I just got a FedEx delivery. This was a new driver, and as I always do, I talked to him about his work – did he love it, did he have any dreams for something else, etc. I asked if he was an employee or an independent contractor as I know FedEx has both. Just the normal conversation I have with everyone I meet!!
He said his boss has 15 trucks and is an independent contractor. The young driver said that keeps them from unionizing – a fact that he dislikes. He’d like to be in a union so they could force his boss to keep paying them more. He does like that with this model he can tell a customer it’s too much work to come back their drive so they have to meet him at the road. And the work isn’t very hard – he can slack off and still get paid. He likes it best if there’s really not many packages to be delivered. It doesn’t seem to register that his boss makes less money – this kid just knows he gets paid the same regardless.
And then he told me his real dream is to have his own hot-rod building shop. We talked about our mutual love of cars for a few minutes and I gave him a copy of the new 48 Days to the Work You Love – for which he was truly grateful.
So what do you think the chances are that he’ll ever have his own shop? I think it’s pretty close to zero. When someone has that strong desire to be paid more for doing less, when they are looking for ways to avoid work and to serve the customer less, they are never going to make it in a venture of their own. Those attitudes will sabotage any possibility of being successful on your own.
Theoretically, having your own business is a great way to have more time freedom and more income – but serving customers well has to be at the core. With a work ethic like this it would never work. Keep getting that paycheck Dude because you’re lucky to be getting paid at all. You would absolutely fail in your own business.
GREAT point along with this story Dan!!!
Jen – it just is too easy to see where his attitude will take him.
Unless I missed this, you didn’t say how old this new driver was. Hopefully though, if he is young especially, his attitude might change once he understands that more business means more money but that also means more work. But I also believe, based on the information you shared about him is that his family is a strong union family and if that is the case, he will stay with those thoughts going forward.
Bob – I would estimate he was about 25-26 years old. By then that entitlement mentality is pretty well established.
Some think the way their bosses can bless
Is to make their workload quite a bit less
But what’s really funny
Is they want much more money
And have a quite distorted view of success
Cliff – always delightful!
Such a shame – hopefully, he reads your book and something in it encourages him to review his mindset and he gets an adjustment from the neck up.
dr Frank – we’ll see if he even reads my book. Haven’t seen him back here since.
As a union worker, I think he sorely under estimate the amount of work union workers do.
Contracts benefit both sides not just one.
Michele – ah you know, the grass is always greener………….
Dan, we are driving from Chicago to Nashville as I type. 🙂 Isn’t it interesting that this man sees the way to make more money is to “force” his employer to pay him more by unionizing! When really, the best way for him to be paid more would be to become INVALUABLE to his boss by delighting the customer so that his boss cannot bear to be without him, wants to promote him and give him a raise or partner with him in his next venture! If this man went the extra mile every day, carrying packages to the door, smiling to everyone he meets and asking his boss, “What else can I do for you today?” how much more quickly would his financial goals be realized than paying dues to people who are more than willing to take his money to “unite” him with others who want to be paid more for contributing less? Perhaps he will some day deliver a package to a man who is looking to sell his auto shop to some hard working, happy-to-be-of-service man! You never know who you will meet!
Tracy – ah yes. It seems so obvious and yet so many continue to look for the handout or a way to force the employer or government to pay them instead of just paving the way for more success by providing MORE than what is expected.
Great point! I think that’s the main issue for people. They want something different but it is easier to stay put. Without a deep desire and calling for more the pain isn’t bad enough to change.
Joseph – ah yes, the pain that moves us to something better. We don’t want it but when it comes even in an unwelcomed way it so often causes us to see things in new ways. A whole lot of people are “accidental entrepreneurs” because of unwanted circumstances that opened their eyes to new opportunities.
You can either enjoy the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret. 🙂 Agree?
I love the mindset of the entrepreneur. I have two daughters and I try to teach them this by discussion and example. I have a training business and I always try to provide extra value for my customers.
It’s sad that our society has encouraged this mindset. Hard work seems to be bad, while getting all you can for nothing is encouraged. Hopefully with sites like yours, Dan, this will slowly change.
Whenever I press anyone at work about what they would really like to do with their life the conversation almost always turns toward running some kind of business. Unfortunately most of my coworkers have the same lazy attitude. They just dont have the work ethic to run a business. Also, they wont stick to anything that gets too hard. I think Seth Godin calls it “the dip.”
This makes me very concerned with my self. How am i hurting myself? with incorrect attitudes? Or incorrect perceptions, or poor work ethic?