If you are old enough or read about how much training and development the average worker did 20 to 30 years ago, you would know that many companies, factories and small businesses did very little. It was not a priority, and it wasn’t even on anyone to do list. Why would they? The work of developing, producing, marketing and then servicing a product was sort of automatic. It was like a cruise control. Set it where you wanted it, and sit back and it will take care of itself. So why bother training? It's good enough. Right?
Fast Forward to today and if your thinking is still the same, you have either been isolated from today’s realities, or you don’t feel the need to succeed. No job or career nowadays is guaranteed or a given. Everyone is effected by the new normal. With volatile markets, offshoring, labor shortages and a host of other economic variables, companies and businesses can have feast or famine. It can be today and be gone tomorrow.
What’s this all mean to you? It doesn’t matter if you’re a (these job descriptions are customizable to the reading audience) shift supervisor, diesel mechanic, backhoe operator or fleet salesman. The “New Economy” has impacted blue collar, trades, manufacturing, government jobs, just to name a few. If you’re working now, you’re probably have had stress about job security. Even if you have 25 years of service, you know that doesn’t guarantee you will see your 26th year. You may have already been downsized, laid off, had a cut in pay and or benefits. You may have seen your job go to offshore.
If we know there is a problem, then what is the solution? Let’s use an example of a CEO of a company. Why? Have you ever seen a CEO get fired, or the company is sold out and that CEO is out of work? I’m sure you have. Then you probably seen shortly after that that same CEO, somewhere in the news or another source, that Company X hired them. If you are like me you ask, “How does that happen? That CEO wasn’t out of a job that long”.
I’m thinking we can take a lesson here from this. The main reason that most CEO’s don’t have trouble getting a position is a simple answer. It can be summed up in one word. Value. The reason that CEO’s can get a new position quickly is they provide so much value to the company. that they can be attractive in the marketplace. Or if they are already working, they are reasonably feel secure at their position because they can provide the company that much value they can be rewarded with a great salary as well.
The lesson can be applied just as easy on the other end of the job spectrum. Even production, laborers, entry level, part time, second shift or whatever, the same strategies that top level people use can be applied anywhere. When someone increases their value, to the company, to the marketplace, they are increasing their chances of a more secure job, career advancement, better pay and better work within the company.
When it comes to wages, most people think of it as this way. “The company pays me $18.50 hour”. I want you to think a little differently. Think how the CEO is thinking. They ask this question every day. “What value do I bring to the company for that hour?” But you may ask what is the “value” that they bring? What is it they actually do? Before we look at that, it does us well to note what successful people like CEO’s do when they are not on their job. They read. On average, CEO’s read 50 or books per year. They network with other successful people. They have other people coach and mentor them. They don’t watch as much TV as the average person does. They take classes. They develop new skills and work to get better at the skills they know they are weak on. Everyone is busy and tell themselves they don't have the time to learn. But a CEO has the discipline to make the time.
So now let’s talk value. Their value to a company can be several skills. Leadership is one main value that truly important to any organization. A great CEO can develop people. They don’t manage, they le. They lead individual people so they can grow themselves. They communicate effectively with many different personalities. Even they may not do sales directly as a part of their work, they still develop sales techniques that will pay off when pitching to other companies or vendors for business that would help income for the company.
We as employees can learn from successful people like CEO’s. I know adding more training and adding more skills to what you already do can seem like more work. It is, however it almost always pays dividends down the road. Can you recognize what skills would add value to your company or organization? If you knew some proven sales techniques, even though your job doesn’t normally involve selling, could you interact with customers in some way that they would consider you a reason for buying? Maybe you work in a service department. If the customer knows you and your department and feels strongly that you communicate well, offer top level service, so when they need service after the sale, this will be the only place to buy. It made the sale. How much value is that for a company? It is a big value!
We know there is very few guarantees in life, and certainly there is no absolute guarantees with careers and jobs. But by improving our personal skills that create and bring value to our employer and company, it most certainly will pay off. You will discover that bringing value will greatly improve your job security and improve your income.
Fast Forward to today and if your thinking is still the same, you have either been isolated from today’s realities, or you don’t feel the need to succeed. No job or career nowadays is guaranteed or a given. Everyone is effected by the new normal. With volatile markets, offshoring, labor shortages and a host of other economic variables, companies and businesses can have feast or famine. It can be today and be gone tomorrow.
What’s this all mean to you? It doesn’t matter if you’re a (these job descriptions are customizable to the reading audience) shift supervisor, diesel mechanic, backhoe operator or fleet salesman. The “New Economy” has impacted blue collar, trades, manufacturing, government jobs, just to name a few. If you’re working now, you’re probably have had stress about job security. Even if you have 25 years of service, you know that doesn’t guarantee you will see your 26th year. You may have already been downsized, laid off, had a cut in pay and or benefits. You may have seen your job go to offshore.
If we know there is a problem, then what is the solution? Let’s use an example of a CEO of a company. Why? Have you ever seen a CEO get fired, or the company is sold out and that CEO is out of work? I’m sure you have. Then you probably seen shortly after that that same CEO, somewhere in the news or another source, that Company X hired them. If you are like me you ask, “How does that happen? That CEO wasn’t out of a job that long”.
I’m thinking we can take a lesson here from this. The main reason that most CEO’s don’t have trouble getting a position is a simple answer. It can be summed up in one word. Value. The reason that CEO’s can get a new position quickly is they provide so much value to the company. that they can be attractive in the marketplace. Or if they are already working, they are reasonably feel secure at their position because they can provide the company that much value they can be rewarded with a great salary as well.
The lesson can be applied just as easy on the other end of the job spectrum. Even production, laborers, entry level, part time, second shift or whatever, the same strategies that top level people use can be applied anywhere. When someone increases their value, to the company, to the marketplace, they are increasing their chances of a more secure job, career advancement, better pay and better work within the company.
When it comes to wages, most people think of it as this way. “The company pays me $18.50 hour”. I want you to think a little differently. Think how the CEO is thinking. They ask this question every day. “What value do I bring to the company for that hour?” But you may ask what is the “value” that they bring? What is it they actually do? Before we look at that, it does us well to note what successful people like CEO’s do when they are not on their job. They read. On average, CEO’s read 50 or books per year. They network with other successful people. They have other people coach and mentor them. They don’t watch as much TV as the average person does. They take classes. They develop new skills and work to get better at the skills they know they are weak on. Everyone is busy and tell themselves they don't have the time to learn. But a CEO has the discipline to make the time.
So now let’s talk value. Their value to a company can be several skills. Leadership is one main value that truly important to any organization. A great CEO can develop people. They don’t manage, they le. They lead individual people so they can grow themselves. They communicate effectively with many different personalities. Even they may not do sales directly as a part of their work, they still develop sales techniques that will pay off when pitching to other companies or vendors for business that would help income for the company.
We as employees can learn from successful people like CEO’s. I know adding more training and adding more skills to what you already do can seem like more work. It is, however it almost always pays dividends down the road. Can you recognize what skills would add value to your company or organization? If you knew some proven sales techniques, even though your job doesn’t normally involve selling, could you interact with customers in some way that they would consider you a reason for buying? Maybe you work in a service department. If the customer knows you and your department and feels strongly that you communicate well, offer top level service, so when they need service after the sale, this will be the only place to buy. It made the sale. How much value is that for a company? It is a big value!
We know there is very few guarantees in life, and certainly there is no absolute guarantees with careers and jobs. But by improving our personal skills that create and bring value to our employer and company, it most certainly will pay off. You will discover that bringing value will greatly improve your job security and improve your income.
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