The Economy, Work Ethic, Sports, and Tim Tebo

[bowtieguy]

the economy, and specifically the faces behind the unemployment rate, has weighed heavy on my heart lately. as i watched the college football nat'l championship thursday night, i was reminded of what made the USA what it is.

Tim Tebow WILLED his team to the title. granted, he had a rough first have and got help from his defense, but he wouldn't be denied none the less.

i keep hearing about people that REALLY need gov't assistance but cannot get it. i wonder if America, as a whole, has enough integrity to work such that each individual EXPECTS his/her work ethic to determine his/her employer's success. like Tebow, can we reach deep to not be denied success?

now, more than ever, underachievers MUST realize their shortcomings are magnified. during our economic boom, these individuals were able to hide and were "carried" by the rest. NO MORE! maybe a selfish attitude is required to stimulate our companies and ultimately the economy...

"well i don't feel like giving it MY all, but maybe I, yes I, will get a raise or be able to keep MY job if I, yes I, work harder. layoffs are rumored, so I, yes I, better prove MY worth! need me to work late? (don't feel like it) ok boss, I, yes I, will stay. afterall, MY check will reflect MY extra pay."

Tim Tebo, in no way won the game alone. it was a team effort, but he answered the call: FIND A WAY! individuals must find a way to dig deep and make our companies better.

is this the whole ball of wax? is this the only answer? no, but it starts w/ the man/woman in the mirror. we have little control over corp greed and gov't spending. we can control our efforts in work ethic(and finances and humanitarianism for that matter).

in sports, even with the strongest of wills, someone has to lose. not so in the real world. better quality of work reflects more sales and profit, not to mention more competition and lower prices(for the consumer). this is the answer to our sour economic issues.

is this an epiphany? not quite, but it vexes me how many people are ignorant of economics, and how many work(as little as possible) JUST for a paycheck. no question there will be more layoffs, but quality and quantity of work must improve. gov't will not get us out of these adverse conditions, but blue collar workers can(will?).

GS members must be some of the most responsible people around. so get out there and council a young co-worker, or start a finance class at work. show people their that success decides that of their employer(and that of the US economy).

GO GATORS!!!

[bowtieguy]

i just found out Timmy Tebow will return for his senior year at UF. everyone outside of GatorNation beware!

thank you God!

[bobc455]

I have no idea who Tim Tebo is, but I agree 200% that people must work smart and hard for this country to succeed. In good times or bad.

I am always looking for ways to make my company better, outside of my job description. I put in extra time (away from my family), look for creative ways to improve the company (and make my voice heard by those who run it), help other people who are having a hard time doing their jobs, and motivating my coworkers to do the same. By making my company better, not only do I make my own prospects better- our customers improve, our competitors will also improve (to keep up with us), our whole industry improves, and the country improves.

And I'm sick of carrying the weight for those who don't want to do their part and are content leeching from the rest of us. More workers = better life for all, more leeches = worse life for all.

Hard work might not be fun or easy, but it makes our lives better.

-BC

[bowtieguy]

tebow is an interesting story, but in short...

he is part of a evangelical mission family. he won the heisman trophy last season in which he had THE best season(scoring) EVER in the hisory of college football. but, no championship.

this season, with more help(and subsequent lesser stats), his team won the national title game. he really forced his will at the end to finish strong.

he's the poster child for "hard work pays off!" the problem with this guy is he's better OFF the field than on. his character and love for humanity are quite noteworthy. imagine THAT in todays athletics!

thank you for responding! i feel the same as you, frustrated w/ the lack of effort in the workplace. we need a lot more tim tebos AND for people to follow his lead! i believe hard work is the only way out of the current state of the economy. integrity by gov't and corp execs would help as well.

[Snax]

I think there is an issue of leadership to be considered with work ethics and the economy. Clearly there are owners and leaders of companies who want nothing more than for their company to be successful not just in the short term, but for many years to come. Unfortunately, many of us work for publicly traded corporations where the long term success of the company has often been sold out for the short term gain. My current employer falls into that category.

They have chosen over the last several years to focus on bean counting for the current quarter, placing an emphasis on productivity numbers which in the sort run appear to be beneficial, when in fact they are short changing the long term profitability of the company by sacrificing the quality of work performed. In essence, the threat of being let go for not making production numbers has most of us taking shortcuts in order to avoid scrutiny. Unfortunately these shortcuts are cumulative and will ultimately come back to bite the profitability of the corporation in the long run when it finally comes time to clean up the mess! But in the short run, the company appears to be making money. The shareholders are happy, and the CEO gets his bonus. Nevermind the impact of current practices on profitability 5 years from now.

So the question to the worker becomes; will it save your job to work harder, or will it save your job to work smarter? In this case, working harder does not cut it when faced with the general work ethic of others working smarter (for themselves) by taking shortcuts. And thus, you have an illustration of the number one problem facing publicly traded corporations: Selling out the future for the present. It's what the shareholders think they want, and two years from now when the CEO moves on to greener pastures, will he give a crap? My money is on a resounding no, because he will have gotten his short term gain out of the company. If it flops 6 months later, it won't be any hair off of his butt. His vested interest, like all stockholders, totally evaporates the moment his stock is sold.

P.T. Barnum outlined the reality here that the next buyer of the stock may think they can do the same, but they are instead the one having been born the next minute.

[jeep45238]

With people in my generation (I'm 24) it's rare to find somebody who cares about anything but their own paycheck - and it's debatable if they'll show up on time, or at all.

I wake up at 5am to clock in at 7:30am - I get to work 45 minutes to 30 minutes early just in case traffic holds me up or I forgot to do something around the house before I leave. I haven't called in sick for 2 years.

I work 45+ hours a week, and then hold down a part time job after I get out of my primary job. Oh, I'm also going back to school for an education instead of being happy as a cashier at a grocery store. I don't know how most people in my generation are still alive, let alone have a job. With them currently supplying a lot of the entry labor and replacing experienced retiring people, I doubt we'll see any real improvements for a long time.

[bowtieguy]

Snax and Jeep45238,

you both make good points and our economic woes are no doubt a combination of the two.

my point is that we have limitations in our say in regard to our employers direction, BUT we can control our own actions. if i were in auto manufacturing, for example, i would work hard and intelligently to get the most out of myself and my company. BUT, i would no question be looking for something else in anticipation of job cuts, while reducing my personal spending.

there is sooooo much time being paid w/out work to show for. sick days and breaks are in place for a reason, but abused at the same time. what about excessive paid time off, like gov't work. it's rediculous!

in personal budgeting, Dave Ramsey says the problem is the guy/gal in the mirror, but he/she is also the solution. the same could be said of work ethic.

at work i have a good reputation because i work hard, smart, and constant. but i also ask questions like, "why do we still do it this way?" and "may i do it my way for better results?"

i also help and train others because their success is OUR success and that of our customers; and affirmation and gentle nudging in the right direction helps others.

i understand the complications of public trading, perhaps we should allow stock prices to take a hit to ensure product integrity? i'm in food, so it's a little different.

[Snax]

I think the newest generation of workers is torn between apathy and learned helplessness. If you couldn't afford to provide for your family AND go to school or learn a trade, because the economy is in recession and manufacturing is still being outsourced overseas at an alarming rate, wouldn't you hate your job flipping burgers but give up on doing much else as well?

I consider myself to have come from a privledged upbringing. We weren't wealthy, but my parents saw to it that both my brother and I did not have the obstacle of finances to keep us from completing college. I'm not so sure I would have done it without that obstacle removed. No doubt, most fresh high school graduates (if they have not given up already and dropped out) do have that obstacle.

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by Snax

...wouldn't you hate your job flipping burgers but give up on doing much else as well?

this is where we have a difference of opinion. i have worked the same mopping floors, digging ditches, and cleaning bathrooms as i do now.

in regard to flipping burgers, and these types of jobs, my strategy has always been to work hard towards promotion; if that doesn't happen in due time, find something else!!!

[Snax]

But you are older and wiser. Those fresh out of high school have trouble seeing little if any real opportunity right now.

Those with exceptional ambition will succeed of their own accord, but those hoping merely to afford the basics of life will likely do little else without the extra push from others or a little financial assistance to better their education or skillset.