out of some damn piece of paper. Because organizational charts come on a piece of paper. Which you can crank a lot, and throw over your shoulder, and now we're all human again. So how's that hierarchy go? So that I I've given a lot of inspiration here, man, because you wanna know why. Sometimes, people, they don't get those types of messages. They think you gotta be an SVP. They think you gotta be a VP. They think you gotta be a billionaire. They think you gotta do all this stuff. Happiness doesn't come with the size of the white picket fence or the size of your house. Happiness doesn't come with the size of your car. Or the kind of car or whatever. Happiness comes from inside, by the way. And when you believe that you can make an eighty four year old smile and help them have a better day, and you can make a five year old smile and have a better day. And the mom and the dad and man, that's a better place for you to be mentally. If we all embrace the fact because we all can do it. People don't even understand it. Even people that are quote, unquote, down on their luck. Do do you think that they could create a positive or negative influence? Do you think that they could create a positive or negative or inspiration they can? So That's Greg how I embraced what somebody said. Hey, man. Joe, you have this power, man. You have this thing. And I forever said, no, I don't. Because I'm just about a nails guy. But the moment that I was able to rationalize it that way. I'm still the better nails guy, but I can I can try to make other people feel like they're on the bed of nails too? And they're not behind. And they're not, you know, whatever. So but and then I'll and I'll leave you not leave you, but I'll just stop on this and say, not everybody thinks this way, and there are There are idiots in the world. There are, there are nimrods in the world. Okay. He's a joker. So you're when you come across nimrads, when you come across this type of thing, and it's not what I described it. Don't don't be afraid to to to make a change, you know, to to go and and do others. You know, life happens. You have kids. You got other things, you know, to have a job, all that stuff. I get it. I understand. But you're on this planet to, to live. Right? So you're working so that you can live. You're not living to work. So that's that's that's what else. It's not all this that I always describe. There are people like Greg and others that maybe think like this and maybe act like this and maybe do things. And there are a lot of them, but there are as equally as many nimrods. And don't let the nimrods put a to put a put a shade on your light. Okay? Dust don't. Okay. Because it could be easily done. And Oh, I Joe, I I think that this is, we should go live with this because the world could use a good dose of this right now. We we we are in a in a place at this current moment in our world where people have forgotten how to be civil on a big worldwide scale, and they don't know about getting the oatmeal for grandma off the top shelf. In using that as a metaphor for many things. So, good good words for you, my friend. Yeah. It's a good stuff. So, Gabby, here you are, bright, happy, Tell us what Joe's words mean to you at your age and at your point in life, if you will. Yeah. I mean, I think I I really like that point just because I think, you know, it's kind of like the same thing for me in a sense where you know, I feel like when I was younger and like all through growing up, everybody was like, oh, Gabby, like, you're you're so smart. Like, you're so intelligent. I know, when I was in school, I was in the gifted and talented program, and school always came, you know, relatively easy to me. Compared to some of my other peers who maybe studied harder or had to put in a little more effort to get the grades that I got. And I never really understood it because I never felt smarter than anybody. I never felt any different from anybody else. To me, it was just like, okay. Well, like, I I just understand this. Like, this just makes sense to me in my brain. And so by you kind of saying that, that is just something that I think resonates with me because I think you know, it just goes down to everybody having their own strengths and their own weaknesses and that That just comes with everybody. For me, I was a really good test taker, and that was just one of my strengths that, you know, maybe my friend wasn't quite as good of a test taker. So she had to work a little harder at studying. But at the end of the day, she also had a lot of strengths that I didn't necessarily. You know, I wasn't I maybe wasn't as good at, you know, public speaking or whatever the case may be. That she really was good at, that did come naturally for her, and that was very automatic for her. And so I think, you know, from your mindset of that bed of nails. It really is so true because it doesn't matter, you know, where you are in life or what your position is because everybody has that ability to grow and hold the power to make a difference and make a change based on you know, those strengths and those weaknesses that each person has because not every person is built the exact same and that's That's the whole point. That's that's what makes, you know, the world work. That's what makes relationships work. That's what makes other things work. You know, if you were Exactly the same as everybody else, then, like, what where is the fun in that? You know, we there's when do you get to learn something new? When do you get to see a different perspective? You don't because everybody's exactly the same. So everybody thinks the same. Does the same like same things. So I I really like your your kind of perspective on that and your mindset on that of, you know, it not necessarily being I have power that maybe other people don't have. It's more of everybody has the power. It's just are they using it? Are they are they, you know, making use of the power that they have? And are they aware that they have that power. Are they, you know, has somebody built them up or have they, you know, been in a situation in life where maybe someone was focusing more on their weaknesses than on their strengths and wasn't building them to a place of confidence where they really felt like they could they could use their power and they could use their strengths and be, you know, this person that is strong and confident and knows, you know, what they're doing and has found a place where they feel whole and found, you know, whether it's a company or a family or, you know, whatever your situation may be I I think that's really powerful and I really like that, that analogy that you use because as far as a bed of nails go, I really think that that should be the attitude of everyone because I don't think, you know, at the end of the day, titles are they can be useful when it comes to organization and structure. But at the end of the day, that's that's really all they are. Everybody everybody should be on the same team. You're all working for the same company. You're all striving to achieve the same goals. So why does it have to be hierarchical when you can say Hey, you know what? Like, this is my job from day to day. This is your job from day to day. If neither of us do our jobs, we're not achieving our goals. This is not me being better than you because my job is to make sure all the accounts are correct where your job is to be on the field as a technician. That's if you don't do your job, I don't have a job to do. You gotta have both. You gotta have both. Yeah. Exactly. So I think I'm sorry, Gav. I thought you were done. No. You're fine. I was just gonna say I was gonna wrap it up and say that's I think that's a really powerful, powerful statement. You know, the other thing is, Joe, when when you were talking about, I kept living back into my brain of remembering This is something my wife and I practice so hot. There this is not dress rehearsal. This is all we've got. We we're going to get it through live. One time, this is it. Don't save your uniform for the game day because this is game day. And Yeah. Our our motto here at the house is practicing your uniform because don't save your Sunday shoes wear them. Enjoy them. Don't save the silverware. Get it out from under the bed and serve people with it. You know, it's just that I don't know. I think, you and I are not that far apart in age, and I think a lot of what we saw growing up was people saving up for whatever was next, and there is no next. I mean, this is it. What what you get to do tomorrow is what you get. You don't get to go back and, you know, like, do a redo. So Right. You know? Right. The metaphorical holding the door open for somebody and making them smile is available for all of us every day. So Right. I love that. Yeah. Good stuff. I'll leave it with two things, you know, maybe. And, I'm actually not coached, girls. Softball, many of them went on to play division one, two, or three, college softball in pursuit of their education and their dreams. I I say parents, even, it's a different way to think. I think people I would encourage everybody to praise the process and not the result. Okay. So let's let's say that you're a parent. You have two children. One is unbelievably talented academically, and one is unbelievably talented artistically. The academic one gets A's, and they get a pause because they got a A. The artistic child tries super hard studies Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday takes a test on Friday, gotta be. You see where I'm going? If you praise the results, you've just taken the wind out of the sale of the artistic child. Who didn't get an a, but that child worked their tail off all week and gotta be. So here's the message at work. Yes, it's results oriented. I get There's no question. For everybody, sometimes look at what the effort and what somebody's doing. Praise process, not result. Okay. And and find the balance on how to do that in business. Okay? Cause there is a way to find that balance. There there really is, okay, to, to, to do that. But that's something I think I see a lot of people make a lot of mistakes with. Okay. And and and and you you you you you you you you you you should always endeavor on on on on on how to put wind into sales. And think about it the other way and not always think about that result. Parents, everybody, educators, business leaders all wanna jump to that result and that but but take a moment to to to praise that process. And you might find opportunity to improve the process. Okay? Or what have you to tweak it so the result becomes a little bit better. But start there and and stop looking at that end thing. Second, you know, I think, again, remember I said everybody is a leader, and it's not a title thing. I wanna leave you with this, man. This is coming from a hockey player, Italian, New Yorker. Now when you put all three of those together, do you think I got a small temper or a big one? Yeah. I worked on it over years about like this now. No. Just kidding. Absorb heat and radiate light. Okay. Great leaders. And and again, you don't have to be a title to have this. But great leaders absorb heat and radiate light. Okay. And, and I think that's important whether you're a mom or you're a dad, a guidance counselor, a teacher, a business leader, a team leader, a boy scout, girl scout troop leader. I don't care. Absorb heat to radiate light. You have that. Yeah. You have that. You have that, you know, you know, capability to to, you know, to to do that. And and I think that's important. You know, and and again, you don't You don't have to get to a certain place or age or title to do these things. These things are are are really kind of important no matter where and what you're doing and no matter where or what, whether it's personal or not. Okay. And by the way, just to leave you with this, I'm not that smart but I remember Pain incredibly well. And, as Greg opened the show with a lot of what I talked about has been learned because I hit my head. Very hard, most all of those things. And I can see the results of when you do absorb heat radiate. Like, when you do operate as a beta mouse, when you are humble, when you are curious, you know, Those are all things I think that are important. And I'll leave you with one last thing as a metaphor. And I think this is incredibly important. It could be applied into politics, what's happening all over the world, what's happening in your family, what's happening with your favorite sports team. Here it is. And I'm gonna use a Joe thing because you guys figured out I gotta speak in simple terms to get it in my own head. So think of a football game, whether it's, the United States football or, soccer, or baseball, or hockey. There are twenty eight thousand people going to the game. Some people sit at the fifty yard line. Ten rows up. Some people sit into nosebleeds in the corner. Some people are row one in the end zone. Looking at it at the field this way. There are fifteen people at the game. There are fifteen different vantage points. At the end of the game, If I ask the person that's sitting row one in the end zone looking a hundred yards down, what happened? That person's gonna tell me exactly what they saw on that play. It's gonna be incredibly detailed. It's gonna be nothing like the person who sat at the fifty yard line who could see the whole play develop. So here's the whole thought on behind this statement. Okay? Look. You could be the CEO. You could be the janitor sweeping the floor. You all are playing the same game, but you all are looking at it from a completely different vantage point. You neither you have to either, understand your company's value, moral ethics, goals, and missions, And if you like all that, then trust in your leadership when sometimes they're making decisions that you go, what I can't believe they did that. Well, that might be because they're sitting at a point when they're seeing five other things that your vantage point doesn't allow you to see. So I don't leave you with this because this is how you have a have you can have good positive attitudes. You can start to think about things in a bigger picture, not just your myopic view. Other people are looking at it too, and you're not We're all the better now. So, like, understand that there are different vantage points going on, and you may not understand that other person's vantage point. You could think about how that might take be taking place in the in across the world, across countries and all this other stuff. Once again, It causes you to take a step back and maybe have a more well rounded perspective and thought process. That jump into. I can't believe they did that what idiots. No. I I I love that. I completely agree. With that, you know, that viewpoint, I think it really is. Sometimes it really does come down to perspective and you know, maybe putting yourself in someone else's shoes and saying, you know, I don't know. I see them for this portion of my day. I know this much about them. I don't know what happens, you know, when they leave the office, you know. I don't know where who they're running home to or Right. What what they have going on outside. You know, maybe maybe they've got some family stuff going on. Maybe they're really busy because they're taking classes to, you know, further their knowledge and their education and something that they they were really interested in their whole lives. So I really I love your your take on on that side as well. It really does come down to vantage points sometimes and their own experiences and how they view situations that are occurring. Right. Totally agree, Joe. I I think about that. Because I I'll work for a guy. Our CEO is is a smart, smart, smart guy. Runs, you know, two billion dollar organization. And sometimes you look at things and go, I wonder why he did that or why he said that. But then I'll always come back and remember he's got access to a whole lot more information than I do. Right. So I to your point, you trust in the mission, you trust in the leadership, you trust him. I do. And because he's got a better vision of the field, in your knowledge. That was awesome. That's that's perfect. That's a good way to end this thing, I guess. Because Yeah. What what I hope people have, been able to learn from this is, a, that Joe is a deep thinker, a critical thinker, and I really do appreciate your thoughts and and how you relay normal life and and put it into terms that I can understand. Hopefully others do. I'm a pretty good you know, I I I love to learn. So I I learn I love to learn things like this that help me look at things differently. So thank you for that. And Really, just again wanted to tell you thank you for coming on. I know you're a busy man. I can't we're gonna have to do this again because we could probably have four or five episodes and and not get through all my questions for you. But Yeah. I'd be happy to do it. It was a lot of fun. Really appreciate you, Greg, you you know, I think you're an influence and inspiration to our industry. I can see the work that you're doing. In the number of ways across the number of, of layers and and levels from somebody who just learning how to organize a toolbox in order to put all the way to a very, very seasoned business executives trying to build a service business all the way up into. So, you know, you've been an incredible coach, mentor for our many people, from technicians to executive management. You continue to be a bright light. And, I'm proud really, and and honored to be your friend and be part of it, in my small way. Man. We make soup, but nobody makes soup with one ingredient. That's just chicken broth. That's right. You know, takes a lot of us. Well, I appreciate I appreciate that. And and it obviously is mutual. Love love what you're doing. So Well, Gabby, I guess that's a wrap. I I I feel like we could go on forever, but, everybody's got our other stuff to do, our get back to our six KW rack in the back of a retail shop. So And if you and it begins, I need to go. Yeah. Well, enjoy, buddy. Alright. Thank you. Bye. Uh-huh. Bye bye. Well, thank you, Joe. And as for everyone else, Thank you for joining us for another episode of straight out of Crumpton. For more episodes like this, don't forget to subscribe through Apple or Spotify podcasts and check out greg crumpton dot com for all of your Greg crumpton content.