Leave the car at home. Your plate ends in "6"

Bags packed, ready to disappear for a couple of weeks to Puerto Vallarta. When the aircraft's wheels leave the ground, my body physically relaxes. I have official permission to let go. Nothing can be done except go with the flow.

It's 5:30 am, time to leave for the airport. Start the car, load my bags, check my license plate number. Today all plate numbers ending in "6" aren't allowed on the road. Pollution problems, Vancouver now alternates who gets to drive depending on your plate number.

My plate PAX 206. You're kidding me, right? I can't use my car today? A cold sweat begins to form. My choices are to call a cab or risk driving my own car, possibly get a huge fine and be taken of the road.

Somewhere there was an alarm ringing. An emergency. I turned off my iPhone wakeup alarm. I was dreaming. In my dream I confused Vancouver with Bogota.

Life is good, relax. It's Vancouver. We can drive any day of the week we like, any time of day, anywhere! I checked in early, my car was safe with the Park 'n Fly bandits who'd wash it for me by the time I returned.

Human rights atrocities in China? Financial corruption in Russia? Greek unemployment at 27%? Afghanistan bombing? I'm so grateful I live in Vancouver, all these other things don't mean much right now. I'm glad I can get to the airport and into the Mexican sun.

In the end, life happens at a human scale. Life is not global, it's local. My life is about as good as this moment. The same holds true for every person who works for you. They don't need policies or vision, they just want their daily lives to be meaningful, respectful and happy. 

Manage people at a human level, take care of the little things, keep relationships considerate and happy. It's not much more complicated than that.

Let's build great companies, one human at a time.
Wolfgang

p.s. Bogota, capital city of Colombia. Eight million people, 9,000 foot elevation, some similarity to Vancouver, just a few degrees warmer. New airport, but driving days are staggered depending on your license plate number. You can't just drive whenever you want.

p.s. I care about the world. But I can only care if my own life is in order. When the little things are not in place, the big things are out of reach.