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Warning: ”Some of my posts from here on in may disturb some viewers. Names of people and places have
been changed or omitted to protect their identity. There may be offensive language. Mild language is
acceptable and will be included in its entirety. There may be any or all of the following:
Broad generalisations.
Statements deemed ‘not politically correct’.
Brutal facts, home truths some viewers may not want to hear.
All views expressed in my posts are mine only and are not a reflection on any company or client past or
present that I am or will be affiliated with.
The ‘data’ here (insert opinions) has been accumulated over 3 decades of personal on site experience and
every story, scenario or recollection is true, not a ‘fictitious story’ to add value as has been suggested in
the past. Truth is stranger than fiction.
If you the reader are not willing to accept the above please abandon your desire to carry on reading. If
you decide to carry on reading and are then offended, tuff sh#t you were warned so do not come crying to
me after the fact. Regular readers, this warning shall remain at the start of all of my posts on this forum,
just skip it and hook in to main piece. PS I know it is the wrong ‘tuff’ that may happen too.
Cheers Hard Hat Mentor.”
Pull Ya Head in… by Hard Hat Mentor August 21st 2016
I am by nature a positive person, an optimist who will always look for the good in people and situations.
Not running around sprinkling fairy dust, yet rather facing a current reality and choosing to find what is
good about it or, failing that, at least searching for a possible lesson to take on board and to pass it
forward in the hope it may help others down the track.

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At the moment there are people all over the world sharing very similar circumstances, so I believe this
may be one of those opportunities. Time to pass it forward. Please do the same if you think it may help.
If you are on a remote site at the moment, firstly congratulations! As you areno doubt aware, there are
so very many brave souls trying desperately to ‘get back in.’ Trying new industries, trying well, any bloody
thing just to make ends meet. Good luck to all those good folk by the way. This too shall pass. Hang in
there.
Now the optimistic positive me is about to go a little negative here for a minute.
You knowwhat really grindsmy gears?
When you areon a site that is going through what many may be experiencing lately: Fear and doubt,
constant cut backs in budget and work force with a feeling of little or no security at all due to the nature
of the beast. At those critical times:
 There are those on site who are still bitchin’ and moanin’ about the same old crap they always
have. Spreading their negative toxicity all over the place. Not even bothering to realise that ‘the
times they are a changin.’ Safe in their own little world and carrying on about nothing important
as bloody usual.
 There are those on site who are still being just as lazy and still trying to get awaywith doing as
little as possible whilst everyone else carries their load.
 There are those on site who feel they are ‘owed’ something in this world and their job is one of
them.
 There are those on site who have no empathy for others who are scared about their future or for
those who have just been cut. As long as they are sweet they don’t give a flying f……
 There are those on site who don’t seem to carewhat their attitude, actions and behaviour is
doing for the already fragile morale and culture. What it is potentially doing to the productivity
and therefor the bottom line of company who may be hanging on by the skin of their teeth till
the market improves.
I could go on yet it does not sit well with me to writesuch negative fodder so I shall stop at those. No
doubt you could add more due to what you have witnessed onto this list.

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As I am a person who has empathy with everyone in this scary phase on our industry, including the
wankers listed above, may I offer one of my lessons learned over the years?
“Pull Ya Head in”
Somehow you have managed to survived this long, yet don’t be too sure that your site is not the next one
to face the hammer. When the leaders decide who to ‘cut,’ offer redundancy to or however it may be
structured, the negative, morale sucking, lazy, smart mouth people may (should) be at the top of their
list. I have seen it happen. Even to big kahunas who thought they were untouchable. People who they
thought were not as important or were not as smart were kept on as their attitude, work ethic and
integrity shone through when it counted the most. When it was needed the most.
Ok I feel better now that is off my chest.
When mentoring people in the past in these scenarios and asked, what should/can I do Drewie? My reply
was always, always,
‘Helpyour team to deal with this, support them, listen without agenda, stay focussed and continue to
work hard, try to help morale anyway you can.’
Naturally there were many other options to choose from, yet those words consistently seem to come out
first.
Of course we should always be doing this in a perfect world, not just when we want to keep a job.
It is easy to be the supportive morale boosting hard working legend when times are good and it is all
gravy. The true test of integrity is how we operate when it all turns to shit. Those are the people a smart
company will take notice of and hang on to if they can. Those arethe people who will leave a legacy that
no one will forget. It may take hard work, a real conscious effort, yet the added bonus will be this: When
you focus on other people’s needs and on the work in the tough times, it can be therapeutic for you too.
It helped me to get through some very daunting challenges. (Is helping me now)
So which one are you?
The wanker, who is an oxygen thief.
Or
The legend, who held their head high in the toughest of times and did all they could to help others do the
same.
To end on a positive note: Here is my fairy dust.
I have met so many legends like this in the hard times over the years. They taught me so very much about
who I was and who I wanted to be in the future. Yes the ‘others’ were there too, yet the legends can, if
they choose to, even help the ‘others’ to leave the dark side and join the light.

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Right now we need all the light givers we
can get.
Please join me to light up what may be an
otherwise dark time in our world if we
allow it.
If you would like some assistance on the light source, give me a buzz or drop me a line, it is pretty much
what I do. That is why I am a legend! (In my lunchbox)
Thanks as always for hangin’ with me till the end.
Cheers Drewie and Hard Hat Mentor
Stay safe, keep smilin’
Only use your power for good. :)