work'n'employment

Sunday the 7th I leave on a business trip to China until the 19th. The purpose is to determine at what point in the future will Nike's distribution partner in China (iDS) be unable to continue to meet volume and service demands. Secondarily, it is to verify that iDS will be able to meet Nike's needs for the 2008 Olympics. It's essentially an audit, and I'm going to delve into the hardware and software infrastructure.

I am anxious right now. I don't pack early. In fact, I haven't packed one thing yet. My wonderful wife is busy ironing my shirts and pants while chatting on the phone. I'll pack later tonight. Not exactly Practing Preparing, eh? I'm not anxious about packing or the meetings themselves, but just air and international travel in general. I know the facts about air safety, etc., but it's just one of those things that plops you out there, being less in control and feeling more vulnerable. I've spent some time this last week quieting my anxiety with more bible reading than normal, which isn't a whole lot anyway, but more than is usual for me. But also just sitting in some quiet moments, asking for God to grace me with calm and understanding, and another reminder that I'm really not all that in control anyway, business trip or not.

In some ways, I wish the trip had a more ... meaningful purpose. Something beyond work. I think about missions trips and whether they may be in our future. We talk about things like that from time-to-time, but, at least to me, the time doesn't seem quite right. I'm pretty sure He'll make me fully aware of when it is time. Practicing ...Waiting.

So, Nike has announced to employees today, Tuesday, 9/19 and to the public via a story in the Oregonian on Wednesday, that after just over 20 years of service, their west coast footwear distribution facility in Wilsonville will be closed. The strategy is to consolidate the two current facilities in Memphis and Wilsonville into a brand-new facility in Memphis. Both current facilities are aging and would require too much capital to justify. And, frankly, a distribution center in the northwest corner of the country is just not efficient. The decision was made by the board of directors on Sunday, 9/17. To announce such a change after two days of the vote by the board, and to give employees 2+ years to consider options and make decisions for their family's is almost unheard of these days in the cutthroat corporate world. But there's a lot of heart at Nike. I don't know if this factors into it, but a full ¼ of Nike employees with over 25 years of service work in the Wilsonville facility. It is Nike's most cost efficient operation.

For me, I don't know what this means. All current employees have a 100% guaranteed job in the new facility, but Memphis doesn't seem like the place to be for us. We're so very happy here. Michelle has hinted about living in the south before, but really, it's more of a longing to visit, but not to live.

If I stay with Nike and in the same position, I will have worked just about 14½ years in different jobs at the same place for the same company. That's quite a long time. I think my best option right now is to get a new job at Nike at the Beaverton WHQ location. I abhor the commute, but there's more options for mass transit at least...

I'm not sure what else to write about this. I am actually quite calm, knowing that God's looking after the whole thing and he has a plan for me and family. It will be a transition. I am actually thinking much more about the people who work directly for me in IT. There is going to be a host of emotions coming out over the next few weeks and I pray the Lord to give me the capacity to listen, understand, and empathize with my team as they need. This is a very difficult time to be a manager, and I need Strength, Guidance, and Wisdom to help me help them.

I'm at a work retreat for three days outside of Eagle Creek. This evening, we had a Values exercise where we grouped various "value" cards into groups ranging from Always to Seldom, in terms of how each of us feels how much we pay attention to each value in our daily/weekly life.

What I turned out to be amazed by, is that only one person of our team of seven (six direct reports of a single manager) did not put "Spiritual Growth" in their top 5 most valued group. I was floored. I had no idea that so many of these people I work with every day value their spiritual growth above almost everything else. Now, at least one person didn't necessarily think of God first, but more of their own inner spirit. But it was the first time I heard this group open talk about religion and higher power and a purpose beyond this life we lead on this planet right now.

Should I have been so surprised by this, really? Something inside says that it should have been rather clear. It's just that at work, it is not as obvious. But this is a cool revelation for me.