In my family it is my role to take care of the basic health needs of our motor cars. I have a couple of modern cars which are beyond my skillset for more than basic maintenance and a couple of older cars with which I am happy to tackle most basic and intermediate tasks.
The ongoing challenge I face is not being aware of issues until I happen to get into a particular car and see a warning light or hear a strange noise. Upon enquiry I get the ‘…. Oh yes, I meant to tell you about that. Or yes… its be making that strange noise for a while now…’. I undoubtedly then give my standard moan, you have to tell me about these things when they happen, otherwise serious damage or expense may occur. Cars have warning lamps and systems for a reason!!!
My strategy in recent times has been to try and pre-empt these issues by doing a better job of regularly checking under the hood (or bonnet in my parlance). This way I can inspect pipes, hoses and wires and make sure that fluids are refreshed, and basic wellness maintained. Whilst doing this very activity over the weekend it struck me that this is a good metaphor for maintaining healthy relationships, a core focus of the Mandt System program.
In our relationships, we are likely to assume that everything going on under the hood is ok and we can just wait until a warning light comes on. Truth is sometimes regular inspection can help us see where things are getting worn or frayed and take action before a resulting breakdown. I will resist the temptation to parallel the danger signs from heat or noxious spells coming from the engine or rear of car, as that path will only lead me to bad double entendres.
Let’s get into the habit of regular relational checkups and tuning as needed, I know at what age a car generally achieves classic status, let’s try and get our relationships to the same point and then enjoy the appreciation that follows….
Simon Kemp – CEO
