Are You Giving The Best You Can?
Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Jul 31, 2013
I often seem to find myself talking to people who have lost their spirit, or never found the proper motivation, to give the best of themselves to the job they have. I see it in the body language of the people and I hear it in the words they use. And it's sad.
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I know that there are some jobs that are pretty lousy. I know there are some managers who are miserable to be around. Yet that's not always a valid excuse for the way some people work, or don't work. It's not a valid excuse to pass on to someone else's customers, who should also be your customers, that you don't care about them, the company or the kind of job you do.
I don't know where this story comes from, but there's the tale of a guy who was asked to build a house for a rich guy he'd done work for in the past. The guy's upset because he feels this guy's never treated him right so he does the worst job possible, cutting corners, lying to the guy about the quality, etc. When the home is completed, after the guy threw a coat of paint on it to make it look good, he brings the guy to see the house. The guy then tells him that the house is for him as a free gift for all that's been done for him over the years because he knew he couldn't think of another way to thank the guy. The guy feels horrible and knows that the house he built wasn't sufficient for anyone, let alone himself, but he's stuck with it.
Every day people blame their circumstances on someone else, and it may be possible that they're right to a degree. But none of it means one earns the right not to give everything they have, not to try to learn as much as possible, and not to give the best customer service experience when counted upon. Truth be told, some of the best opportunities have come from a positive customer experience, where the consumer sees something special in a person and wants them as their own employee.
Who wants to give an opportunity to someone who presents themselves as someone who doesn't care? It's like putting the move on someone else's romantic partner, having them decide to come your way, and later feeling as though you can't trust that person because if they did that to someone else who says they won't do it to you?
The question of the day is are you giving everything you can to the people who are paying you? If not, why are you still there? Think about that, and if your answer is because you don't know of anything else you can do, then find a way to improve your lot so you can leave. If your answer is that every other job would be the same then check your behavior because it's a loser's attitude.
Either improve or leave or improve and then leave; which of these seems like a more positive action to take? And who knows, your employer's attitude toward you might change for the better and you might actually enjoy what you do. What do you have to lose?
Very good article, Mitch. In itself, your action of writing a post on this subject is therapuetic. Find out what is making you dislike your job, break that task down to it;s componenets, and discover what it is that you don;t like about it. Pwrhasp it is time takenm, or reporting. Change something, take control, and you will be ready to put more control into your everyday – it results in more job satisfaction.
Thanks for your comment Michelle. True, if you’re dissatisfied with your lot in life taking some kind of action in changing things is much better than just sitting there taking it.
Love the parable Mitch; there is alot of truth in that story, and, although it is unlikely to happen in such an obvious fashion, I suspect in small ways we can all apply that to how we have behaved in the past. Having always been self-employed I have always had to motivate myself; otherwise I will not get paid ;). However, I remember at school being somewhat lazy, unmotivated, and criticising, or blaming others for my failures. I find it comes in cycles, some months I will be motivated, and some months I will not. I wish I had the recipe for unhindered enthusiasm, I suspect I’d be rich 😀
Richard, we all go through periods where it’s hard to get going on something. Yet, as you stated, when we work for ourselves we can’t afford to be going down the wrong road for too long a period. There’s this thing about self pride and self respect that should carry everyone to do their best, although I’ll acknowledge that there are those times when we’re stuck in something that we can’t get out of that bores us to tears. Luckily, those things always come to an end. 🙂