Significance Isn’t Always Revealed!

Significance Isn’t Always Revealed!
- You make an impact -

There once was a boss and an employee. The employee was a wonderful technician at what he did. He worked in a grocery store and was in charge of the produce department. He knew how to order in order to reduce the amount of produce that had to be tossed if not sold. He knew how to make beautiful displays, but he lacked one skill and wasn’t interested in learning it. That skill was engaging customers as they would pass by.

Now the boss reminded the efficient employee that all grocery stores have wonderful displays and all grocery stores have great managers, but not all grocery stores work hard to reach out to customers. Week after week the boss reminded the employee to engage customers and week after week the employee decided not to participate. Until one day the boss called the employee to the office.

“Ya know, Sam,” the boss said, “you are a great manager. You have created efficiencies that other departments have implemented and I appreciate that. However, you disregard that fact that we engage customers here. It’s what sets us apart from the competition. Every grocery store has bananas but not every grocery store greets customers and treats them like guests. Your entire department has taken on your behavior and the produce department as a whole has the poorest ‘meet and greet’ ratio in the entire store.”

Sam was defensive and said he should be the exception because of his management skills. That didn’t work and after much time of the boss reminding Sam over and over the boss had enough: “Sam, I love ya and I’m going to miss ya. You are no longer an employee here and it breaks my heart.” Sam was irate and after working for the boss 12 years he let him have it, then got up from his seat and stormed out of the office.

Eight years had passed and the boss hadn’t heard from Sam. One day Sam showed up and asked to see the boss. He was invited to the boss’ office where he looked his old boss in the eyes and thanked him with sincere intentions. “I just came back to thank you for changing my life,” Sam said. “You see, my real passion wasn’t grocery, it’s bicycling. I’ve had a passion for bicycles all my life. When you let me go I began reflecting on my life. I decided to follow my dreams of owning a bike store. We moved to my wife’s hometown, which she had always wanted to return to, and we now have three stores in the metro area. I’ve never been happier and I want to thank you for setting me free.”

This is a true story and reminds me of a couple of things. For one, events that seem negative can actually have a very positive outcome. Second, even a termination can be done with respect.

Overall, the moral of this story is this: even though the news you may need to share may be perceived as negative, when you do the right thing the only eventual outcome can be positive. And most of the time you will never realize the positive impact you made. Now go out and do the right thing!

- Joe Kiedinger -

ACTION PLAN: What you allow you condone. Become a coach and help your associates get rid of bad habits in the work place. If you need help, call me!