Labor Day
Labor Day is a reflective day for me; I think of many people. I consider their contributions to those in their workplace and community. My father is one of those people. He spent forty-two years as an animal health technician for the USDA. Half of that time was in Whatcom County, Washington. The other half was on the Big Island of Hawaii. My father "served the farmers," as he often said. He believed his job was to ensure his farmers could continue providing for themselves, their families, and their communities. If there was a single phrase I could use to describe how my Dad engaged his farmers, it would be "with dignity."
I think of my mother, who worked at the elementary school in Blaine, WA, helping children with neurological disabilities. Her patience, kindness, and gentle spirit were recognized by the families of those children. During my senior year of high school, I would visit my Mom as she ended her day and see the exhaustion in her face. A full day of creatively engaging children with challenges uses a lot of mental and physical fuel. If you asked my Mom how she felt about her job, she would have said, "I love it. I love them. I love all those children." Sometimes, exhaustion reminds you of your willingness to give everything to something you believe in.
I also think of the many people I worked with in the twenty-five years I spent in retail, twenty of those years working for Home Depot. I was a store manager in the last eight years of my career with Home Depot. I never considered myself a boss. Instead, I was a mentor, coach, and leader who had to be willing to do what I asked my employees to do. This didn't come naturally to me. I had many people along the way who taught me the right path to serving my people.
I learned much of my leadership style from a Home Depot store manager in the Portland, Oregon market. Her name is Suzanne. She told me a few things that left a mark when I worked for her as a department supervisor in the paint department in the early 2000s. The first thing she said that left an impression was, “Don’t ever be the reason one of your people goes home and has an argument with a loved one.” The second was, “Your company doesn’t own you. Your customer doesn’t own you, but your people need you. Don’t just give them the answers—show them what to do.” The last thing she said to me that left an impression was, "A dog shit in the lumber department. Can you either clean it up or find someone who can help? I'd do it myself, but it's going to make me vomit." I wanted to take that moment to ask Suzanne to "show me what to do," but I could tell dogshit really bothered her. That was not the time to use her teachings against her.
I am grateful for those who shaped my work ethic, leadership style, and skill in engaging others. Of all the competencies needed to survive in the working world, the art of listening and communicating with others is the most important. I hope you are heard and treated with dignity.
