I wrote the blog post recently on our website (www.thedriller.com/blog) that spoke about thankfulness and how a thankful mindset supports an increased focus on safety. I want to expand on that here and take it in a slightly different direction.

It may sound hokey, but the mindset of thankfulness is key to being the kind of person that people want to know and work with. One important measure of thankfulness is the amount that a person gives back to their community, whether that is their industry, workplace, town or place of worship.

So, how much are you giving back?

During the last few months, like everyone else, you’ve probably had a long list of demands for your time, attention and resources. That applies regardless of whether you are the owner of a large contracting firm, or fresh out of high school or college and just starting at the jobsite. It’s okay. We all get busy during the holidays. But, the start of a new year is the perfect time to assess your place in your organization, your community, your workplace and your family.

If you’re a business owner, are you giving enough support to your new employees? Does that support include the tools they need to get the job done on your behalf, as well as the training they require to know how to use those tools?

If you are a veteran on the jobsite, do you take time to lend your expertise and advice to up-and-coming drillers? Do you have younger coworkers who could benefit from your mentorship?

If you call yourself part of this industry, or any industry for that matter, are you taking an active role in industry groups and associations? Last month was the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) annual convention and expo in Las Vegas. Did you go? Did you take part in the educational offerings there, or even teach one of the courses? That’s just one example. It doesn’t have to be NGWA. Lots of states and regions have their own professional groups, whether you work in groundwater or another aspect of the drilling industry like foundations, geothermal, mining, geotechnical, or even oil and gas. The point is, connecting with others in your industry and accepting their connections lifts the whole industry to a higher level.

In your local community, do you support causes that you are passionate about? The benefits here are intangible. But, if you give to local groups, like the Boy Scouts, civic groups or even your church, it raises the esteem for you and your business in the community in which you do business. That’s not a small thing. I find that when I give time, effort or money to causes that inspire me, that abundance comes back to me. It may not be immediately. It may not be next week, or next month. But it comes back, in unexpected ways.

Maybe, if you’re active in the Rotary Club or the Masonic Temple, you find that someone you meet during a fundraising drive needs the services of your contracting firm. Maybe, if you support another community group, just by chance you meet someone who can supply your business for a more competitive price then your current supplier. Maybe you simply give to your church scholarship fund, and just know that you have done a good turn for a teenager trying to make his mark in the world.

These are just some examples of how you can give back. Often, giving back is its own reward. You help someone out, either with your time as a mentor or with $20 because at that moment you had more cash than time, and you feel good. But, sometimes, giving back brings more than just the reward of satisfaction at having good karma. Sometimes, it’s also good for your career, good for your business and good for the industry.

What do you think? What is your approach giving back to the industry or to the community? Send an email to verduscoj@bnpmedia.com and share your story.

Stay safe out there, drillers.