Reflections ... Good Day & WHY Stump Speech

2026 is here. Outages are underway. New Superintendent Training (NST) is happening. Blueprints & Action Plans are being finalized.

NST: We have another good group of new superintendent candidates. They are engaged, focused, and learning what leadership means via the APM Way. I am enjoying my time with them this week.

NST also provides an opportunity to refresh a couple of tools in our Safety Keystone toolbox. These tools help us stay resilient through the years. We are playing an Infinite Game – our goal is to stay in the game, to keep playing – to empower the people who power life, who “keep the lights on”. 

1.  Day X aka “Good Day”

What does a good day look like for you? When you lay your head down on the pillow at night, can you rest knowing “I had a good day”? Many don’t know what a good day looks like. Use the attached guide and example to refresh your Good Day.

“I have two Day Xs. One when at home and one when on the road.”

One of our new superintendents was thoughtfully preparing his Day X and asked for more time, sharing this reflection. This caused me to pause. First, I am thankful our new superintendent had the confidence to STOP and ask for more time. Second, I respect the challenges our field teams have when working on the road, away from home. Thank YOU all for what you do.

2.  WHY Stump Speech

Why do you work safe? Can you share your WHY with meaning? Can you visualize your WHY with pictures? Use the attached guide and example to refresh your WHY Stump Speech.

“There are more important things than APM.”

At break one of our new superintendents approached me. We had just looked at a WHY picture board. A comment was made that we all have people and things we go home to at the end of the day or job – things we enjoy and people who depend on us to come home safe. Which is why we work safe when we work at APM. There are more important things and people than taking a risk to get the job done.

I encourage you to make time this next week to refresh your Good Day & your WHY Stump Speech. And I would enjoy reading about your Good Day & Your WHY if you share them with me.

- Jake