With Regards: Archives ~
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With Regards: Archives ~ |
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| Jerry Sikes,
RRP / CHA, is President of Professional Resort Operators, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona. He has 35 years in the Hospitality
Industry / 25 years in Timesharing, and is the current Co-Chairman of ARDA Arizona as well as Chairman of the Arizona
Timeshare Management Association. Jerry is a frequent guest speaker regionally and nationally on all aspects of
Timeshare Management and a frequent contributor of articles for industry publications. Email: boyjerry@cox.net
Phone 480-947-3300 Fax 480-947-6853 Web site: http://www.protimeshare.com
"Wisdom is meaningless until our own experience has given it meaning." - Bergen Evans - Many of us, during our younger years, were required to wear items handed down from our older siblings. Oh' how some of us hated this requirement, this necessity. Where, in this common experience, could there be found pearls of wisdom? Consider the thing which was used with such care that even though it was outgrown still has value. The thing in which we found ourselves, that was too big for us, but provided the opportunity for us to grow into it. Consider the times during our careers when we were given the opportunity to grow into new positions by some wise mentor. Remember those things which he/she allowed you to try on for size, those things that they could have held tightly with the attitude "mine-mine". I remember the first time I was allowed to wear my older brother's Letter Jacket. Did I strut around like a peacock, you would have thought that I had won all the achievements which it displayed. Proud I was that he was my brother and proud I was that he honored me with one of the things he held so dearly and valued so highly. And though he would not admit it then, I am sure that he was proud to see me wearing it and taking such good care of it, until I could earn one of my own. (And I did). Are there those things which you have outgrown, that you are holding onto as symbols of your achievements ("mine-mine"), which you could (and should) hand down or delegate and allow someone else to grow into. Are you not aware that those things which are not passed on will eventually rust or decay and be of no use to anyone. Go on, look into the closet of your mind and find something which is hanging there gathering dust mites, shake it out, try it on one last time, bask in the mirror of yesterday for a few moments, then for Gods sake, find someone you can mentor and pass it on. I assure you that they will eventually return it to you in better shape than it was when you passed it along to them............... My family was neither well off or poor, just somewhere in the middle. Our seven members made us above average, but not all that large. You see my Mom had eleven brothers and sisters and my Dad had nine. So seven was not so bad. Sunday dinner, which was at approximately noon in rural Kentucky (and after Church), generally consisted of fried chicken as the entrée. Now my Dad got to pick first and he always took the back and the neck. Said he liked them!! I assure you that you will never find the neck and the back among the pieces in the largest bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken in the world. The Colonel must also like backs and the necks!! Many years passed before I came to realize that those necks and backs were taken so that the others around the table could pick from the best pieces. Funny how all the white meat was gone before the platter got to my end of the table, but that's another yarn. Did my Dad's choice of chicken establish another standard for me to live by? Didn't know it at the time but, you bet! Another pearl of wisdom to pass on? You bet! Even though we may be entitled, by rank or position to take, that last piece of cake (leaving the crumbs for someone else), the cream off the top, or the best pieces of the chicken, should we always do so? Are we afraid that if we allow others to taste the best which is offered, that they will want our share? Do we believe that if we don't establish our dominate position at every opportunity, others will take that as a show of weakness? NO, we do not need to pound on our chest like the Great Silverback Ape, to establish our due. The desired mutually beneficial relationship may be as simple as: If you will allow me to sit at the head of the table, I will not always take the best pieces of chicken. As the General Manager of your operation, you may have the authority to give yourself a payroll increase in the thousands per month range, while at the same time authorizing a twenty-five cent per hour increase for several Spanish speaking maids who find themselves at the bottom of the food chain. As the CEO or COO of the enterprise, you may provide yourself with all the perks and benefits of your position, while at the same time demanding that others toil as Independent Contractors so that you don't have to provide them any. These, or similar actions, will not be perceived as mutually beneficial. In many instances, even non-compete clauses in employment contracts, or lack of other opportunity because of language skills, will not be enough to retain the top producers. For a group that I am aware of, it became apparent during the budget preparation for 2000, that the financial resource for the coming year would be limited. It was determined that the operation for 2000 would be conducted at 95% of the 2000 budget in order to preserve some of those financial resources. Today, it appears that through total staff effort, this facility will be able to achieve the desired results while operation within the 95% of 2000 budget restraints, thus a job well done. I am also aware that the same group which devised this 95% budget concept is currently planning a Staff Christmas Party at the local Bowling Alley. Now there may well be merit to this idea, however I wonder if those who hold positions at the lower end of that group's organization will perceive those merits or will this effort end up in the gutter. Oh well! Final thought Back in the early 80s when Dr. W. Edwards Deming established his Fourteen Points, he included as Point #8 - Drive out fear. The emphasis at that time was to eliminate the command and control or heretical type of organization where employees toiled in fear of losing their job with its meager wages, if their performance was not up to the ogre boss's satisfaction. That situation may not be so prevalent in today's workplace however, in numerous instances the table has turned and many of those in positions of authority operate out of fear. Fear that if they allow others to grow by empowering them, or creating opportunities for them to shine, they themselves will lose power or luster. Fear that creates the attitude: To hell with them, I better get mine (higher pay - better perks - stock options- golden parachutes) today, because tomorrow I may be gone. I don't remember exactly where hand-me-downs, letter jackets or chicken parts fit into This and That. They may be meaningless, however I hope that Simone ~, the one who writes about roses, Ibiza, sun-sets, poison green bikinis, and now has the Men's Corner or someone else out there, in some small way may find some wisdom in this rambling on about my experiences growing up and the lessons perceived. |
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