It’s been cold in New England over the last week. The kind of cold that makes your face hurt. Driving is particularly challenging not due to the road conditions, but due to frozen windshield wiper fluid lines. Every evening, upon arriving at home, I’d use a couple hand fulls of snow to wash off the windshield in preparation for the next morning’s commute.
Windshields have a remarkable history. In original Model-T’s, they were often the actual cause of deaths as passengers were ejected through them, glass puncturing and cutting them in the process.  Today, we don’t really think about our windshields much. They’re there. They block wind, rain, rocks, and other debris. Some even dim sunlight in inconvenient locations. They just work.
Until the time comes when the windshield can’t be cleaned. When the process of being able to clean your windshield fails, you suddenly have reduced visibility and clarity as you speed down the highway. It’s still doing its job, keeping your face from being pelted, but it’s also making your job more difficult: safely operating the car.
We all have people in our lives that act like windshields: employees, friends, family, co-workers. They help us do our job – but they need to be properly maintained! It’s the symbiotic relationships in life that offer some of the highest benefits. If, however, one side neglects to hold up their side of the bargain: both sides will fail to perform at their best.
Who are the people in your life that protect you safe from flying debris? What can you do to help them do their job more effectively? Ask them.
Keep your windshield clean and the road ahead will be noticeably easier to navigate.