You are the sum total of all your life experiences. I believe that to be true, so when I saw this post at http://leadhership.net/ it led me to reflect for a moment on the experiences I've had at all my workplaces over the last 30 years and how they've shaped me. Here are some of my cursory thoughts in order of the dates I held the jobs:
Nursing Home Food Service: I learned that all people are of value, even if they have lost their ability to make a contribution to society. That man who had severe CP always shouted incoherently as you passed by but stopped if you would just place your hand on his arm or shoulder as you passed.
Steak House Busboy and Dishwasher: There was a reason why turnover of employees was every month. The management here was poorly trained, hated their job, always high, and abusive to the employees.
Camp Wyman: For two summers (ages 16 and 17) I was in charge of the outdoor/pioneering part of the summer camp for under-privileged children. Wyman was my first exposure to working for a non-profit. Dave Hilliard, the president, was great to work with and I've followed his work ever since. If you're in the St. Louis area, this is a guy worth learning from. Under his leadership Wyman has gone from a summer camp to a year 'round teen/child leadership training program. Good Stuff.
School District Lawn Maintenance: For about 3 weeks I carried a weed whacker around trimming around trees, buildings and fences. I learned I could quickly get frustrated and board with lawns. I realized that grass would grow back no matter what I did. Quickly figured out I better get a job where something could actually be completed.
Iron worker: For one summer I worked "tieing rods" as an iron worker at the construction of the GM plant in Wentzville, MO. This was my first experience with labor unions (though I grew up hearing about them at home.) I experienced people drinking on the job, fighting for longer hours, and several other negatives. I also learned that if you work hard you can make good money.
Gateway Ready Mix: I was a laborer and sometime office worker. While I had noted this in other jobs, it was here that I learned that some people really could care less about their job or employer. I also experienced more labor unions. Some good stuff, some bad. Through these two experiences with unions I realized the tenuous relationship that exists between labor and ownership is not easily resolved.
Ozark tie and timber: This was a college age job where I was a laborer/carpenter in a pallet manufacturing company. I learned that shooting a nail through your thumb with a pneumatic nail gun is not a pleasant experience. This was my first exposure to worker's comp. It wasn't a positive experience. I've been very aware of employee safety in all my areas of employment ever since.
Boy Scouts of America: My first job out of college was working for the Boy Scouts of America in St. Joe, MO. While I eventually realized this wasn't the career field for me, it was the best education for non-profit employment available. I learned how to relate to volunteers and donors alike. As a person fresh out of college, I don't think it matters what career field you would ultimately end up in, the training program for Scouting executives is second to none.
St. Charles Quarry Company: I worked for a 2 quarry company selling rock to the construction industry. As the sole salesman with the company it was communicated to me by the labor force that I had to sell or they got laid off, and they didn't like getting laid off. Though this wasn't a commission sales job, it became quickly clear that there was a direct relationship between my work and the success of the company.
Kurtz Concrete: Same ownership as the quarries. When the one salesman went to alcohol detox I became the salesman. I quickly developed a relationship with the commercial contractors and a few residential builders. Sales were based upon relationship (every concrete company has the same product, there's really no differentiation there.)
Adminco: This was the owner of the quarries and concrete. They quickly acquired enough concrete plants to become the largest supplier in St. Louis. I became the sales manager at age 26. At 27 they sold out and a new president demoted me, not because sales were flat (they weren't) but because he considered me too young. Putting me in the position of Sales manager was a creative risk on the part of the ownership. Demoting me was a complete lack of creativity and vision for the new ownership. I learned that judging too quickly when you are in charge is a poor way to manage. I still feel I had the skills for that job even at that young age. I judge based upon skills not age.
Henges Manufacturing: Commissioned sales in construction products. Even though sales depended upon me alone, manufacturing and delivery depended upon others. I learned how to coordinate my efforts with others. There's no such thing as working alone, we all exist in some network where what we do influences others and what they do influences us.
Salem-In-Ladue UMC: This was my first pastorate. I was the student associate for two years followed by 2 years as full-time associate. It's a great experience to work as an associate. You get to make all sorts of mistakes without taking full blame. And I wasn't a very good associate. I kept wanting to go my own way and not along with the vision of the lead pastor. That was something of a mess sometimes. I think I caused his heart attack, though that happened 4 months after I left. I learned a world of information and skills about leading a staff of a larger church. Good Stuff.
The Oak UMC: This was a new church start. The training to launch a new church is the most valuable training for evangelical Christianity. The experience was great and it allowed me to understand the challenges to grow a church from 0 to 80.
Macon UMC: As lead pastor of a church that grew from about 130 to 210 in worship I had a great time learning along the way. The pastoral to program church transition was not one I got to complete, but I became very aware of church size issues. We expanded a floundering contemporary worship service, did a capital campaign and planned for a new building. We struggled through staff issues and had some great staff moments. It was also a significant time for me as I developed a pastoral theology for the first time.
Good Shepherd UMC: Still learning here.
What job served as your greatest learning experience.
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