The Absent Uncle: Learning

As I stroll through life and encounter different situations that require some thought prior to making a decision, sometimes I think about where that decision-making process came from, as it relates to the question at hand. 

It’s interesting as you thumb through your memory trying to determine what past experience best gives you the map to the path forward – right or left – yes or no – stay or run.

Certainly, we are a sum total of our experiences. As some would say, good judgement is somewhat based on past bad decisions. Plus, the learning that is passed on down to us by those that we are blessed to have in our lives. 

I have a lot of them. From my mom, my dad, sisters and brothers, people that I worked for and worked with. From communication of their experiences that sometimes I listened closely to (other times not – part of that bad decisions thing), and the observations of those that I respected most when they were tested and how they responded, what they did next. That is how I learned. 

A couple of weeks ago, our Editor, spoke about her relationship with her Grandma Meier. She was a very special woman, and I knew her in a bit of a different way.  

I worked for the Editor’s Uncle John at a local motel in Marshall. John and his wife Karen were the resident managers and Grandma Meier (I knew her as Arlene) was the person in charge of getting the rooms clean, the laundry done, and making sure the maids did things right. Both John and Arlene had the touch in getting their people to do the job right and very much led by example. 

For me, working at the motel as a desk clerk was the first job I held where I was the public face of the business I was working for. John was a great person to model my behavior after. He was friendly, always making sure the customer was the center of his attention, and at the same time making sure everyone knew he was responsible, he would do whatever was necessary and proper to make their stay at the motel the best it could be. 

He noticed the mistakes I would make and correct them appropriately, either privately or without embarrassing me if in front of a customer.  \It was part of learning – doing things right. 

And I watched Arlene work with her staff.  \As I remember, she had about 8 to 10 ladies that cleaned the rooms, plus a handyman to do repairs. Some days she needed more help, other days when we had low occupancy she needed less, but she always figured out what needed to be done and who could do it. Making sure things were done right and just like John, she would step in and make sure everyone was treated fairly and if corrections needed to be made – they were. 

As I said earlier, I learned from so many people that were in my life all along the way. Who knew that the motel job that fit in around my college schedule would end up literally being my first management class and provide me with role models I never forgot.