A Bad Boss Taught Me ... Daddy Loved Me!
You can learn …
???valuable lessons
????????from a bad boss!
It is not even necessary for that bad boss to be your boss. You can also learn from someone else’s bad boss.
I learned many good lessons from other people’s bad bosses.
When I was 16 years old, I learned from my father’s bad boss. My father was a receiving clerk in a warehouse for a large tire manufacturer.
My three younger brothers and I wanted him to go somewhere with us after work one day. As usual, he had ridden the bus to work that morning.
We called him, told him what we wanted and he said,
“Drive the car and come pick me up when I get off from work. I will ask my boss if I can leave a few minutes early.”
When we arrived at the warehouse about 30 minutes before the end of the workday, I heard my father ask his boss,
“I have finished my work, my boys are here to pick me up, may I leave a few minutes early?”
The boss’ surly reply was,
“I don’t care if you finished early, you’ll leave when I tell you to, and that is not one minute early.”
We all stood there and waited for the workday to end so Daddy could clock out.
When we got in the car and left, we all discussed the incident in detail. It was obvious to us boys that the boss wanted us to know that he was in charge and that he intended to make Daddy look inferior in our presence.
We were distressed that our father tolerated such an abusive boss. Even though we realized that Daddy had very little formal education, we didn’t think he should have to put up with that boss. One of my brothers said he should have given the boss a bloody nose.
After hearing our opinions, he said,
“Boys we have to learn to accept people as they are; we may not like the way they behave, but we can’t change them.”
????“Besides that, a man needs a job.”?
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I learned two valuable lessons that day.
First. I resolved; if I ever find myself in authority over anyone else, I will not treat him or her the way that bad boss treated my father.
Second. That abusive boss may have intended to portray my father as spineless and unmanly … he failed.
What my brothers and I saw was a strong man who cared so much for his family that he could, without showing resentment, tolerate that bad boss without yielding his pride and confidence.
Never had it been so clear how much my father loved me.
????I wanted to be more like Daddy!
To me personally, the second lesson was priceless.
However, that takes nothing away from the importance of the first lesson.
Today, 71 years later, my vivid memory of that afternoon is still guiding my thinking and behavior.
Most important …
????I will never forget how …
?????????Daddy loved his family and …
??????????????Daddy Loved Me!?
---Jimmy Collins
Like stories? My latest book?Jimmy’s Stories?is available on Amazon. ?
More principles are in my book,?Creative Followership. Available on Amazon.
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Franchise Growth Strategist | Co-Producer of Franchise Chat & Franchise Connect | Empowering Brands on LinkedIn
1 年Good story, Jimmy Collins
Design | Installation | Service for new (LED) and existing Landscape Lighting services by professional teams of electricians who climb trees
1 年Yes! Dad said, “if you’re not going to win… sometimes there’s not a win… kill ‘em with kindness!” The “kill” was not literal rather, give them your best regardless. This is your legacy.
The Tick Terminator
1 年We just buried my 90 year old dad Monday after 4 years in a nursing home. He was a great husband and always loved our mother married 70 years. Because of his example each of us 3 boys have been happily married for 41, 44, and 46 years to our first and only. He had a great life and is now with the Lord.
Jimmy, thanks for sharing such a life-changing experience you had in seeing your father's reaction to an unfair boss. I learned so many lessons from my dad, who worked three jobs as a pipe fitter in a Birmingham steel plant, then 3 hours a day in an insurance agency, and two hours at night repairing TVs. He never complained, and did it all for his 3 sons and daughter. What a legacy of love we have inherited from our beloved fathers. God bless you on this Father's Day and know your words of wisdom encourage many.
DNJETC
1 年Thank you for posting a concise and clear story that shares your experiences from a young age. Hope your eyesight is fully recovered.