Either get healthier and wealthier or go bust.
The world doesn’t stop moving, money doesn’t stop flowing. When plants stop growing, they die. The same is true for you, the moment you stop growing is the beginning of the end. As your health declines, so does your mind, so does your will. Stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit, and you will continue to grow into new and amazing things every day.
The Milk Man
I drove a semi for 20 years. In the beginning years of my career, I was in and out of the truck making deliveries all day long. My thoughts were focused on what the next stop was, how to keep my customers happy, deciding what to deliver, counting every item delivered, rotating stock, removing expired items, driving fast yet safe, and trying to get it all done without making a huge mess. I usually succeeded, but not always. After hearing the saying “don’t cry over spilt milk” every couple of days, you either take it seriously and stop worrying about the spilt milk or you freak out because it seems you’ll never get the hang of this work. My job was delivering milk. It was one of the hardest jobs I ever had. It was back breaking work, almost literally. I ended that job with low back issues, and most of the guys I worked with also had bad backs. I learned a lot though and it was worth the pain.
It didn’t take long for me to step into a management role; it seems even in my early twenties I had a knack for leadership. I wasn’t good at it though. I had work ethic on my side, that was how I led. I figured I would work as hard as possible, and no one could accuse me of being lazy. Then I could look at my guys and say, “I know what I’m asking you to do is possible cause I just did it last week.”
The Road to Leading Well
Leading by example is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. What I didn’t realize at the time was, not everyone has the same physical capacity. I was a young, fit, and strong man. I was in my twenties while all of my guys were between thirty and sixty. Some could keep up with me, but some couldn’t. Those who couldn’t still managed to get things done. Honestly, they got things done in better ways than I did. They were smart about their work, while I was just bulldozing through it. I set a good bar for everyone, but I didn’t lead well.
After 10 years of leading by example, I got burnt out. Looking back, I was burnt out because I didn’t communicate well to my upper management. They had expectations for the drivers that I didn’t think were reasonable. So, instead of trying to figure out how to meet those expectations or even searching for the middle ground, I fought back. I fought hard for my drivers and many times I won. I convinced management that things needed to be done certain ways because of the nature of the back breaking work. I was wrong! I was wrong and some of my more experienced drivers proved it, because they could get things done in ways I couldn’t. They knew how to work smart; I just worked with strong determination.
I’m proud of how I fought for my drivers and I’m proud of the hard work ethic I kept. I wish I’d have learned how to lead though. I look back and see how I could have been a better leader. I could have come up with better ways to get things done, maybe could have prevented some back injuries. I could have worked smarter, not harder. I kicked my own butt to keep my drivers and upper management happy, but I ultimately kicked my butt right out the door.
Trading Hustle for Health
As I neared the end of my twenties, I realized I wasn’t in good shape. I wasn’t caring for my health and it was affecting my energy and ability to get my job done. I tried going to the gym before work, but I think I slept in the parking lot of the gym more than going in and working out. I was burnt up completely. Something had to change, and when that realization came to me, the change happened quickly. I looked around for other jobs out there and started finding some real appealing options. I battled the idea of changing and really weighed the pros and cons. Ultimately, the pros outweighed the cons, and I took the leap. I doubled my pay and reduced my responsibilities; it was a “win, win” for me.
I still have friends that work at the milk company and I still miss my old customers. The job change was the right thing for me, and I don’t regret the decision. I am grateful for the time I had there and that my boss’s trusted me. That job taught me a lot about leadership. It showed me that there are different ways to lead and there is a time and place for those different ways. Brute force is necessary at times; that’s for young twenty-year-olds. Smart and efficient is necessary if longevity is a concern. Examining how competitors operate would have been a good tactic for me; wish I’d have done that one. Communicating to achieve a common goal is the one I could have used most, I think. I fought instead of seeking to make the company better.
To sum it up, my time as “The Milk Man” was valuable and I learned a lot. I made good friends and made lifelong memories. I worked myself into the ground and got up and did it again and again until the ground finally held me down. It was worth it, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. I still drive by the plant occasionally, and it still makes me smile. I may not have been the best leader at the time, but it taught me humility. It taught me that leadership is something that can be learned and improved upon. If I knew then what I know now, I’d have searched for better leadership tools, and I would have been a better leader.
Leadership is a learned skill.
It’s a skill that everyone in leadership roles should be taught… even the young and determined twenty-year-olds. TWT Leadership teaches leadership principles that will improve communication company-wide. From the ground floor to upper management, there are different ways of thinking, and it will always be to your advantage to get an outside point of view. Contact me today to discuss your best strategy for success.