There is a Recipe

You want to move up in your company? You want to be noticed?

You want to be fulfilled when you lie in bed at night?

There is a recipe.

You begin with the foundation of integrity. You make it your business to show up at work earlier and work harder than everyone else. You never miss work unless you absolutely cannot be there. You keep challenging yourself to learn all you can about whatever you are doing. You never stop learning. You do what you say you are going to do. You can be counted on to deliver. You have fun in the process. You are always completely loyal to the people you work for.

I had several role models as a young man beginning a career after college. I was fortunate to have some people in my life who demonstrated some basic principles of success.

One of those was a lady who came to work with us about the time I graduated from college.

Blanche Perkins and her husband, Thomas, owned and operated Perkins Store about two miles south of Reynolds for many years. Thomas became ill and passed away and the Perkins family eventually made the decision to close the store.

We immediately hired Blanche to work for us at our store. And it was the best decision we ever made.

Let me tell you why.

Blanche was a person of great integrity. She was as honest as the day is long. If she said she was going to do something she did it. If she didn’t think she could do it, she would tell you that too. She never pretended to be someone she was not. And you never had to wonder how you stood with her.

Blanche had a work ethic like nobody I’ve ever known. She would show up earlier and stay later than the other employees. At the end of the day, as a cashier, she always took in about twice as much as the rest of the clerks. I have a strong feeling that she never went home after a day of work and had even a thought that she did not earn her pay that day. She earned it and she knew she earned it.

She also had great knowledge of the business. That did not come to her by osmosis either. During down times you would see her out in the store making sure she knew the prices. Although the price of each item was supposed to be on the item, she would know the price if it wasn’t. She would also be the first to notice if someone had put the wrong price on an item. She had more knowledge than everyone else because she made a conscious decision to learn everything.

Blanche also had a sense of humor. She made it fun. She never did that at the expense of not going above and beyond our expectations at work, but she would play a joke on someone in a heart beat. She was fun to be around and she made it seem to others as if she was glad to be there. That attitude was contagious to others who worked there.

Webster’s Dictionary should have Blanche’s picture next to the word dependable. I never remember her being late for work and I really don’t remember her missing a day of work. If she did miss a day you can bet your last dollar is was because there were circumstances beyond her control. You could just count on her.

Blanche was also very loyal to the people who wrote her paycheck. I’m sure there were times she was ready to wring my neck and my brother’s neck, but nobody else would know it. She would fall on the sword for us. And we knew it.

Why do I tell you all this about Blanche Perkins?

Because it really doesn’t matter if you work in a grocery store in Reynolds or if you are paid to teach kids to read at school or if you work for a large corporation in Texas or if you work in your home - the principles here apply.

Integrity, strong work ethic, desire for knowledge, sense of humor, dependability, and loyalty.

Blanche Perkins demonstrated all of that as well as anyone I have ever known.

And I sure am glad I got to rub shoulders with her for several years.