Are you self-employed?

In live seminars I often ask, “How many of you are self-employed?”  Typically, about 30% of the audience will raise their hands.  Then I ask, “How many of you are working for yourselves?”  A few more hands go up.  Then I may ask, “How many of you currently have only one customer for the services you provide?”  Eventually, everyone realizes that no matter what the situation, we are all really “self-employed.”

The company is not going to pay your mortgage or choose the private school you want for your children.  You must do that based on your ability to provide a service that someone finds beneficial enough to write you a check at the end of the day.  Whether that turns out to be one company, five or a thousand customers across the country, you are providing a service and someone has agreed to pay you for that.

Are you working just like you would if your name were on the front door? 

Last week, Joanne and I went to eat dinner at a well-known chain restaurant here in Franklin, TN.  Lots of promotion had gotten us to the front door.  Unfortunately, the young lady at the front door thought she was working for a paycheck, not for herself.  Since business was slow she decided to just lock the door two hours ahead of the normal closing time.  She told us it just wasn’t worth her time to keep working for a few customers. Of course she planned to hang around anyway and expected to be paid for her regular time.  

She has not yet realized the company doesn’t owe her for her “time” but only for her unique contributions.  Without those, her “time” is meaningless.

What would you change about your work habits if it were your own company? Tweet This

Would you show up earlier, provide better customer service, stay off the Internet on company time and quit reading novels in between phone calls?  Recognize you ARE working for yourself – and you are either working to promote the company, increase profits, or making yourself vulnerable to being “let go.”