It’s unseasonably warm in Oklahoma as Nic and Tarina record the episode. Tarina reports that Nic is trying to rebuild her computer. Evidently she has 32,800 high-definition photos and over 2000 videos on her computer—"which may be why it’s running a little slow.” (Nic uses the voice.)

Nic meets a guy who carries human tissue to the airport every day. When Nic asked, the guy said the heads go in smaller boxes—now he can’t sleep.

Shifting gears means the struggle we all experience when going through life transitions. Kids go through transition every six months or so. Parenting has its own transitions when the kids go from child to teenager.

Nic brings up how some parents don’t shift gears—they fight their kids’ battles. He shares the example of how a mom called an employer after her 21-year-old son got fired.

Transitions are hard. Nic and Tarina will be empty nesters soon, so they are preparing for how they will shift gears. They are having lots of honest conversations together and asking, “What does empty nesting look like?”

In the construction world, there are journeymen who become a foreman, but they never step up and actually lead. The new gear means what got you here won’t get you there. It’s a shift in mindset to being the best journeyman to being a great boss.

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

---

🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.

Nic starts of talking about parking problems at hotels (which he solved with style) and issues with his underwear. Tarina reflects on choosing to not fold Cruze’s left foot socks—this is why Nic only wants gray socks without L or R printed on the toes.

In this episode, Nic and Tarina discuss ways to make hard decisions easier. One step Nic mentions is to take the emotion out of the decisions. Time can sometimes be used to help take the emotion out of a decision. “You can’t take a year to do it, though.”

They also talk about what often stops people from making decisions. Nic often is brought in to be a neutral third party—which is another option for people who are stuck. Find someone who doesn’t have a “dog in the hunt” to help provide perspective.

As you will learn in this episode, hard decisions may never be not hard, but there are ways to make them a little less hard. It’s important to remember that sometimes the hard thing and the right thing are the same thing.

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

---

🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.

David Finley, the manager of the NECA chapter (National Electrical Contractors Association) in Oklahoma, joins Nic in the studio. David was the one who spurred Nic to launch his leadership training work.

After working in the sugar industry in Hawaii, David moved to Oklahoma. In 2010, he took over both the Kansas and Oklahoma SMACNA (Sheet Metal Air Conditioning Contractors National Association) chapters. Today he is the only chapter manager who oversees all the trades: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Sheet Metal Air Rail Transport (SMART), and United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UAPP).

From his perch David sees the differences in the various trades: the massive shortage in labor as well as a shortage of good leaders who can manage teams to get jobs done.

Together, Nic and David created the Oklahoma NECA Leadership Academy. They built a program for future leaders to see the value in assuming the role of a foreman or supervisor. In an environment where many say being a foreman or supervisor not worth the headache, Nic has identified how messaging the value of being a leader is the real opportunity.

One thing for contractors David advises: “Don’t get trapped in the old ways. There are so many opportunities out there that do not require a college degree.” He highlights how some of the big tech firms do not require a degree but today look for skills.

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

---

🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.