One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic
achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until
the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"
The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it
was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered,
"My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth
to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and
perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes
before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study
and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster
than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and
clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went
back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His
mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands
to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did
that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so
wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were
so painful that his mother shivered when they
were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of
hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school
fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother
had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence
and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell
me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what appreciation is. Without my
mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working
together and helping
my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get
something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and
value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of
others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect
of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The
company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted,
would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself
first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts
work, he assumes that every person must listen to
him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings
of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people,
who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but
eventually would not feel sense of achievement.
He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are
this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we
destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano,
watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them
experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls
together with their brothers and sisters. It is
not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you
want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no
matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray,
same as the mother of that young person. The most
important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and
experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to
get things done.
Self Appraisal :
A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:
Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn."
Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.
Woman : No, thank you.
With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The
store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks,
Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.
Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance
at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I
was talking to!"
This is called "Self Appraisal"