Funny story, I got fired this week – I mean, straight up, owner walking away from me yelling and screaming accusations as I stand there still trying to process what just happened. Don’t get me wrong, I saw it coming as I pulled in the parking lot Monday morning. I’ve had people opt not to renew their contract for my services. I’ve had the whole “mutual agreement” that neither person was willing to continue the relationship. I’ve been laid off. I’m not saying that every business relationship has been sunshine and rainbows, but it’s the first time I have been fired. It reminded me of the movies where the Chief of Police is leaning over his desk, red-faced screaming at the rogue detective to turn in his badge. The biggest difference was the “Chief” in this instance was wearing jean shorts, an oversized tee-shirt, and leaning on the tailgate of his truck with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
I got home as my family was coming back from their morning walk before starting their schoolwork. In unison, all three of my girls see me and scream, “Daddy’s home!”
My oldest poignantly asks, “You don’t have work today?”
“Nope. In fact, I won’t be going back to work for a while.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, your daddy got fired.”
“Why did you get fired?”
“That, my dear, is a very interesting story.”
“I want to hear a story!!”
Alisa looks at me and says, “I think this is a great teachable moment.” I respond, “I couldn’t agree more.”
I gather the girls around the kitchen table and we start. “Girls, what do you think it means to be fired?” Annie shrugs her shoulders as Lindey Grace says, “It means you don’t go to work any more.” Jillian, in the meantime, has found something to color on and is about as interested in this conversation as I am about hearing the latest Corona Virus news – occasionally looking up to see if I’m done talking to them so she can move on with the rest of her extremely important 4-year-old schedule.
Next question: “Why would someone get fired?” For being only 6 and 8, they are remarkably astute and start rattling off things like, not doing your job; not showing up for work; etc. I think they get the point.
“What do you think are some of the reasons you might feel bad about getting fired?”
Annie Rose jumps in quickly, “Well, you wouldn’t get to see any of your friends any more.” “That’s right. There were people there I enjoyed seeing and I probably won’t see them again.”
Lindey Grace is next. “Um, if you worked at a water park and they fired you, you might be upset because you really enjoyed seeing people smiling and enjoying themselves on the slides and you wouldn’t be able to do that any more.” “That’s right. You enjoy doing your job and doing something people appreciate and you can’t do that any more… at least, not there.”
I decide to add my first teachable moment to the mix and this is exactly where my heart absolutely leaped for joy. I started, “You know, some folks might be upset because they aren’t making any more money…”
“But, Daddy, that’s not what it’s about. It’s not about the money.”
There are times I feel like a failure of a father, but her immediate interjection gave me a glimmer of hope that I’m doing something right. “Lindey Grace, do you know how happy you just made my heart? That is exactly right. Great job.”
Simon Sinek has a great video about why your “WHY” is so important. Sure, money is necessary, but having money at the center of your “why” is not a recipe for success. Your “why” is built into what you believe. Your “why” is not what you do, but it influences what you do and how you do it.
This firing experience has just given me more material to write about than I’ve had in a couple months. There is more to come. Stay plugged in and subscribe to get notifications about future postings. And yes, you will eventually learn what the event was that lead to being fired from a tailgate.