A Bite in the Butt

When I was in middle school and high school, I worked several odd jobs including bailing hay, herding turkeys on a neighbors farm, carrying out and stocking groceries at a local grocery store, and serving as a “mud boy” - the glamorous title given to the guy that mixed the mortar and carried bricks to the more skilled bricklayers on a construction job. Fortunately, during my junior or senior year in high school, I ended up landing a great summer job at the local telephone company where my dad worked. I continued to work there most summers and school breaks until I graduated from college. My duties evolved with each summer, but included “mail boy,” “painter, “pea gravel hauler”, “weed eater”, “map man”, “phone support” and “dispatcher.”

Part of my job of updating maps was going house to house to see where telephone lines entered businesses and residences. I enjoyed the work. At least most days. One day I was in the backyard of someone’s residence looking up trying to determine where the phone line entered their home. Without realizing it, I approached a doghouse while still staring into the air at the telephone lines. I was about 10’ feet from the doghouse, when I heard the angry growl of what sounded like a dragon coming from inside the small wood enclosure. The beast’s head emerged revealing it was a large dog - a Rottweiler, I think - that was too big for its pen and that seemed to have an appetite for young men that draw maps. I froze, seeing the foam dripping from its mouth as it told me with a threatening growl to “back the @#&! up.” So, I did. Slowly, very slowly, I started to back away from the doghouse. But, that didn’t please him either. His large head pulled the rest of his beastly body out of the house and he growled at me some more. I continued to back up keeping my eyes on his next move. But the further I stepped away from him, the angrier he seemed to be getting - snapping his head forward with his growls becoming deeper and prolonged, with him flashing his teeth as if he was showing me that he was indeed part dragon.

He stayed in position as I continued to back peddle. I realized then he had a large chain hooked to a leash on his neck. I started to do some mental calculations trying to determine whether or not I would escape the radius of his reach if I began to run. It was the classic math problem - like the one where two trains leave a station at different times and you must calculate when they would meet. Although a good math problem typically would have caught my interest, my concentration was a bit rattled. And, besides, the dog-dragon didn’t seem too interested in discussing the particular details of the situation - like the exact length of his chain or the speed in which he could run. I wasn’t sure if his next move was to breathe fire on me or to just pounce on me and start chewing me to pieces. His angry growl, changed to a deep throaty bark and he lunged forward. And, even though I was 10-15 feet away from him, when he lunged, my flight instincts took hold and I began sprinting full speed away from the pen. As I ran, I could hear the chain quickly unraveling and the Rottweiler's paws pounding on the ground chasing me. But just when I was sure I was going to be mauled, I heard the chain clang and the tug and whimper of my assailant being restrained. I looked back, saw the anger in his eyes, and continued to walk away with trembling legs as he continued with his insults with his loud scary barks, which - although I’m not fluent in dog language - certainly seemed to include unflattering comments about my mother.

As I was walking away from the loud barks, I heard the higher-pitch barks of another dog. I looked over my shoulder and saw another dog in the yard, also clearly agitated with my presence. Only, thankfully, this was a little dog - one that probably didn’t even come to the height of my knees. It ran towards me but then stopped as I turned to study it. The little dog was filthy dirty, looked malnourished, and overall just angry with life. I felt a sense of sorrow for the dog but also mostly relieved that it wasn’t another Rottweiler on the prowl. So, I turned my gaze from it and continued to walk away. As I was walking away, apparently the little coward saw its opportunity. It ran towards me and without any hesitation, jumped up and bit me right in the butt. I used my clipboard to swat the attacker away - but only after he was able to get two good chomps at my bottom - both tearing through my jeans and my skin. I looked back at the Rottweiler that was still staring at me at the end of his chain. Despite his angry expression, I’m pretty sure he was laughing inside at what had just happened. In the end, I was thankful that it wasn’t the fangs of the dog-dragon that pierced my cheeks, but my day still ended with a trip to the doctor’s office for a few necessary shots.

Although I can’t say I enjoyed that particular day of my job - or for that matter - all my tenure as “hay bailer”, “mud boy”, or “turkey escort” - these experiences certainly taught me several valuable lessons about work-ethic, teamwork, and to expect the unexpected in any work environment. Since graduating from college, I feel fortunate to have jobs that I’ve enjoyed and have been very lucky to find myself at the right place and time to move into new and better opportunities for myself throughout my career. I started as a Middle School Math teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Monticello, IN, transitioned to a High School Math teacher at Danville, became a Technology Director at Southeast Dubois County Schools for a year, then moved back to Danville where I served as the Director of Technology for 15 years, and ultimately landed in my current position as a Director of Innovative Learning at Five-Star Technology Solutions. I have enjoyed all these positions and have learned and grown so much from the experiences and people at each place.

I’ve also learned that whether hauling turkeys, mixing mortar, updating maps, teaching students, or directing technology projects, there are several things that all jobs have in common. I have identified four qualities that I think fundamentally cause us to take and stay in a job, which I call the four Ps of any profession:

1. Purpose - Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” My diagnosis with cat sores has caused me to think a lot about my own life and my purpose. When my time comes, whether that is 4 months from now or 40 years from now, I only hope that others will look at my life and feel that I made a positive difference - that somehow, some way, I’ve left it a little better than when I entered it. It is the reason I became a teacher and continues to be the reason I find such joy in my work - because I feel I’m doing something that matters.
   
   I think purpose in any job is a combination of what you are doing and an understanding of why you are doing it. Although a paycheck may help you fill your stomach, it doesn’t fill your soul. Although I think the world would be better if we all simply sought ways to make it better in our jobs, that also doesn’t mean we all must be doctors, first responders, or teachers. After all, I personally think there is meaning that comes from just about any job. Hauling turkeys is ultimately about putting food on the plate for others. Mixing mortar is really about building homes for families. Updating maps for the phone company was ultimately about establishing accurate information for 911 calls.
   
   Establishing purpose in a company isn’t just good for others; it’s good for business. Some of the most profitable companies became so successful, not because they were fixated on their profits, but because they were fixated on their purpose. As Steve Jobs, the late CEO and co-founder of Apple Inc, one of today’s most valuable companies in the world, once said: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me.” So whether you are a CEO of a wealthy company, a teacher, or a trash collector, I challenge you to find how your job - your purpose - ultimately helps others and to help others in your organization recognize the larger impact they are having.


2. Progress - Not only do we want to feel like we’re making a difference for others, I think most people want to feel that they are learning and growing themselves in the process. We want to know that we contribute in a meaningful way to the team and that through hard work, persistence, and support of others, we will continue to improve at what we are doing. This isn’t about climbing the corporate ladder by pushing others off it. It is really about extending a hand to others and feeling that each day the collective team is improving and getting a little closer to achieving their vision, their goals, their objectives. Progress is about becoming a better version of ourselves and about helping others do the same. It’s about concrete short-term wins that keep a bounce in our steps and about hard-fought, long-term victories that make us know that all the effort was worth it.


3. People - Unless you are being paid to paint ceramic unicorns alone in your basement, there is a good chance that your job will involve working with other people. Those interactions - those relationships - often make all the difference in your satisfaction with a job and, if you’re lucky, become relationships that last a lifetime. Like it or not, the reality is that you will end up spending equal or more time with colleagues than you do with your own family members, so it sure makes a difference if you work with people you respect and enjoy.
   
   I have been fortunate to have worked with kind, thoughtful, talented people throughout my career. My various jobs and roles have allowed me to cross paths with students and adults of all ages and customers and clients that have put their trust and confidence in me. I’ve been surrounded by people that not only made my job better, but people that made me better - both professionally and personally. They have taught me about the importance of different personalities, perspectives, and strengths; the power of shared goals; the rewards of hard work; the value of patience and forgiveness; the healing of laughter; and the joy that comes from a job well done. I’ve had the privilege of serving others, working alongside others, and leading others. But whether I was leading or being led, I always felt like I was part of a team - a group of people that wanted to do something bigger than themselves.


4. Paycheck - A man’s gotta eat. My dad used to tell me, “if it was supposed to be fun, they wouldn't call it work.” Although I genuinely think work can be fun, I do think we sometimes do our children and ourselves a disservice by pretending work is supposed to always be fun. There also is difference between fun and rewarding. And, certainly, there is a practical element that is a motivator for any job: our paycheck. Most of us take on at least our first job so we can live independently, which is something in itself that builds pride and confidence. I think earning a paycheck teaches us the value of money and builds personal strength and character. I have great respect for people earning an honest living regardless of their industry or their role - whether that involves hauling turkeys, mixing mortar, updating maps, teaching students, or running a company. The world needs all types of people and workers. And, although I don’t think money is the only - or even the most important factor - in a job, we should acknowledge that it remains a legitimate factor. A paycheck both puts food on our table and also is a very concrete way that we can feel valued for our effort and outcomes.
   
   However, as we advance in our careers and our lives, money sometimes has a way of taking our eyes off why we wanted the paycheck in the first place. We may convince ourselves that a higher-paying job will make us happier because it provides more resources and more “stuff” for our family. However, the irony is that in an attempt to earn more money, we end up adding stress, long hours, and more family friction that can ultimately have a way of eating away at the very happiness that we think money will bring.

I hope my own children are as fortunate as me to find a career that not only helps put money in their pockets, but that puts happiness and satisfaction in their hearts. I hope they are able to surround themselves with genuinely good people and find both purpose and progress in their work. But, I also want them to know that even the most rewarding jobs aren’t always easy, fun, productive, or fulfilling. Sadly, not every colleague will be a great team player. Even kind, talented people that you respect dearly may frustrate you or disappoint you on given days. Likewise, you will make mistakes, have days where you aren’t the best version of yourself, and certainly have times that you want to quit.

As lucky as I feel about my career and past experiences, I also admit that there have been moments in all my jobs where I have felt that I have unknowingly stumbled too close to the dog house. Either through faults of my own or actions of others, my heart has sank and/or my legs have felt wobbly feeling like some type of dog-dragon was about to tear me up and everything around me. The feeling of uncertainty or insecurity isn’t just about upsetting or disappointing your boss. I have been fortunate to have worked for people that I have felt trusted me. However, even with that trust, there are days where I know I wasn’t the best version of myself - where I’ve regretted how I’ve handled conversations, projects, and decisions. The same is true of coworkers or just the nature of projects. Even when you and all your colleagues are doing the very best you can, things can and will still go wrong. Every person, every team, every company has bad days. But, sometimes it is the bad days that teach us the most - not only about others, but about ourselves.

And, yes, there will be times that despite feeling like you’ve made all the right choices and have given the job your all, someone or something will just bite you in the butt. But, like all disappointments in life, you will ultimately be judged not by whether or not some mangy mutt was able to sink its teeth into your bottom, but whether you had the courage and strength to push him away, brush yourself off, heal the wounds, and move on.