On the surface this one initially ain't what it may appear. It has to do with where one is mentally versus physically. In today's world it's getting harder to escape mentally as well as physically. Let me try to sort this out.
When a person is at work their mind should be there and not wandering to fishing, hunting, BBQing or whatever. Conversely, when one is at home with the family or on vacation that is where the mind should be...enjoying where one is physically rather than thinking about work and it's problems. I know when I used to take leave in the military it would take a couple of days to be mentally wherever we were physically on vacation which was usually on the beach.
I'm sort of glad I'm not working now with all the communication equipment capable of keeping people in instant, continuously in
contact. When a person goes home from work they are continually being bombarded by emails and cell phones from work. I saw my son in law getting calls from his boss at 3 and 4 in the morning when he worked at the Chateau Elan.
I think this instant communications retards leadership development in subordinates because in days gone by if the boss was not available and a decision needed to be made a subordinate made it and if it was wrong it was later corrected. Today a subordinate always has instant contact with the boss to get his input on the decision.
Also, how many times have you seen two or more people together somewhere and rather than enjoying each other's company by talking and sharing ideas while they were there they were all texting somebody else. I even heard of one of the top basketball coaches in the country on a recruiting trip to a top prospect sitting down with the family at the kitchen table and the prospect was looking down at his cell phone and texting one of his buddies rather than listening to the coach who held his future in the palm of his hand.
So, my point was in the quote was when you are somewhere be there physically and mentally to enjoy the moment. Of course, I understand when something will have to take priority at times but those times should be few and far between. I personally don't answer a cell phone call while I'm on the line with someone else because I think it's rude to the person I'm talking with at the time to say in essence, "Look, I'm going to put you on hold while I talk to someone more important to me right now than you are."
In reality nothing is going to change because that is the way things are today. If you watch young people texting you will wonder if these kids can concentrate so hard on their communications, why are so many being drugged for ATHD?
Just thinkin'.
Dee
