Learning Goal #1 Improving Comunications, Report #2 - The Septic Tank Service Log Status

This series is intended to document my efforts towards one of my learning goals within the UWT CPM program.  Specifically my goal of positively and proactively addressing conflict by using crucial conversation skills.


When I received an email from my boss about the status of a service log of the septic systems maintained by our public works department, I felt myself going to silence or violence.  The email also raised the question as to whether the lack of this service log lead to a recent issue from one of our residents who had a septic system issue last week.  I unwittingly started with my story telling.


My initial thought was "I had asked C (not his real initial) to do this last summer and he never got it done.  And now look what happened, somebody's septic tank backed up, my boss is upset, and I'm going to be in trouble for not hounding him to get it done."  Boy, am I good at this victim/villain story thing!


So rethinking through the issue, I thought I should get some more facts to base my story on.  Armed with my crucial conversation skills, I set about to have one.  I tentatively shared my facts and story and then asked for C's story.


Turns out the septic system inspections were occurring regularly.  Annually for most units and roughly quarterly for high use systems.  The system that had failed was checked just last summer. 


When C responded to the work request this last week, it was apparent that the occupancy of the home had increased significantly beyond what the system would be capable of handling and this had likely caused the problem.


By having this conversation in a calm and straightforward manner, it helped to build trust and safety while bringing out the real issues. 


We discussed things we could do to move forward and one action that we agreed to was having C provide notes about the septic tanks as he inspects.  I can then update our inventory list with this information and it will allow us to document more completely the work that is being done.


At one point in the conversation, the topic shifted off of this particular subject.  It may have been an attempt to avoid issues by shifting to silence.  I made a point of building safety and then re-entering the conversation.  At that point we made the agreement of who will do what to bring the issue to resolution and were able to conclude the conversation in a positive manner.