A Paying Job Makes It Professional

In our paying jobs, we all experience decisions by our employers that we don't always agree with.  No news flash there, right.

Whether we work for a restaurant, the government, a boutique, or a gargantuan Fortune 100 corporation - everyone sooner or later and more often than not - experiences the downsides of decisions made by bosses and corporate suits.  Sure, sometimes we benefit from the upside of good decisions.  But let's not kid ourselves.  The majority of the "siding" effect is down, not up. Que sera sera.

So we ask ourselves: what gives?  Why does the preponderance fall on the negative, not the positive.  Well, while I can't tell you the specifics, I can tell you the generalization: and that's that the bosses and suites aren't as smart as they think they are, and more often than not - make decisions based on their individual biases/paradigms/feelings, and not in the best interest of the company as a whole. In other words, they're human.   

That said, sometimes decisions - while painful to individuals - are what's best for the company.  Yes, when times are hard, reorganizations, recalibrations and yes, even layoffs and firings may be the only recourse from staving off the worst of the worst.  But outside of the drastic decisions, the others ones ... the ones that happen 90% of the time and are based on so-called "strategic reasonings" ... are made because of the mindset and thinking of individuals, not companies.  After all, companies don't have brains, people do; companies don't strategize, people do; companies don't choose to do this or that, people do.

You get the picture.          

That said, when we are impacted by suspect decisions (yes, we all will be impacted, at multiple times in our careers) - and our income relies on that job - we must accept it, and get back to work.

At the end of the day friends, it's pretty simple: if we are paid to do a job, that makes us a professional: be us a cook, painter, accountant, sales person, engineer, president, or a freak at the Carney.  If our employer pays us, and we have a paid job that gets paid - than we are professionals, and we need to act like ones.

That means we have jobs to do.  More so - we have families, colleagues, customers and a bunch of "stakeholders" to support.  By definition, a job is important because it's a job. Regardless of the actual requirements/pay, it's still a job, and one that if you are in it, must get done.  In doing so, we must accept certain decisions that may not gel with our own.  It happens.  We know it.  That said, if we play our cards right (no, we must play our cards right) - we continue to enjoy the fruits (aka pay) of our labors, assuming we continue to stay employed and get paid.  Make sense?

Here's the deal: when decisions go down that make us bothered, bummed or even down right bitchy - we have to turn those frowns upside down and get back to work.  We do.  Even better - get back to work with a smile and good cheer.  After all, if we are being paid, than we are professionals and need to act like ones.

So, the next time a "downside decision thing" happens to us - instead of griping, moaning and causing a ruckus with those folks whose decisions we think are bad (and after all, they could be right) - how about we knock their socks off by showing them how truly professional we can be, even when we don't want to be.

After all, its the right thing to do, assuming you get paid to do it.  And if you get paid to do it, that makes you a professional. And acting professional, especially when the chips are down - is the professional thing to do.     

Being a Professional is Good.

Being a Professional Slacker is Bad.

Kermit Karma

(The following was inspired by the fact that: 1) I dig Kermit, 2) My daughter loves Kermit, and 3) I watched the newest Muppet's movie about 10 times over spring break - literally).  


Hi, Ho! Kermit the Frog here. My good buddy Scott asked me to guest write his blog - which I am oh-so happy to do. But between you and me, this request proves what I've always thought about Scott: that while he's a swell guy ... he's kind of needy, somewhat lazy, and intellectually clumsy ... just like Fozzy the Bear.  But I do love 'em both (for the most part; he he he he ;)

Now, where was I? Gonzooo!? Gonzooo!?

Oh yea, so Scott asked me to write this blog and explain what he calls "Kermit Karma." Frankly, I have no idea what he means by "Kermit Karma," except that it might have something to do with how I like to be compassionate toward others.  Indeed, to see people smile and laugh and sing and love is like sunshine reflecting off a dewy lily pad on a summer's morn.   And for a frog, that is a very wonderful sight, indeed!

That said, The Rainbow Connection song (my personal favorite, and one that you should know, as well) is a good example of what I believe.  To paraphrase that song, and my personal philosophy:

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND.

In other words, if you do good onto others - good will happen to you. If you do bad onto others, well, shudder the thought. Taken together, I think that's what Scott means by "Kermit Karma."  And yea, I try to swim, hop and ribbit my life by the "do good onto others" precept.

But, lest you think me a big-headed frog, or that I've eating too many fermented bugs and over indulged in spiked pond water, please note that I really am a humble little frog, and know very well I'm not perfect, and that I don't own the corner of the lake on compassionate living.  Nope, I got work to do. Always will.

That said, we are all capable of being compassionate - even those two bullies in the balcony, Statler and Waldorf. (Well, on second thoughts, some folks just don't get it and/or won't want to get it: and that's why they get stuck in the balcony, mean and all alone. And who wants to be mean and alone? Yuck!)

Sure, being compassionate takes work. But if I can do it with Miss Piggy, and hundreds of crazy, uncontrollable Muppets (it's not easy being green) - you can do it in your world, as well.

Compassion is Good (just like chocolate covered flies; yum!).