Missy and I have established a reputation as being the "go to" guards on problem gates. Give us the rankest, rudest land owner or company man and we'll find a way to get along. Unfortunately, sometimes the problem is with the guards. I have said repeatedly that your gate is for you to control. You have to modify the behavior of those you come in contact with so that things run in a smooth, safe manner. Obviously this is not as easy as it sounds because we continue to hear of problem guards/gates. Like a lot of things in life dealing with people in the conditions we do requires unique individuals. I believe this ability has to come naturally, but can be developed and honed over time. If it helps, you do not technically report to the company man, tool pusher or any authority on your job site. You do, however, have to keep them placated and deal with them in a professional manner. The same applies to the rest of the workforce you deal with. Once complaints get to the company man's level, your time on a gate can be very short. I rather not bore you with particulars, since this topic has been rehashed ad nauseam. However; you'd think simple things like grooming and being polite would be obvious. In this time of production slowdowns and layoffs, it behooves all of us to take personal inventory and see where we are lacking or can improve. Guard companies have always held the upper hand when it came to selecting guards - and even more so now.
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