At 6:45 pm, several of our neighbors, including us, lost the power on our 220 circuit. That’s the line that provides power to the heavy electricity users like your appliances and air conditioning.
It is hot in Texas (94 degrees yesterday). We managed for a few hours with extension cords and fans. At 3:00 am, however, all power was lost.
I went outside and spoke to the men working through the night to restore our power. Apparently, the crew that addressed this same problem over a year ago didn’t take the time to fix it correctly. Instead of replacing with new wire they spliced it. The patched solution didn’t hold up.
The guys last night said that the other crew (from a different company), “Didn’t take the time to do it right. We can’t say for sure when it will be fixed but it will be a few more hours. We will do it the right way.” I was even offered a glass of cold water from their cooler if I wanted one.
❓When have you been dealt a mess to clean up?
❓What problems have you had to negotiate that could have been prevented?
❓Who has shown you integrity when they could have ignored or buried the truth?
So grateful for the professionals from Standard Utility Construction, Inc. who were willing to work late at night and in the wee hours of the morning, in the dark, in a big hole in the ground to get our power restored the right way.
Thankful for flashlights that work, battery operated fans and our Gooloo battery.
Glad to have smart neighbors who figured out the problem and got us help.
I’m thankful for the offers from friends and family to come spend the night somewhere cool.
This was also the start to our anniversary. Thankfully, Gregg and I’ve endured and survived worse events in our marriage.
Winning with integrity isn’t always the quickest path, but dealing ethically results in durable solutions and builds your reputation as someone who can be trusted. In negotiations, leadership and life, winning with integrity gives you power.
