Daniel, my oldest son, finished college in December, earlier than expected but only after many more dollars spent than we had hoped. Anyway, he took his first 'real' job a few weeks ago. He's doing some kind of grunt like computer work for a finiancial company in Boston and he hates it. He calls on a fairly regular basis to unload a little on me and I'm glad to have the chance to offer some guidance. He's 22 now, so I'm just a bit smarter than he (again). He tells me his education is being wasted, and I tell him be happy to have a job. He tells me he doesn't see himself doing this for the next 5 or 10 years, and I tell him to be patient. He tells me he HATES it, and I tell him to smile. I think telling him to smile is going to be the best advice I can give if he's going to continue in an office enviornment. For that matter, working anywhere! Who wants to spend eight hours a day with a sourpuss? Who cares that you misplaced your keys or you broke a shoelace? Leave it at the door.  Of all the jobs I've had over the years I've noticed that the one who smiled alot frequently got recognition. Not always for performance, but for their attitude. In the work environment a 'can-do' attitude goes a long way with the employer. Over the years I've had all types of help. A few years back I had a kid named Mark. He and his family moved here from the south and he pronounced his name 'Mork'. One morning I got a call from his mother saying "Mork kant come in taday..............., lessen a course ya'awl wanna go an bail heem out". I mailed him his last paycheck and filed him with the loosers. Like the ones I've gotten the 'child support' payroll warrants for or the guys with the 8 hour hangovers that couldn't get out of the truck at a jobsite. Other guys have been around who really wanted to work and did a great job out there for me. And there have been a few that were just way, way too intense, too serious for me. The guy that always got my attention was the one who would come in early and ready to work with a smile on his face......,every day. Even if his ability was just average his smiley, eager attitude was superior. The person that can make work enjoyable because they see the bright side of things and they don't walk around saying "this sucks" all day is who I want to have around ME. I think I'm more productive and I'm not that different from anyone else. "You have to laugh a little" I tell my son, workplace morale is important. "Put up a baseball pool in the lunchroom, Dan" I say. "Try and get a few guys and or girls to go for a bike ride on the weekend or to the gym a few nites a week" I tell him. "It is what you make it!" I want him to be an asset to his employer with a positive attitude and friendly, motovational personality. I'd like for him to be the person that people will miss if and when he moves on. People that do their jobs AND make their work environment pleasureable are valueable. You can be that guy too. Smile!
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