Verandah Musings 3: The Journey of the Janitor.

A road less travelled?

Start and destination:

For many, this is the start and the end. There is no race or a dash. Just a long non-competitive marathon done in increments every day for several decades perhaps. No initials after their name such as a CPF (certified professional janitor) or ACPF (advanced certified professional janitor). No honorifics either. No personal strengths and weaknesses highlighted with lengthy scripts on social media; nor is this a bragging source for parents.

That said, a few have have been known to move on to other areas which includes, doctors, other health care professionals and politicians. What better basic training than what they have had?

Continuous Improvement:

They polish their skills, gain experience, wisdom and understanding, make revisions, listen to training with feedback from their supervisors and add their modifications and refinements - a kaizen approach. They ride a plateau for years with perseverance and a determined declaration; in turn teach and help the next generation. They might choose to extend their help into their community, faith groups for service and fine tune their roles as spouses, parents, brothers, uncles and aunts if and when they can. Nevertheless the ride is on a plateau of sorts after the initial climb.

Sources of motivation: Being in the "workshop" rather than at "work".

Most are intrinsically motivated as they are often silent, unseen (after-hour work) and unnoticed. They derive a personal satisfaction, a santhushti, from a job well done - a clean and shiny floor - to the best they can. A restorative process that reciprocates in a cycle that strengthens itself much like a tornado.

The intrinsic joy engine is started, revved up and runs well with dwelling on the thinking as well as the processing of what was done, what is being done and what it will do for the many who are helped. Stellar returns are experienced when the why is for the greater good. Yes, the chips will fall in places that sustain the starters as well. The joy circuits that light up in the brain are different from the elation seen for example after owning a new car. Although the job may not have the glitz and glamor and the attendant exhilaration, it imparts the gains that would be experienced with time at the "workshop" or the "she-shed". One looks forward to be in these spaces. Therefore there is a deep yearning and the desire to do it again the next day, reflecting an ikigai. If the next day brings with it a dull and dreary disposition repeatedly, it is time to look at how we work before we call it quits.

Sources as references:

They know the good, bad and the ugly of the people who work in their location. They know who puts in the extra effort to go over and beyond and who does not. With a slight shift in the paradigm of thought, they would serve well as good references

Opportunities for appreciation of their work:

Doesn't it speak of the misplaced priorities if we forget to invite them for the office celebrations including the traditional Christmas party? ? Isn't it a given to be inclusive of the ones who sweep and scrub the dirty floors and express our gratitude to those who clean the toilets and sinks? The other day, I heard it said that castes and classes exists only in the far and distant lands of the developing world. The "Pinocchioian phenomenon" with it's unique nasal characteristic of visible lengthening accompanying utterances of statements that are far from the truth, must have added to the restrictions of our personal fields of vision - yes, under our noses.

Warmly,

Cecil Thoppil.

Post script: The above article was written without any AI help.