Would You Fire Yourself?

Your manager is unfair! The deadline was too tight!

At the end of your day look at what you did and pretend that you owned the company and that your effort was of an employee who worked for you. You took a home equity loan out on your house, plus a third mortgage, you cashed our your 401k, and you borrowed money on your credit card at 22% to get enough cash to start your company. Then you hired staff and paid them twice a month no matter how well the company did that month or what they accomplished. Then you look at the day you had today from the eyes of the entrepreneur.

You came in late because your workout at the gym didn't start on time because your personal trainer was late. You were late, yet you still managed to stop at Starbucks for your coffee. When your manager came over to talk to you, you were on the phone with your girlfriend talking about your upcoming trip to Florida. You spent time on Match.com looking for a date for your best friend and then also had to check your personal e-mail four times during the day. You ducked out at 5:00 p.m. on the dot because you were having friends over for dinner, yet there was work left that can "wait for tomorrow."

Don't forget you are the person who took a home equity loan out on your house, plus a third mortgage, you cashed out your 401k, and you borrowed money on your credit card at 22% to get enough cash to start your company. The above paragraph is someone who worked for you. How would you feel knowing your pay may vary to make the business survive, yet the person who did all of the above still gets paid.

Would you keep yourself employed? Work like you own the place...maybe someday you will. I can guarantee this, you'll feel better about your job because the results will be better, your manager will be happier and you will get promoted!

Comments

[Tom C]

Tom,

While I like this point of this post, I'm not sure it accounts for the fact people learn through experience. (of course, if someone gets fired for poor performance, then that would be an experience).

In one case, imagine if business was down 20% for the month and all the employees had to return 20% of their pay. On the other hand, let's say the business is up 100%. Would all employees get a 100% bonus? Not likely. That's because there are stakeholders, additional costs of doing business and paying back those who have invested in the business. Investors who might have waited years to get back their investment (cash or sweat equity) and want to get a return greater the a bank CD. Yet, employees should enjoy the upside when they helped to make it happen.

I'd be curious to see how you follow up on this point.

Tom C.

[Tom Gimbel]

I'm not sure what bonus compensation has to do with effort, at least from the perspective of my post. If you aren't giving 100%, you don't deserve a bonus whether business is up or not. Perhaps my next blog will be would you give yourself a bonus?!