Management By Stories: Cutting Stones And The Cutting Edge

Eng. was at his wit end. He did not know how to approach his issue, which was more affecting him at an emotional and personal level than on a rational and professional plane.

He was engaged through a contractor for cutting the stones at the highway and no doubt he did it with total commitment and sincerity. All members of his team held him in high esteem and even envy. His supervisor was more than pleased with him for his dedication to the task, his unfailing attendance record and more than these he was a true mentor for the new generation of guys who joined at random to earn their daily bread.

But then our Eng. the otherwise content man (given the limitations of his background) was getting of late confused for he was repeatedly confronted by his wife urging him to bargain for a better and bigger size of bread almost now daily. Initially he dismissed the discussions as inviting problems to his self-satiated soul.

But then poor Eng. "How long" esp. when you’re better half takes it upon her to influence your line of thinking.

Yes he knew his other brothers were relatively well off.

Leon was working for a leading contractor engaged in cutting to latest and fancy designs those high quality marbles, granites and other costly stones. A stone cutter essentially.

Tan was another stone cutter who was working at his own will and pleasure (flexi-time) for the fashion jewelry shop. Again a stone cutter after all and to top it summers younger to him and Leon.

Well, this comparison between the three brothers who were all stone cutters basically was the beast of burden to his beloved wife and which had turned now to be the burden of his song.

It was his payday and he could not have bargained for a better day to feel low and depressed. While on his way home for yet another monthly sermon at home, he noticed an old house where the old monk dwelled. He had passed through the house almost everyday, but today it meant something different to him.

Why not pour the heavy heart out to him and may be he can console me if not convince. May be he will have a remedy for my malady and more than these may be he would be able to lend some voice to calm down the agitation in their (he and his wife) mind.

Well, the monk listened to Eng. with total attention and patience as he narrated and poured out his feelings.

"My friend, tell me what happens if you do not go to the work site?"

"Nothing. I lose my pay and beyond that nothing happens. Rather there are those other new guys who will be too glad to substitute me at the site."

"What will happen if you cut a stone wrongly?"
"Nothing. As a matter of fact there is nothing like right or wrong size to the stones that I cut on the high way."

Who taught you how to cut the stones?
"No body. Rather there is nothing to learn except on how to take care that in your absentmindedness you do not hurt your fingers while banging the hammer on those big stones"

(The monk felt sorry for Eng. and wanted to reach his heart out for his honesty and at the same time helps him and his wife to reach out to the realities of life. He realized how they have got unwittingly trapped in the web of this futile act of comparison.)

"Well remember in life you get paid for the risk that the other person who engages you is willing to and actually takes. Where the risk is low the money one will be willing to part will also be low and similarly where the risk is high he would not mind paying you any amount."

"But sir, how do I make my supervisor take a higher risk?"

"Good question, by acquiring the skills and competencies, which together will make your different from the rest of the stone cutters."

Eng., suddenly felt that somebody has woken him up from his sleep.

He let the statement sink in and remained silent for a long time as if to rewind the whole conversation all over again and again. Finally nodding his head slowly and heavily said "I now realize why my brothers get paid higher than me and also why their supervisor is willing to drive them to the work place even on days they are not well."

The monk just smiled and did not speak a word lest it would disturb the train of thoughts that was slowly bringing Eng. back to basics and reality.

Eng. signed as he slowly got up from the couch and the wisdom of the monk dawned and reinforced into him. He for once did not feel as bad for his brothers.

He understood now better what distinguishes the difference between the three of them.

As he moved out of the hermit, he felt a sudden urge to meet his brothers and wanted to tell them wholeheartedly "I am proud of you both ".

Well, the Skills-set, the Price and the Risks, are to my mid the three most critical elements that rule the world of knowledge workers in an organizational and the entire system of their growth and development esp. in areas like their compensation etc. They form between them the golden triangle in the entire dynamics.

Cutting stones and the cutting edge. It looks like most other typical issues that confront the corporate world today and all of us can easily connect with the different characters in the drama as it unfolds in the organizational context.

How true that today we have operating HR concepts and approach strategies hovering around cost of replacement of knowledge workers, rare skill retention strategy, and leadership aptitude assessment tools etc and many more which cumulatively try addressing the issues raised by Eng. in the corporate world of stone cutters.

Every organization finds a method to treat them and manage them differently thereby distinguishing between the Eng., the Leon and the Tangs of the world.

Where there is no cutting edge in the value addition to the organization in the form of the
T-A-S-K (T-TECHNOLOGY, A- APTITUDE, S-SKILL AND K- KNOWLEDGE) you bring to the worktable, be on the watch you are sure to someday somewhere and somehow lose out in the rat race.

And if you thought the organization should pay you compensation fair and nice (if not fancy), check what risk in the process it assumes while engaging you for that price.

And finally some food for thought;

Where there is no risk – there is no fear and hence no frills!!

What salary figure one should get? Well this allegory helps one to figure it out for oneself.

All the best