Work Ethic
“ Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” — Jerry Rice
My ethic of and for work started at a very early age.
It started when I collected newspapers from my neighbors. I bundled them in stacks of 25 pounds and stored them in my garage until we had a few hundred pounds. My father and I then took them to the junk dealer who paid us $1.00 per hundred pounds for them. I remember taking that cash and putting it in my bank.
When I was old enough, I then got a caddying permit at the local golf course. Every Saturday morning I was up early and at the course, looking for someone to caddy for. Sometimes I got no offers, but then I got a regular and would meet him each Saturday to caddy. Again, the money I get went straight into savings.
At 16, I could get working papers to work legally at companies for up to 40 hours per week. My first full-time job was as a clerk at my father’s architectural firm. There I marked up the prints with the corrections the checkers had made and made up packets to be sent to the clients, engineers, contractors and such. learned a lot about engineering and architecture and worked with some really good people.
The next year, I was supposed to go on the drafting board. But due to a business downturn, that didn’t happen. In fact, there was no job at all for me. But the head architect hooked me up with a construction company (Thomas Crimmins Contracting) and I got a job with them. I did bids and marked up plot plans and learned lots about the Civil Engineering business.
I worked with them throughout my college days during school breaks and summers. When they finally realized that I was studying Industrial rather than Civil Engineering, they suggested I move on. Even then, they helped me to secure an I.E. job with a company called Polychrome.
There I worked on improvement projects and got to apply my I.E. skills. After one year, it was time for graduation and I got my first full time employment with Air Products and Chemicals as a Cost Engineer. I learned much about the air separation and chemicals business. I worked with many senior people and absorbed all that they would teach me.
It was then on to Binney and Smith (Now Crayola Corporation) where I started as an Industrial Engineer. My learning continued, working with many veteran employees and learning about how the company became what it was.
During my days at Crayola, I held many different positions, actually 9 positions in 17 years). During that time I worked in Engineering, Operations, Quality and Research and Development. In each case I learned many new roles while worked with people from a variety of other functional areas.
While learning a lot, I also applied my learnings to help and grow the company. During my time, the revenues and profits increased by 700%. While it wasn’t due to my efforts alone, I played a part in some major programs. Whatever I did, it was to the best of my abilities and I loved the work and the company I did it for.
After Crayola, I got into the consulting world. In that role, I worked with 300+ companies. While not every project was a success, it wasn’t through a lack of trying. Some of my best efforts were with the most difficult clients. Not getting them to where I thought they could and should be was difficult for me. I took my work with them very seriously and treated their company as my own.
To not see them succeed was very personal and bothered me immensely. Fortunately, a large majority of the projects and companies I worked with were very successful and that more than made up for the few disappointments I had.
All in all, I have a very strong work ethic. I take pride in what I do, the accomplishments I made alone and collectively with others, and the feeling I have in helping people and organizations to succeed.
“I never feared about my skills because I put in the work. Work ethic eliminates fear. So if you put forth the work, what are you fearing? You know what you’re capable of doing and what you’re not.” — Michael Jordan
What I see in businesses today
Through working for and with businesses I have seen a variety of work ethics and efforts. Some people are extremely hard workers and give their all. Others will do the bare minimum or even less. Today, they are called “Quiet Quitters”. In my day, the term was “Slackers”.
In any event they are not the folks you depend on when things are tough or tight and you need something done correctly and somewhat quickly. It is unfortunate that such is the case, but that is just the way it is.
Fortunately, there are those with a good or great work ethic who you can rely on. You know who they are and unless there is a real problem you can count on them to get the job done. No excuses, just great effort and results.
What I see in colleges today
That brings me to what I am seeing in our schools of higher learning. I am associated with three of them, two which I graduated from and one for which I teach a Project Management course.
As in business, the work ethic in these colleges and universities is varied. You would think that those attending what are fairly high priced schools should be giving their all to learn and acquire skills in order to get a good or great job.
In certain cases that is so. In others, not so much. I have seen the not so much side and it bothers me. While the course I teach is open to both working people and full time students, the ones I have the most difficulty with are the full time students. They seem to want to be coddled and given every consideration imaginable.
They tend to require much attention and are poor communicators, They need to be regularly reminded to answer emails or to hand in work. Some over book classes and then request using the class recordings to follow along instead of attending the class itself. A few have dropped the class even though it is required. One has done it twice. They claim that they are overloaded with work.
I remember as an Engineering student taking 19 credits of rigorous technical work and never complaining about being overloaded. I just buckled down and did what was needed.
I was a mentor for a student who was seeking a summer job. After hooking her up with a company, I never heard from her again until a year later, when she was looking for another summer job. And while mentoring students on their senior project, I had to regularly remind them to check in with me and when they presented their work they never mentioned my assistance with them.
I certainly hope this is not the trend of who is entering the workforce. All of these young people are considered in the top of their class. If that is the case, I am concerned about those who are lower in the rankings.
Conclusions
Success is built on hard work, effort and ultimately accomplishment. At least that is how I was raised and what was and is ingrained in me. While I know that as individuals we are not all the same in ability, that does not mean that we cannot and should not give our best efforts at all times.
Even in “retirement” I have not stopped working. Since I left the company I helped to found, I have written and published two books, conducted 50+ podcasts with people all around the world, written numerous articles published in professional magazines, Medium and my own website, am teaching project Management twice a year, and am working with 3 schools on education boards and as a mentor.
My goal is to help as many people to succeed as I can. With that comes that they must put in the effort. I cannot make them successful, I can only help them to get there. They do not have to be the smartest, but, they do need to have the drive to work hard and get things done.
That is something I cannot control, but hopefully I can influence. In the mean time that does not stop me from being and doing the best that I can.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter H. Christian was a founding partner and president of espi, a business consulting firm in Northeastern PA. Previously he was an Executive at Crayola Corporation. He has worked with 300+ clients in business development, profit improvement, operations, IS selection and implementation, and Project Management. He has 40+ years of experience in strategic and facility planning, CI, lean, and supply chain. He has helped companies to realize millions of dollars in cost reductions and profit improvements adding and retaining thousands of jobs. He has authored the Amazon bestselling business books, “What About the Vermin Problem?” and “Influences and Influencers” (4 out of 4 star review on Online Bookclub) and is published in a variety of professional magazines.
