Work for Free??

I once had the opportunity to speak to a group of 11 - 15 year olds. What an experience! The requesting organization ask that I talk about my education, career, and why I do what I do.

Reflecting on the time I spent with those teens, I realize that I didn’t tell them the whole story. Yes, I talked about finding your passion. And I told them about the motivation of greed for my bachelors degree. But I didn’t tie the two topics together. I missed the boat there. They deserve to know that you can and should combine your passion with making money.

I’ve been fortunate over the years to have multiple jobs in several functions --- most of which, I’ve loved. Having that variety is good for me as I seem to have a “job attention span” problem. Leaving me in a job longer than 2 or 3 years tends to be dangerous --- as I will likely start launching some turds into the punch bowl just to stir things up and keep myself amused and engaged.

I started out in Finance. That was my passion. I loved the variety of challenges I faced. And I was rewarded with merit increases and promotions. I knew, early on in my career, that I wanted to take the management career path. Had I not gotten the promotions on a regular basis, my passion would have faded quickly.

However, after a creative stint in a company development program, I was exposed to Operations (manufacturing). What an intriguing area of business! I learned several important things upon my move to Operations. I learned that I love the manufacturing side of the organization. Watching the airplane go from sheets or blocks of metal to a finished aircraft is a fascinating process. (As an aside, if you ever have the chance to watch what the industry calls a PTQ, or put-together-quick, video of aircraft manufacture, take the time to watch it.) I loved the organization and the work (although it was HARD work!). I was rewarded, both monetarily and with promotions. But as with Finance, I wouldn’t have stayed engaged and enthused had the money not followed my passion. I’m only human, I wouldn’t have done it for free.

In today’s environment, many people are forgoing pay raises or even taking pay cuts just to keep their jobs. While I understand the necessity of cutting costs, that can’t be sustained in the long term. Mostly because, sooner or later, employees will tie together their passion with their pay. And if both aren’t there, really good people will move on to other opportunities.

What I should have told those kids is ….. While it is important to love what you do, it is okay to realize that you wouldn’t do it for free. One of the best things any person can do is to combine their passion with making money.