Work Ethic 101: From Totin' to Pickin' to Choppin'

From about the third grade until the tenth grade, I always worked in the tomato fields and peach orchards during the summer. Daddy's brother, George, was a farmer.  When school was out, I would stay during the day with George and his wife, Opal, because both my parents had full-time jobs. I learned the value of hard work.  I started out as a "toter" (rhymes with motor). Thus I "toted" tomatoes and peaches making $2.00 a day. By saving the money I made, I was able to contribute to the purchase of my school clothes. Eventually I advanced to the status of a "picker" and this improved my wages to $1.00 per hour.  This all happened in the late 1950s to the mid 1960s. 

When school was out for Christmas holidays, I also worked. My cousin, Steve, and I raked and hauled pine needles to help cover strawberries. At Christmas time around my ninth grade year, I caught a break from working since I was starting to participate in basketball. But I continued working for Uncle George until the summer of my sophomore year when I got a job with Croft Construction Company. I was hired along with some of my school buddies to help with new road construction. My hourly wage increased to $1.25. Our first assignment was working on a spur connecting a new industry, Kelly Springfield Tires, to Loop 323 that circled Tyler, Texas, my hometown.

Our next road construction assignment was outside of Tyler, located in Frankston, Texas, which was approximately thirty miles from Tyler. Driving time one way was about forty-five minutes. It was hard work especially in the hot Texas sun; temperatures were in the mid to upper 90s on most days. We each were given an ax and our task was to follow behind a road maintainer, chopping roots and clearing debris that the maintainer had missed. We stacked it in large piles and then set it on fire. So starting to work at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. made for a long day. Also remember that our travel time added another hour and a half to our work days. I had no time for anything but work. But with four of us boys working together it was bearable. My good friend, Larry Tunnel, drove us in his 1939 gray Chevrolet sedan each day.  

However, here is where the story begins to change. Tommy Moore and I were taking a water break one day and we began to discuss quitting work. I remember it was an extremely hot day. We both decided to quit. As we finished work that day and were returning home, we told Larry not to pick us up the next morning. We instructed him to tell the boss the next day that we weren't coming back--we quit!

 I had a great excuse. My mother’s parents and her sister and family were down from Wisconsin on a visit and I had absolutely no time to spend with them. We got to see them only about once every two years. It was so exciting when they came. I was convinced that my mother would be proud of my decision since it would mean more time with the relatives. 

Well, was my mother pleased with my decision? No, she was not! She told me, "You do not quit a job until you finish your commitment." I thought she would be happy for me to spend time with my relatives, but Mother did not say much more to me that night nor the next day. I could tell she was not pleased; I could read her body language.

Later that afternoon, I called Tommy and told him that I was going back to work if they would take me back. He said, "Well, I'm not going back!" I said, “Tommy, it is easier to work in Frankston than it is to stay here!” I called Larry to pick me up the next day and I was going back if the boss would allow me to return. He did and I stayed with the job until I finished my obligation.

Mother’s message was always--finish your assignment or commitment. She was a hard worker and you could not stay around her long if you were lazy. Why, this woman's first job as a newlywed was to work construction. Growing up with German parents gave her a work ethic that was unmatched. She knew the value of hard work.

The lesson has gone with me throughout my life to this very day. "Always finish--finish always" was her silent but powerful message. I have tried to live by it all of my life but I regret that sometimes I have missed the mark.

 The work ethic of those in leadership contributes powerfully to the success of the organization. Their examples set the standard for everyone. Furthermore leaders need to make their last days of employment their best ones. 

Remember, I believe we are all leaders regardless of our position.