Stacking shelves and taking names
Over the last few week I have been initiating a strange conversation with some clients. As some may know, I run a small business consultancy that helps companies develop their people. Some of the areas we look at are proactivity, personal opportunity and taking responsibility among many other topics.
Each morning, I shower, shave and get dressed in decent looking clothes, for work. I don't often wear a suit as many of my clients are in manufacturing management and engineering so I am often conducting sessions at factories where suits are quite conspicuous by their rarity. Finland in general is quite relaxed when it comes to work attire anyway and I overdress.
A lot of our discussions go deep into their business and personal lives as we work through a whole assortment of influencing factors. They seem to listen, hold what I have in some regard, make changes and consistently improve in many ways. This is my job.
I say this, just so you have somewhat of a picture.
So, the discussion I have had lately looks at a strange human thinking anomoly I wanted to question a little more. I have only talked about it with long-term clients that are absolutely open with me and I know trust me enough to be honest. Brutally so at times.
Firstly, I asked them how the training is going and how they have found me as a consultant. Then, how useful and successful has the training been for achieving their goals and whether they have found it valuable. After that, whether the information and methods we have discussed have improved their quality of life and work.
With very little exception, it was overly positive with some adding that they didn't think that this kind of training would help them in any way but has effected aspects of their lives that they had never even considered could be influenced. Some mentioned they had spoken to their partners about our conversations and used lessons and approaches to help their children. One mentioned that after one particular conversation, he changed his approach to practicing his golf swing and credits me with improving his handicap. I don't play golf, never have.
Okay, I am not bragging at all. I have a job to do and I do it to the best of my ability and constantly look for ways to improve to do it better. The reason I set the conversation up in such a way is that this is how I wanted them thinking at the time. Positively about me.
After a minute or two discussing this, I asked: imagine tonight you are shopping with your partner at the local grocery store and as you moved down an isle, you noticed me wearing a store branded polo shirt, bent over a shelf stacking cans of tuna. What would you think?
Everyone of them paused and their face changed into a look of mild confusion with furrowed brows. So I prodded, would that change your impression of me as a trainer?
All said yes.
Why?, I asked.
A mash of the answers were along the lines of: It would make me question how professional you are, or how you manage your money, or whether the information you give leads to stacking shelves, or why would someone in your position and apparently doing okay is working in a shop, or why would I listen to business advice from a shelf stacker and, it would show you are unsuccessful.
Their positive view had shifted somewhat.
They were not cruel about it, they were honest. I would likely answer similarly if not having thought about it a little longer. We look down on some positions if we are above and we associate a position someonej holds with their ability, their intelligence or their value. Even just after praising me for my own worth to them, they judged me as less or at least questioned my abilities given this hypothetical situation.
I asked them to consider a few things. I said the average salary in Finland is 3200 euros (they are generally in the 4 -6000 category). Would you like a pay rise of 10 percent? Of course. What are your chances of asking your boss and getting the raise today? Not good in the current environment. So, 30 hours a month working 2 shifts per week stacking shelves would put about 450 euros in your hand. That is 5400 euros per year. The work is easy and gives plenty of time to think about whatever one wants to think about, including how to get ten percent more at work.
How would an extra 5000 euros look in your retirement fund each year. A holiday to Thailand with your partner? A deposit on an investment property every 4 years? Added to your stock portfolio? College fund for the kids?
And you question hypothetical me there in the polyester shirt stacking shelves?
Now what is the cost? 8 hours per week during a time you are probably watching TV?
No, it is not the only cost. What if a friend sees me or a colleague from my real job? How can I lower myself to do such work when I am so highly trained? It is the cost of reputation. The degradation of the self in our own eyes and the possible judgement and ridicule of others.
We are brainwashed to view the world in this way. To avoid work we see as beneath us even though it is necessary to be done. To not associate ourselves with circles perceived lower than our own. It is an informal caste system where the Brahmans do not tread the same ground as the Untouchables and definitely cannot do the same work.
We discussed this further and looked into how we often avoid work tasks that are not enjoyable but necessary, how we treat people within our companies differently depending on position and how we tie our self-worth to our own job title. I wanted to get them thinking a little wider, vary perspective and evaluate their own responses and judgements.
This was just a hypothetical question but got me thinking, How would 450 euros look per month in the cryptocurrency world? What is a likely return? Adding 450 a month and assuming a low-ball 5% (22.50 on 450) return per month and rolling over gain to the next, I think it works out to around 8400 (?) euros per year. Do you think you could do better in the market than 5 percent per month? With many of the traders here, I'd suggest probably.
That hypothetical job at the supermarket is not looking too bad to me.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
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Edit: By the way, I have worked in supermarkets, fast-food chains, cleaned, retail and several other areas. There is utmost respect for anyone who does what they do well. Whatever the job.