The Battle to End RFDM's

What are RFDM's you ask? A good friend (that I haven't spoken or received email from in months now) told me about these. Red Flags of Disorganization and Miscommunication. They happen to the best of people and businesses, church groups and organizations.

These usually appear at the most unwanted time such as the most busy point of an event. The flags represent where the weaknesses are in systems. Many people never even notice the flags. They continue day to day as if all is normal. As if by some strange reason, things should be done this way.

I seem to spot them a mile away and it challenges me to stay calm and slow to anger. Over and over I am tested in this. If there is one thing I have noticed in KC it is that people largely do things , whatever it is by the seat of their pants. The funny part is that they do it repeatedly this way. Instead of taking the time jot down a few key points to remember the next time the chore appears to make it go easier, they struggle through the same issues again, expending the same amount of energy to find the answer as it took the first time.

As much as I point fun at the military and some of their ridiculous systems, I will give them credit for a book most people in uniform are familiar with. A continuity book. The idea is that should a person suddenly fall off the face of the earth, another person could sit down in their sit, grab the continuity book and be able to do the job.

For everyone reading this, I present this challenge to you. Take a few moments each day over the next week to write some of the procedures you do day to day. My dad, who is probably sitting in his boat in Valdez right now is excluded, I don't want to hear about THAT :). Begin building your own Continuity book and join the battle to end RFDM's.