One thing my dad taught me at a young age, while working in his warehouse, and going out on jobs for him, was that we should all do at least a full day's work, offering a fair service for a fair price. He has become very successful in business with that simple set of rules. We talked often about the humanity of business, and how even though I would be installing similar products in their homes or business, these customers and their homes/businesses were all unique. From a rudimentary standpoint, taking my dad's business of floor covering as an example, each person is as unique as the quirky measurements and traffic patterns between my living room carpet and the carpet of my neighbor. Our dimensions might be similar, but our tastes, budget, family activities, and decorating sense are all different, making a common service - installing a living room carpet - unique.
That translates perfectly into my daily life as an educator, businessman, and human being. I believe we should deal with each customer/person as if they were a one-of-a-kind project that needs unique attention. Not unlike the craftsman who builds one piece of furniture at a time vs. the mass-produced factory furniture, there is extra attention spent on that single piece that will probably end up in its having a longer life (better durability) and a richer price tag. Custom furniture usually uses better quality materials and more complex assembly, making it a higher valued object, with better quality assurance.
Before I digress too far, my point is not to discuss carpets and furniture. My focus here is on how we deal with our fellow human beings. Whether we want to admit it or not (and I tend to try to not) we all depend on others to get through our days. Whether it is the person pumping our gas, checking out our groceries, delivering our mail, or directing traffic, we need others to care about what they do to make the world move smoothly.
As a principal in a school where every student has an IEP (Individual Education Program), and are sent to us from a public school district to assist them in overcoming their unique issue of being hearing impaired, all of my students are dependent upon adults assigned by their home district, as well within our school, to provide them with appropriate services and care to give them every opportunity to succeed. We view every student as being special, with their own unique set of needs and learning styles. Our teachers and staff are craftsmen. Each student is handled with unique care and attention to detail. What is interesting is monitoring the view of our students from the sending districts. 90% of the Case Managers that send their students to us are caring, compassionate, insightful, professionals, who take time to know the child, the child's family, and the people who are part of their educational program. It is their assistance that allows us to continue to be successful in what we do, and ensures that these students have EVERY opportunity to succeed. There are those, however, who fail to see the humanity in their business, the craftsmanship in their chosen profession, view each student as another product on the assembly line of the public school system, and give the students what the state forces them to comply with and what will cost the district the least amount today (not thinking about how the investment today in quality service would impact the bottom line for years to come). It is that 10% that incenses me - the ones that treat the kids like a liability - like a product they are pushing up the assembly line that will become the next person down the line's responsibility. When you look at people as a dollar sign/liability, instead of someone who NEEDS your expertise to help them, that is when you should question the path you have chose to take. You have one life to live, you should do it in the most rewarding and contributing way possible. This 10% feeds right into one of my previous writing about people "collecting checks instead of earning them."
This 10% doesn't only apply to education, it can be witnessed in every profession, every walk of life. I deal with the educational 10% personally, with my colleagues, advocating for the students in our school. What prompted me to write today was NOT education, but the healthcare industry, which we have recently been dealing with as my mother-in-law recovers from major back surgery.
Two weeks ago, after spending two weeks in a rehab facility that we will call "K." Mom lives alone in a small house that is not quite built for a walker or wheelchair. She was still experiencing great pain, and her pain management had not been fully normalized. The Social worker at K came in and told her that because she had been making such great progress, that she was going to be sent home in three days - even though she still had the insurance and funds for an additional 20 days. She CLEARLY was not medically, nor personally ready to go home, and her house still needed to be equipped with assistive devices to ensure her safety. All the Social worker knew was that she was able to stand and use a walker for a certain amount of feet, so she was ready to go. They "needed her bed." She did not view mom as a unique case, taking into consideration her health/medication issues or her home needs. She prescribed her a visiting nurse for a couple days a week (with a list of stipulations attached to that service) and sent her on her way.
Two days later, Mom is throwing up violently, unable to keep her meds or food down, and is dehydrated to a state of desperation. The visiting nurse rushes her to the hospital, where she is kept for observation for three days, then for treatment another three days. She has since been re-released to a different rehab facility, where we are happy to say she is well taken care of, and healing nicely. We saw her stand and walk yesterday, looking better than she has in probably a year. The people at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ and now Care One in Hackensack, NJ did not view mom as a product on the assembly line. They treated her like fine craftsmen, taking time to ensure that she was put together properly.
It is that 10% that prompts people to make blanket statements like "You know what's wrong with education, (healthcare, telecommunications, ------place your industry here)?" That 10% ruins it for the 90% of us who do care. The 90% of us who see humanity in all we do. The 90% of us who follow the Golden Rule, and treat others the way we would like to be treated.
I hope you strive to be part of the 90% and lower that 10% number. Imagine how we could change the world if we treated others the way we wanted to be treated. . . . . . .Simple solution, with infinitely powerful ramifications.
Thanks for visiting.
Peace,
Randy
