“No company ever got in trouble by paying sales people high commissions,” was the opening statement by Don Chalmers kicking off a four day car sale in 1986. Don Chalmers is a very successful and wealthy car dealer who made, not inherited, his wealth. It was my good fortune to work in his organization for a few years.
Good pay draws good people who strive to do a good job. In 1970, on a tour of the Mercury Outboard factory in Fond du Lac, WI, we were cautioned not to drop any litter on the factory floor or in any way make any kind of a mess. We were told the workers were proud of their place of employment and would react poorly to any activity that cheapened their workplace. This was a union shop. Mercury had the ability to track every warranty claim to the individual or team that caused the problem and dock their pay. That person had a bigger problem waiting for them in the parking lot after shift. To this day, no company, anywhere in the world, makes a significantly better or more reliable outboard motor.
The biggest on going threat to the economy of this country is bean counters. In the automobile industry, Chrysler is a poster child. Great designs, great styling, great ergonomics in a cheaply built money pit, year after year. Think I am wrong? As any used car manager what trade in brands cost the most to get front line ready.
In Business 101, you learn about the Law of Effect; that workers will intuitively determine what management really wants no matter what management says. It is simple. Provide a clean, safe job environment. Treat the worker with respect. Pay them a living wage. Keep the playing field level. Your talk means s%^t, your walk means everything. A lot of people became well off working for Don Chalmers. He got very wealthy. Think he might know a thing or two?
Jimmy Carter was a lousy president but he did have the guts to push deregulation openly. George W. Bush did it underhand by not staffing or funding the agencies assigned to “police” commerce and banking. The scoundrels ran amok. The public, rightfully, has lost trust in government. Now we have a Chicago politician running the show. Do you think the City of Chicago, or for that matter, the State of Illinois, is our nation’s finest example?
This country has many problems but the biggest is the economy. One modest proposals to reward long term success and punish short term “success”. Tax speculation high and productivity low. Focus on making a bigger pie and less on how to divide the shrinking pie.
We are blessed with a hard working and productive population. If we can get the economy rolling again, we can afford the Obamas and assorted ilk and still make a go of it despite their drain on all of us.
3 comments:
Yeah, we are blessed with hard working productive people in this country. What percent of the total population are those people that are hard working? What percent is not? Is it fair for the hard workers to pay for the people that do not do any thing at all? I have heard that other countries around the world find it shocking that we americans do not want to take care of our poor. Although there are alot of programs like WIC and others that are in place for the poor. Im not challenging what you are saying. I just want to know your thoughts on the questions i asked. Thanks
Good point WSF- Hard working people WILL make money and do well by the boss if taken care of. However, there is a, and I hate to say this, distinct majority of employees in the younger generation who believe they are "owed" a living; they do the minimum and expect the maximum paycheck.
There are people who are poor because of health, circumstances, or location. Jobs gone, employers out of business, etc. Then you have the willfully poor. They don't want to work, don't want to go to school, don't want to "act white", think they are somehow entitled to all the good things just because they are breathing air. There are people who have rendered themselves unemployable because of their criminal activities or drug and alcohol use.
I do agree with Old NFO a lot of the younger generation have a poor work ethic. Then there are young whipper snappers like 396fire who have the drive; we just need more of them.
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