Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:00:11 Well, good morning, everyone. Good morning. Welcome to episode two of coffee with Jim and James are good news is we haven't been canceled yet. So that's positive in this quarter. I hope quarantine last, treating everyone well. Uh, I don't know if I can speak for everyone, but personally I'm busy ever been before. Uh, I don't have a clue. I'm going to transition back to an office space, uh, with a normal distractions and social behavior that we're used to, but, uh, we'll figure it out. Uh, it's a good thing to be busy. I'm excited about today's guests. We are going to talk about really the way the pandemic has shaped. Some of the things we're doing in our businesses and really propelled us forward into the future. Um, sometimes we really need someone to force our hand a bit into that uncomfortable area so we can see where the magic happens.
Speaker 1 00:01:06 And I think that's some of what we're saying even today. So in an attempt, not to really feel the thunder or desks or anyone else, I'm going to go ahead and pivot to Jim and Jim, if you want to go ahead and do introductions, we'll get started. My pleasure. It is with my honor that I get to introduce Mr. Matt green vice president of technical services for clack spring NRI. Uh, I've known Matt just for a few years. Uh, what I normally look at my friends in the industry it's measured in decades. Uh, Matt and I met at a Christmas party, an NRI Christmas party two years ago at singer Island and, uh, have become friends since then. And we have a lot of mutual friends. So I know they're a company in their industry. Well, I have a lot of respect for them, a lot of things that there've been doing lately with the virtual world.
Speaker 1 00:01:54 So I was excited to have Matt on. So with that with no further, let me hand it over to Matt. I appreciate it guys. And thank you for having me. Uh, it's it's an honor to have been asked to participate. Um, we have been doing a lot of new things, a lot more virtual and remote based, uh, activities. Um, just, uh, you know, with everything that's happening, it's, it's really changing the way everyone kind of works, uh, on a business to business, uh, and even, you know, uh, straight to client relationships, um, everything is, is different than, than how it used to be. So, um, you know, happy to be here, to have a chance to talk about some of the things that we've been doing and some of the things we've been building and focusing on. Um, and the first one really is, uh, kind of on our safety moments, all of our meetings, kickoff moment, you know, it's, it's one of our core, uh, core focuses our core values at the company.
Speaker 1 00:02:48 Um, but one of the things that we've really been doing, especially within my group is kind of shifting what we would typically see within a safety moments to more, uh, of a, uh, emotional and personal, um, then more of, uh, like a job site, safety hazard type of activity. Um, you know, we're seeing a lot of difficulty, a lot of changes, a lot of big things happening in the world that have really changed the way we have to look at and address the things that we do. Um, and everyone's having a very difficult time, um, and the additional stress. Um, burnout's a real thing. All these other things can really take tolls on people emotionally and physically, as well as, you know, the, you know, higher stress leads to lower immunity. Um, people get sick and then that's one of the things we're trying to avoid with, with all these changes to start with.
Speaker 1 00:03:33 So, uh, within our teams, that's a good point, Matt. Um, I know Gemini w we kind of joke sometimes where, uh, each other's therapists at times, uh, during this, uh, and I feel like other people as well. Um, we, we really have to band together like never before, uh, and, and really focus in on those things, um, like emotional wellbeing. Uh, we just had a webinar a couple of weeks ago, really focused on, on some of that. And, um, it's very real, I think having that personal, missing that personal touch and then adding all those elements that we're all dealing with now that aren't our normal elements and variables has really, um, really affected a lot of people. So kudos on that.
Speaker 1 00:04:27 Yeah. So it's, uh, you know, it's, it's a big thing. We try to focus on it. Um, you know, people are what makes the world turn and we've got to take care of our people. So we really want to, to shift focus on, um, you know, obviously the other thing is, uh, kind of what we're doing now, more of the digital and remote type of communication activities, the way we get information out to the industry, you know, we, we can't, you know, go to trade shows right now. We can't have a lot of face-to-face client meetings. There's a lot of things that have changed and, you know, trying to catch up with how we can now address that it has been a big push and we've been doing a lot of things behind the scenes, you know, and as you mentioned, um, we've been doing a lot of what we're calling tech talks, uh, to really get information, um, to, to continue to educate the industry, which is, you know, one of my primary responsibilities, um, in my role is, is to educate, uh, on what we do and, you know, the solutions that we can provide.
Speaker 1 00:05:22 So setting those types of things have been key. Um, and, and we've had a very good reception for what we've done so far. Um, we've, we've kind of toyed with them in the past. We've given a few here and there, but, uh, just with the way everything has changed, you know, obviously people are more open to it, you know, they're, they're not getting to have those same types of events and having the ability to now kind of push it out to the industry has been big. And, you know, I think a lot of the things we're doing, um, you know, some of the things obviously we'll go back to normal, but a lot of them, I think we're building a new foundation for how we can work as we come out of this. And,
Speaker 2 00:05:58 And man, I got to join in on one of the tech talks and it was a great episode, uh, live interaction, able to type in questions. Uh, I learned something which, uh, these days it's really great to do it. And I will just say too, for the folks out there watching this, you might hear some of the connection pop in and out. And that's reality that we have this day, every day, we're on video conferences. You know, we have connections. People are all over the country from rural to inner city. And so, um, just one of the, you know, you know, point that out and that's, I guess, reality these days and it's okay.
Speaker 1 00:06:34 Um, I'm fully prepared for my dog to roll in here. She makes a guest appearance in pretty much every meeting that I have. So I'm waiting for that door to open. You hear a large Creek and she'll slide in and look out the windows
Speaker 2 00:06:49 I'm waiting, I'm waiting for the door to open to happen last night.
Speaker 1 00:06:53 No know, I think, uh, that's pretty well expected. And I think everyone has been experiencing that, which kind of adds a little bit of, uh, you know, lightness, uh, to, to how we're, how we're taking the things that we do every day, which, you know, kind of, kind of leads me into, you know, th the other thing I wanted to talk about was how working remotely and the activities we do, and the things that we, uh, have to accomplish within our jobs has really changed us. Uh, you know, I've kind of in preparation for this. I, I talked to a few of my colleagues, uh, both in my company and within other companies that, you know, I've kind of got that feedback from everyone is, you know, there's definitely a shift, definitely a change in attitude and how, how we all approach our day to day jobs.
Speaker 1 00:07:40 Um, one of the big ones was a comment, uh, that, you know, before coming home from work, you kind of shut that off and you put that wall up and okay. You know, work is work. Home is home. I'm not bringing it home. Well, now work is home for a lot of people. Um, you know, for the, honestly for the lucky people, a lot of people don't have that option, but, um, you know, it's, it's changed how they've, how they've done that. And they, you know, they've really kind of opened up that, uh, fact that, you know, now things that they might not discuss, you know, with their family now they're discussing, they're getting a different perspective on things and, you know, everyone has their opinions and it's easy to have your opinion if you're only seeing one, one section, but a lot of times that outside input can, can affect how you view things.
Speaker 1 00:08:23 Uh, so it's nice to have that perspective. Uh, and then I've talked to other people, um, you know, that worked for companies that were really have never embraced the, the remote or, you know, out of the office working and the, obviously that's having to change. And, um, the feedback I'm getting from them is, you know, their companies are now embracing it and, you know, finding, finding the value and the usefulness and, and finding new ways to do things that they probably wouldn't have looked for. So it was a lot of things, a lot of difficulty that we're facing right now. But I think a lot of this is a lot of, uh, that the industry and, you know, the individuals are doing. Um, and I think, you know, I'm optimistic that we'll come out with a lot more, um, better understanding of, of how we can do things and have, you know, more doors open to us.
Speaker 1 00:09:10 Uh, you said something about blurring that line. I think my wife thought I was lying about how many meetings I had every day. And now, now she's probably sitting 12 foot away from me here. And she's like, wow, you really do sit on meetings all day. Uh, who, who really does all the work. Um, but in the same regard, she'll come in and sit down in my office and we'll have conversations where I didn't have that opportunity, you know, when I was at work. And so it is blurred, but in a very positive and realistic way, I think that sustainable right. That we get, we get, we never really had that factor in before. And, uh, it's, it's definitely for good.
Speaker 2 00:09:55 Yeah. And I just want to jump in and say that, you know, echoing what both Matt and James was saying, that it we're learning, we're evolving, we're, we're changing. Sometimes change is very hard. Um, it can be, you know, easy for some and very hard for others. And this is a process. And I think Matt really hit on a couple of things that are very close to the EWN family, too, that, you know, take a look at your people, take a look at their mental health, take a look at their emotional health health, where PPE in the past was glasses, hard, hats, steel toes. Now we're looking at, are you stretching a couple of times a day? Are you going for a walk to clear the mind? Are you getting out of the house? If you can. Um, all those things really, you know, really pull into it. And, uh, so I think Matt really hit close to home. And again, the virtual world, which to me, literally three months ago, was a foreign world to me. And now it's become a daily occurrence. And my comfort level is to the point of faith. You want to do a video call, I'll call you right now. Boom. And, uh, I, I'm still a little, uh, uh, got some tech challenges, but, you know, that's, you know, that's where we are.
Speaker 1 00:11:06 Well, I don't want to beat a dead horse on that topic. I think we all all agree that a, this is unprecedented times and the value coming out of it is really exponential. Uh, Matt, are there any final thoughts before we sign off today? Yeah, I think, you know, kind of circling back to that point, um, just, you know, everyone's going through something different, uh, and it's, you know, it's, it's different for everyone, everyone's in a different situation. And I think, you know, overall, um, just in general, you know, trying to have more grace, more compassion, uh, you know, as we're all going through this together. Uh, and I think we're going to get it there.
Speaker 2 00:11:46 Final thought. We appreciate that. Let me wrap this up. It's been another great episode with coffee with Jim and James. We appreciate you listening, please like it. Please comment on it. Please share it. If you want to pass it onto your network, the more people that see it, if we could have one person learn one thing from the day and make themselves better, our time has been well invested. So with that, I want to say, sign off, thank you from the team here. And we appreciate you. Everybody stay safe, stay healthy, keep the positive attitude going and the lights at the end of the tunnel. And we will see you next week. Thank you everyone.
Speaker 3 00:12:26 <inaudible>.
