Do I Have to Take Out the Office Trash?
I work in a small company, but do I have to take out the trash?
Yes. Just pitch in and do it. Sheesh, Imelda, getting a bit big for your britches here?
I know it is not in your job description, and it's most certainly not what you expected to be doing when you took that fancy-schmancy "Social Media in the 21st Century" class. But, hey, this is what work is like, everyone doing a bit for everyone else.
Along these same lines, here is a one-sentence, absolutely killer piece of advice. Follow this advice, and write me back in 20 years to let me know how it worked out for you. DO THE JOBS NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO DO. My Grandpa said that. It means if there is a job not getting done because it is either too hard, too messy, or too demeaning, go ahead and do it. Reputations are made doing this, I kid you not.
I realize that some of these jobs cross the line... picking up the owner's dry cleaning, baby-sitting her kids, or helping her clean her house.
Instead of complaining like most people, why don't you simply assume goodwill, and assume that your doing these crummy jobs will help the business. It may help if only because it frees up the primary revenue producer from a mundane task that she has calculated can be best handled by you. You are, in effect, saving her time to do more, make more.
In the meantime, swallow your pride a bit, and do it all in good humor.
G. L. Hoffman is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor/operator/incubator/mentor. Two of his companies have traveled the entire success path from the garage to IPO. Currently, he is chairman of JobDig, and his blog can be found at whatwoulddadsay.com or at JobDig.com.
Tags: careers | small business
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Reader Comments
Pick your battles
Some things need to be done. Some don't. It's up to the individual. It seems to me the employee's willingness to go above and beyond the job description is directly related to their satisfaction or happiness working at that job. The more satisfied they are, the more apt they are to help out. So it may be an indication of one's company atmosphere and employee satisfaction if a request to empty the trash is met with a stony silence.
Pick your battles
Some things need to be done. Some don't. It's up to the individual. It seems to me the employee's willingness to go above and beyond the job description is directly related to their satisfaction or happiness working at that job. The more satisfied they are, the more apt they are to help out. So it may be an indication of one's company atmosphere and employee satisfaction if a request to empty the trash is met with a stony silence.
Empty the trash
Obviously, if the trash needs to be carried out, especially if it is yours, one just does it, good culture or bad. The 'learning' here for young people, perhaps, is that you will hear problems and issues that confront your business each day. It is eye opening to realize how few of these problems are actually being worked on. If you can continue to do your own job...and work on some of these un-assigned problems as well...with or without 'permission'...well, I would hire you.
Great Common-Sense Advice
This is an excellent piece of advice that too few people appreciate or practice in today's workplace. It applies for every employee in any company or organization, regardless of size. Be the person that just does the things that need to get done. Don't complain, don't look for accolades, and don't keep score. Not only will you make your company a better place to work and more successful in the long-run, you'll also make the people around you take notice of what you do. It's simple, but it can have an incredibly profound impact on a company and the people within it.
Excellent, practical advice. I look forward to reading more of these columns.
Who is GL Hoffman anyway?
and where does he get the ideas for his posts?
I am good at taking out the trash....
Do you think you can find just the right job for me?
????
Just what the hell does the evening janitorial crew do here anyway?
There's not a lot of traffic...
There's not a lot of traffic on the extra mile. If you are just starting your career (or looking to bust out of the same old, same old), think about this. Go the extra mile. You won't have much competition. If most people leave the office at 5:01, stay until 5:30 and get those extras done that every boss (at least every good boss) appreciates. In no time at all, your career will be moving. People can make this way more complicated that it needs to be. First - do your job well. Second - do the extras. Result - success.
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Doing what no one else wants to do
You have a real gem of wisdom here. It's true with a job and it's true with society in general. It's a quick cure for hubris. It's a sure path to bonding and leadership.
May 06, 2008 14:27:15 PM [permalink] [report comment]