My 11 year old asked me a question I can’t stop thinking about.
We were at dinner Friday night, and he said:
“If a family paid you $100 per hour to cook them a meal, but they never ate it. They threw it in the trash in front of you every night. Would you keep the job?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t think I would.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because there’d be no purpose.”
He sat there, mostly satisfied, wrestling with the answer in his own head.
“I think I’d take it for a few days and then quit.”
“Smart,” I said. “Smarter than me. Unless the family was a bunch of serial killers.”
We laughed.
AFTERWARDS I couldn’t help but think, isn’t that how most people feel at work…
What’s the fucking point?
Not recognizing someone’s work, that’s throwing food on the floor. Not giving helpful feedback, that’s throwing food on the floor. Not connecting it to the bigger picture, that’s throwing food on the floor.
Most leaders throw food on the floor. Then their team quits and they’re surprised when they have nothing left to eat.
So what do you do instead?
SAVOR THE FOOD:
Notice your team’s work. Reference it in decisions and product launches. Eat what your team makes. Otherwise tell them to cook something else.BELIEVE IN THE COOK:
Belief comes with feedback and coaching, not fake praise. If you never send a dish back, the cook will never improve. You can do this without being an ass.GIVE THE WORK A WHY:
Don’t assume your people know how their work ties into the bigger picture. Tell them why they’re cooking, what its for, how it fits in, and what it could mean.
My 11 year old nailed it.
Money alone doesn’t solve purpose.
⁂
Till next time,
Never say die 🏴☠️
Scot
→ scotchisholm.com
→ highlandacademy.com
~~~
P.S. I made a big announcement on Friday…
We completely relaunched Highland Academy - my "school" for CEOs and high-level operators (execs, VPs, managers). Is that you?
You get access to every piece of content, template and tool I’ve ever created. Feed the whole thing to your AI and go from average to world class in minutes.
Click “yes please” and I’ll send you an email with more info (no strings attached).
Send you the deets?
The new Highland Academy user experience!
🐐🏔️