The Absent Uncle:A job or a position?
Since I wrote last week’s column concerning my favorite job, I have experienced a number of situations with people close to me going through that reminded me of a story involving one of my most significant “bosses” in my work career.
He was a very literate, professional, and experienced Chief Operating Officer of one of the largest school bus corporations in the United States. Ultimately, I reported directly to him as a Senior Vice President.
Our relationship began in an awkward fashion (for me). I was part of a smaller company that was purchased by the larger corporation that he led, and I was given the choice of significantly expanding my role and responsibilities with no increase in compensation or staff help, signing a very one-sided employment contract, or being terminated. This ultimatum happened in our first meeting, and he made it clear that it would be the last meeting unless I signed on.
Over the following months and years, we forged a relationship based on respect, sometimes brutal honesty, and an understanding of our differences and the value of those differences.
Occasionally he would travel with me to meet with customers, local staff, and I think just generally to get a sense of what was going on with the contracts I was responsible for. During those times together, just one on one, we had some fascinating conversations about business, experiences, and those differences we had.
One story he told me that I will never forget was about his mother’s reaction to some promotion or change in his status with a company. She asked him, “Is this new thing a job or a position?” As he explained to me, his mother believed in “jobs,” not “positions.” They (a company) can get rid of positions, but if you have a job – well, then they need to keep you. You have something of value, something needed.
That conversation resonated with me. So often I saw my peer group be overly concerned with titles that indicated promotions (and probably increased compensation). The thought about what needed to be accomplished in that “position” was included in a job description but really not the focus of the hiring/promotion process, not the nuts and bolts of what needed to be done. The nitty gritty, day-to-day.
He and I went about our “jobs” very differently, but each measured our success and failures in the same light: Did we get the job done, done correctly, safely, and was our customer satisfied with our service.
That was the job – not a position.
