There aren’t many jobs less fun than slopping hogs. But it has to be done. If someone doesn’t slop the hogs, then calamity will strike: NO BACON. What could be worse than that?
My friend, Leon Drennan, grew up on a 160 acre Kentucky farm. They raised hogs, cattle, and a few small crops (including tobacco). Leon’s first job on the farm was hog slopping. One step up from hog slopping was feeding the calves. It was a big day when his father trusted him enough to move from the pig pen to the calf pen. He had earned that trust by doing a great job at slopping hogs. And that is the same way any of us get out of the pig pen—we earn our way out.
If you or someone you know is stuck in the pig pen, the way out is:
Quit complaining. Be grateful you have a job.
Be the best hog slopper on the farm. Be so good that they can’t help but notice.
Prepare for the calf pen. Learn as much as you can about the care and feeding of calves.
Volunteer to feed the calves when the regular calf-feeder is out sick.
When the opportunity comes, grab it.
Escaping the pig pen happens at the intersection of opportunity and preparation. When opportunity knocks, be prepared! Leon was ready to feed the calves when the opportunity came. Much later, he was ready to lead a major division of HCA when the opportunity came.
If you are a mediocre hog slopper, why should anyone give you a chance at something else?
Never forget: the most important job you’ll ever have is the job you have now.
[For more on this subject, order 16 Stones at 16stonesbook.com or online.]
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
Johnny Cash sang it. Edd Wheeler and Jed Peters wrote it. My dad lived it: “He rode easy in the saddle. He was tall and lean, and at first you’da thought nothing but a streak of mean could make a man look so down right strong, but one look in his eyes and you knowed you was wrong. He was a mountain of a man, and I want you to know, he could preach hot hell in freezin’ snow. He carried a Bible in a canvas sack and folks just called him The Reverend Mr. Black. He was poor as a beggar, but he rode like a king. Sometimes in the evening, I’d hear him sing: I gotta walk that lonesome valley. I got to walk it by myself. Oh nobody else can walk it for me. I got to walk it by myself.”
Every time I hear this song (on my iPod), I am reminded of my dad. He grew up on a Colorado ranch (“easy in the saddle”); he was 6’ 4” and at most 200# (“tall and lean”); intense—he really could preach “hot hell”; he was “poor as a beggar” (never owned anything except a single-wide used trailer); always had his bible with him (though not in a “canvas sack”). We never put down roots—his “lonesome valley” carried his family through AZ, CO, GA, KS, MO, NM and OK. He wasn’t called the Reverend Mr. Wells; it was either “preacher” or “Brother Wells.”
He has been in heaven for 25 years, succumbing to MS at age 74. They don’t need preachers up there, but I suspect he is on some street-paved-with-gold corner preaching anyway. There are a lot of people there because of him. I’m sure they are gathered around listening and shouting “amen!”
Today, the only preacher in the family is our sister’s husband, and yes, he can “preach hot hell in freezin’ snow” (which he has occasion to do in northern Ohio).
None of his three sons followed in his preacher footsteps, but we were all successful in large part because of what he taught us:
You are not entitled to anything; you will have to earn your way in life.
The best way to “earn” is by working hard and doing a great job.
Finish what you start. Quitting is not an option.
Marry well (which we all did).
And most importantly, Jesus loves you anyway. He knows you fully—the good, bad, and ugly—yet still loves you. Amazing, isn’t it?
So on this Father’s Day weekend, I am remembering and honoring my dad—the Reverend Mr. Wells. Thanks, dad, for teaching me what is really important in life. I’m looking forward to joining your street-corner crowd someday.
I would love to hear about your dad. Take a minute to send a comment. What was the #1 thing you learned from him?
© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
For the four sisters Sledge (Kim, Debbie, Joni and Kathy), it was true and their song reached #1 on the R&B charts in 1979 (I am humming it as I type): “Everyone can see we’re together…close …giving love as a family does…we are family….” I hope this describes your family in an unlimited and unconditional way. But for the organization you lead, “we are family” needs to be limited and conditional.
It is not unusual to hear someone say about their co-workers, “we are like a family.” Sometimes even the boss is included in the family group. When the meaning is we work together, care about each other, and feel like we “belong,” that’s good. But if it begins to mean that we have the same rights, privileges and protections as a family, then sooner or later, it will become a problem.
Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, created a lot of nationwide conversation when he made it clear to employees that, “We’re a team, not a family.” There are a lot of differences between teams and families. Participation on a team is conditional, based on one’s contribution to success. Membership in a family is unconditional and permanent, based on birthright. In families, we tend to encourage everyone to do their best. On teams, someone’s best may not be good enough no matter how hard he or she tries.
A leader who fosters a “family atmosphere” is creating expectations that cannot always be fulfilled. Teams improve by constantly upgrading their talent—replacing the quarterback or guitar player when necessary—no matter how hard they try or how “loved” they are. It is both awkward and difficult to replace the quarterback or guitar player if they have been told repeatedly, “you are family.”
The leader’s role is not that of surrogate father or mother of the employees. Coach? Yes. Encourager? Yes. Caring and concerned? Yes. Developer? Yes. Champion? Yes. But not as father or mother and not “no matter what.” For your team to win, you need someone who can actually play center field, not just do her best. So for the good of your team, shed the father or mother image and start leading.
Suspecting that some of you will disagree with me, please contribute to the conversation by posting your comments.
Please forward this to a friend who may be interested.
© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company.
My son-in-law, Sam, would love this job—crawling around in attics, old barns and junkyards—looking for…well…the kinds of things you find in attics, old barns and junkyards.
The stars are Mike and Frank; their vehicle is a white van labeled Antique Archaeology; their arena is the back roads of America; their passion is Americana artifacts and collectibles—things that are buried under piles of stuff, waiting to be discovered and put on display in one of their stores. For example, a battery-powered, guitar-playing, mechanical monkey in a country-western outfit was a “big find” on a recent show. One of their heroes is Hobo Jack, located in Litchfield, Illinois. He has acres of junk waiting to be discovered, but is not an easy mark; he drives a hard bargain.
Now, before you trash talk me too much, I want to say emphatically that I do not watch Duck Dynasty, so cut me some slack about this.
Wondering what this has to do with leadership?
Most every organization, large or small, has one or more people waiting to be discovered. They, for reasons now forgotten, are buried on a hallway the leader rarely visits, hidden in the last of a row of 20 cubicles, sitting near the back of a large-church worship center, or working in a field office that is on the other side of town. They are a bit dirty and dusty; maybe dinged up some. But they could be worth a lot if discovered and encouraged or trained or challenged.
As a leader, you have a lot to do. You can’t spend all day rummaging around in the attics of your organization, but you can spend a few hours every now and then. Decide now you will become a “picker,” looking for hidden value in your company, or church, or even your family. You may be surprised who you find—someone just waiting for a chance to shine again (or shine for the first time). Imagine the satisfaction you’ll feel as you’re driving home that day!
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
I love Pixar’s CARS, especially Mater (he could be from Oklahoma!). I also love Up, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story. And when watching them with my three buddies, I enjoy them even more (yesterday it was Epic).
All of these animated movies have one thing in common—John Lasseter. Never heard of him? He is Disney’s CCO: chief creative officer. It cost Disney $7.4B to get Lasseter; they could have had him for a lot less.
Lasseter started at Disney in the ‘70s, first at Disneyland, then as an animator, drawing cartoon figures for movies. In the early ‘80s, Lasseter became interested in computer animation, produced a test film, pitched it to Disney executives and was fired the same day—presumably because the “test film” was not authorized. It was a good thing for him; a bad move for Disney.
Lassetter went to work for Lucasfilm Computer Graphics, which was later acquired by Steve Jobs and renamed the Pixar Graphics Group. The rest is history. Pixar became the world’s number one animated film company, eclipsing
Disney with a string of hits, most of which were directed or produced by Lasseter.
More than 20 years after firing Lasseter, Disney got him back in 2006 by buying Pixar for $7.4B! Hmmm, if instead of firing him, they had kept him at a salary of $1M per year, they would have saved more than $7B (that’s a lot of zeros to the right of the 7).
Every organization, including yours, has the annoying guy or gal who is always coming up with new and crazy ideas. Kodak is in bankruptcy because they didn’t take advantage of that “new and crazy digital camera” that was actually invented by their own engineers. There was a time when computers were new and crazy. In 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” (I have four of them. How are the rest of you getting by sharing one?) Computer animation? Not at Disney, no way. That’s crazy.
The leadership lesson is that almost every new idea sounds “crazy” when first offered. Some actually are, but many are just ahead of their time. Don’t be too quick to fire the messenger and for sure don’t punish him for being creative and innovative. You may need to hire her back some day. Do you have $7.4B?
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
Jordan, Jason, Elijah, Ryan, Sara, Michelle … Congratulations! Some of you are off to college; some are headed for the world of work. Though it has been a long time, I remember the joy of finishing and starting: I finished HS and started college; I finished college and started a career. I wasn’t really prepared for either of those starts. Maybe these “old school” thoughts will help you get off to a better start than I did.
None of your college professors are going to care where you went to HS, or that you were an honor graduate. Get over it now.
Many of your college professors are not going to care if you study…do homework…turn in papers, etc. It is up to you to learn.
Free time in college will be a new and challenging experience for you. Don’t spend it like I did (playing poker and sleeping).
If you don’t know what you want to do after college, don’t sweat it. For crying out loud, you are 18 and have a long time to figure it out.
Your parents do not owe you a free-ride college education (nor does the government). If they do it for you, be very grateful and honor them with good grades. If they can’t, choose work over debt. A few years of work during college is a lot better than a lifetime of paying off debt.
A college diploma is no guarantee of a great job. If your degree is in the History of Pottery in SW Mexico, chances are you’ll be working behind a counter somewhere. 50% of recent college grads are in jobs that have nothing to do with their degree. “But I don’t love __________.” You won’t love living on $25K per year either (or not working at all).
For those of you exiting college for the biz world, your degree may get you an interview, but it won’t get you a job. Three suggestions for interviews are #1, ditch the metal, college look, etc. Companies are looking for adults. #2, companies don’t care what you want; companies only care what you can contribute. #3, learn as much as you can about the company before the interview and ask intelligent questions. (Oh, #4, leave your cell phone in the car.)
If you get the job, show up on time, work hard at getting results (as opposed to working hard to get tired), volunteer, respect the people you work for, don’t ask for a day off every week or so.
You will probably never have a job that you love 100%. Every job has stuff that is no fun and not in your sweet spot. Don’t change jobs every 6 months looking for perfection. You’ll never be a perfect employee; you’ll never find a perfect employer.
NO ONE owes you anything. You have to work for—earn—everything you get. Only God gives us what we don’t earn (grace). (Actually, you can become a ward of the government if you want to.)
You have 40-50 years of working ahead of you. That is plenty of time to build a career and a life. So if you don’t get off to a great start, don’t panic or despair. Learn from the experience, then move forward determined to get it right.
Finally, remember the words of Jesus: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?”
There are a lot of people pulling for you, including me. I love all of you. Go—with God’s help—make a great life for yourself!
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
…your people want a chance to lead too. They want to be led, but they also want to lead.
One of the challenges of leadership is knowing when to slide out of the driver’s seat and let someone else take the wheel. It’s risky: he could make a wrong turn; she could hit a pothole; they could collide with each other.
Remember what it was like when you let your 15-year-old drive for the first time? Did you toss him the keys and say, “Good luck,” or did you find a low-traffic straight road for her first driving experience? Eventually, he got to back out of the driveway and she got to experience the terror of an 18-wheeler roaring past at 75 mph. You were in the passenger seat for both occasions. The big day was when you handed over the keys and said, “Why don’t you drive yourself to school today?” If you got this far without a fender bender you were lucky. Later came the first road trip (spring break in FL?) and at some point it was, “It’s your car now.”
Of course, you could avoid all these risks by choosing to be your child’s chauffer for life. But do you really want your 30-year-old to be totally dependent on you? And do you really want your employees to be totally dependent on you? If you do, stay in the driver’s seat all the time. If you don’t, sooner or later, you are going to have to hand them the keys and say, “You drive today.” Will you have a fender bender or two? Probably. Do it anyway.
True North Leadership #1 was “It’s not about you.” #2 was “You can only lead people.” #3 was “People are different.” #4 was “People actually want you to lead them.” Finally, #5 is “They also want to lead.” Give them a chance. You can go a lot farther with more than one driver.
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
…people want to be led. They don’t want to be bossed…micromanaged…controlled…or bullied, but they want their leader to lead. No team wants to take the field without a coach; no actor wants to take the stage without a director; no business can survive without a leader. People do not want to be leaderless. Without a leader, people feel insecure. Without a leader, there is no one to set the pace and example. Without a leader, people are directionless.
Among my worst leadership moments was when one of my direct reports (a V.P.) looked me square in the eyes and said, “Lead me.” He was trying to give me a message: “I need more from you than I am getting.” Sadly, I missed it, didn’t change anything, and he continued frustrated and leaderless from his viewpoint.
True North Leadership #1 was “It’s not about you.” #2 was “You can only lead people.” And #3 was “People are different.”
#4 is: t
hose people you are leading actually want you to lead them. So don’t shrink back. Step it up and lead!
Not sure how? Ask your people what they really need from you—don’t assume you know. Learn from other leaders. Ask an experienced and effective leader to mentor you. Go to the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. Read Leadership Is An Art and Leadership Jazz by Max De Pree and a host of other books. (16 Stones has a recommended reading list. Check it out at 16stonesbook.com)
Every day is a good day to lead. You can do it. Your people need you to do it. So do it!
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
…people are different—so you can’t lead them all the same way..
It is not true that “treating everyone the same” is a successful leadership strategy. People are different—a lot different—and successful and effective leaders recognize this truth and lead accordingly.
For example, most everyone wants praise for good work, but not everyone wants it in public.
Some people bristle when told how to do something; others want a lot of input from the boss and feel abandoned if they don’t get it.
Some people are extroverts; some are introverts.
On the DISC scale, some are high Ds; some are high Cs. Don’t try leading them the same way!
Some are superstars, some are stars, and some are mere mortals who show up and do a good job in the back office, or media room, or nursery, or receiving dock. You can’t lead them all the same way.
The people you are trying to lead are different from you and from each other, so don’t lead them the way you like to be led, and don’t lead them as if they are all clones.
To lead your people effectively, you are going to have to know them. To know them, you are going to have to spend some time with them. And don’t—ever—say you don’t have time. True North Leadership #2 was: you can only lead people. If you don’t have time for people, how on earth can you expect to lead them?
Adapted from chapter 9 of 16 Stones, available in print at 16stonesbook.com, and in E-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
…you can only lead people.
You can’t lead machines; you operate them.
You can’t lead tractors; you drive them.
You can’t lead computers; you program them.
You can’t lead a vision; you cast it.
You can’t lead a strategy; you develop it.
You can’t lead a facility; you maintain it.
And so on….
You can only lead people. Only people can decide to willingly follow you. You can force people to follow you, but that’s not leading, it’s bossing.
Leading is always about people. So if you are going to lead, you better have passion for people. If you don’t, the people you are trying to lead will know it and will only follow you kicking and screaming because they have to. You will have to drive them and drag them. Chances are…you’ll be worn out before you get to the finish line.
Does your leading feel like hard work and drudgery? Maybe you are leading the wrong thing. Why don’t you try actually leading your people for a change?
True North Leadership #1 was: it’s not about you.
True North Leadership #2 is: you can only lead people.
Watch for #3 next week and ”raise the level of your leadership, one stone at a time.”
Adapted from chapter 2 of 16 Stones, available in print at 16stonesbook.com, and in E-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
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© Copyright 2013 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company
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