 I recently attended a Lynyrd Skynyrd and Tesla concert. I had never seen Tesla, and I was offered free tickets, that was an offer I could not refuse. I got to hang out with my wife and some friends and see one of my favorite 90’s bands for free. I like that deal. Tesla did not disappoint. The crowd at the show was a mix of bikers, old school rockers and your Silicon Valley crowd. Between sets, I went to the bathroom and it was all you would expect for a men’s bathroom at a rock concert, all the sights and smells that make you breath as shallow as possible and get in and out as quickly as you can.
On my way out of the bathroom, this tattooed, long-haired man walked in barefoot. I’ve been to a lot of shows, and seen a lot of things but barefoot in the bathroom was unusual. Now, I’m a barefoot person. I do not like wearing shoes, they come off as soon as I get home. It’s a good day when I don’t have to put any shoes on at all. I’ve been known to walk around grocery stores and hardware stores without shoes on. But walking into a bathroom at a show without shoes, that’s a whole different level. I walked over to Penny and our friends and said “a dude just walked in the bathroom without any shoes on.” I started in with the, “I’m a barefoot guy, but that’s a whole new level. I don’t think I could do that.” Now in my mind, I’m trying to give this guy the benefit of the doubt-he’s really high, drank too much, he left his shoes on the lawn and had to go to the bathroom etc. At that, the lady sitting next to Penny said “That’s my husband!!!” Instantly, I start running through my head-”what exactly did I just say, did I say something that’s going to get me in trouble?” And she grabs my hands, and says “oh, here he comes-you can tell him yourself.” And this guy walks up all barefoot and I’m now thinking… “oh dude, your wife is holding my hands and I’m talking about you walking into the bathroom barefoot… this could be trouble… what exactly did I say?” As his wife starts telling him what I had been saying, they both start laughing and he says “I’m a total germaphobe… that was the grossest thing I’ve ever done.” We were all cracking up. He tried to wash his feet in the bathroom with water to clean them off. I again told him that I’m a barefoot person, but that he took it to a whole new level. His wife kept saying (she had let go of my hands at this point), “he [me-Elliot Sands] was so respectful, he didn’t say anything mean at all.” And on a side note, he didn’t seem drunk or high at all so, it seems this was a sober decision :). Have you had that moment where you wonder how you’d respond, if in the moment you would treat somebody with respect? I was so happy that when I was talking about a total stranger to Penny and our friends, even then I spoke respectfully. I didn’t attack his character and even tried to think of what could have led to him being barefoot in the bathroom. Often our character is revealed in the moments where nobody is watching, nobody is listening, nobody is there to hold us accountable. I find in the moments where I don’t think anybody will find out or hear me, that’s where I’m building and revealing who I truly am. Then in the heat of the moment when people are watching, and I am being heard, it’s not a struggle, it’s just who I am-it’s my character. One more observation: what I think, eventually comes out of my mouth. If I am constantly critical of others, thinking the worst, looking for reasons to criticize them, then those are the types of words that come out of my mouth. But if I discipline my brain and catch myself when I’m thinking critically of others, and ask the question “what reason could there be for this behavior?” Is there a way to explain their words or action without calling out their character. Rather than “they're an idiot for being barefoot,” I can think “maybe they accidentally left their shoes on the lawn.” Give the person the benefit of the doubt-until they prove otherwise :). It is so easy to judge, look-down and generally think the worst of others. It’s a lot more challenging to catch that thinking and purposefully replace it with thoughts that benefit a person's character. I’m happy I got it right at the show, let’s hope I can replicate that the next time I’m challenged to think the best of somebody, even a complete stranger. I recently started a new position at Faith First. We're still getting things up and running but check out the website.
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 Elliot Sands is the co-founder of CirrusMD, a virtual healthcare platform that enables patients to connect with local doctors whenever they have a health issue without leaving their homes. A San Jose, California resident, Elliot Sands also served as the chief operating officer of The SHP Foundation, a charitable organization that builds affordable housing.
Although chief operating officers (COOs) and chief executive officers (CEOs) perform different responsibilities within organizations, the positions often confuse many people unfamiliar with the business world. The primary distinction between the two positions is that a CEO serves as a company's overall leader. CEOs determine the organization's vision, goals, policies, and future. CEOs become the final arbiters of all crucial choices made within a business, and they answer to a board of directors. A CEO may also select and train candidates for managerial roles, maintain order across all departments, and raise money to run the company. The COO position reduces the CEO's burden at major corporations. COOs report to the CEO and act as the second in command. As the CEO's right-hand person, COOs advise them on business operations and support their decision-making. They help develop a corporation's strategy and supervise the daily business operations, such as advising senior executives and helping to manage the workforce effectively. |
AuthorExecutive Director at Faith First and CirrusMD Co-Founder Elliot Sands. Archives
December 2023
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