I am still on an extended work sabbatical and still learning a lot every day. But my heart remains at work, even after all these decades of hard work, and with all of you my brothers, sisters, and peers who work hard and from the heart. And for that, I must voice that I sincerely salute you.
You are unsung heroes; every man and woman out there trying to make a living to sustain yourself and your families, and to create value and beauty and ease and comfort for everyone else. I know what it’s like. The difficult bosses. The sleepless nights because you feel perhaps you have crossed that threshold and are unacceptably perhaps becoming one yourself. The self-flagellation and self-doubt and constant revisions of style, conduct, manner, and attitude. The difficult subordinates. The difficult clients. The difficult decisions. The uncooperative suppliers. The contingency plans, and contingency plans to contingency plans. The unforeseen sudden shocks to the system despite all that. The sudden staff departures and the unexpected staff hires. The culture when it’s going through a slump. The new products, and new prices, and new processes. The patience, and smiles, and dignity, and integrity, and respect, and ethics, and decency, and honesty, and perseverance, and commitment, and loyalty that can never be compromised.
I know what it’s like when you are pouring your heart, mind, and soul into your role and every relationship, yet you feel you are never appreciated for that sincere true love, and total consistent dedication. I know what it’s like to raise the bar constantly yet feel taken for granted, nevertheless. I know what it’s like to worry that perhaps your team feels unrecognized, or unappreciated, or unseen, or unrewarded. I know what it’s like to pursue excellence, and only always excellence, and be compassionate, and fair with everyone, yet nevertheless, be occasionally misunderstood. I know what it’s like when the market moves beneath you, or the economy turns against you, or the industry faces turmoil. I know what it’s like to always do your best and maintain the best attitude no matter what obstacles you face. I know what it’s like to love your company, and your clients, and your teams, deeply, and passionately, and unwaveringly. I know what it’s like to achieve true value added, and break productivity records, and exceed targets.
I know what it’s like to start again. I know what it’s like to learn, and unlearn, and relearn, and innovate, and improve, and change, and restructure, and realign, and improvise. I know what it’s like to teach, and inspire, and recruit, and mentor, and lead. I know what it takes to be pioneering and the best. I know what it takes to remain at the vanguard of what you do. I know what it’s like to get up early every morning, and be there, and never cut corners. I know that dark, sinking feeling when tides turn against you, and I know the euphoria when you finally prevail through diligence and hard work, nevertheless. I know what it’s like to balance family, and children, and commute, and errands, and home, and health, and work. I know what it’s like to enter a new company, and industry, and team. I know what it’s like to feel like a beginner even after a lifetime of your best work. I know what it’s like to never want to give anyone anything but your very best.
This is to you; the CEO and the entry-level clerk. The doctor, and nurse, and practitioner, and researcher. The teacher, and minister, and parliamentarian, and scientist. The artist and author. The sales professional, and marketeer, and financier, and secretary, and operations officer, and administrative assistant, and technologist. The refugee at the traffic light selling bubble gum and toys. The delivery man and woman. The nanny and cleaner. The chef, and baker, and waiter. The lawyer, and philanthropist, and builder, and creator. Everyone with a job they love and excel in every day. I salute you all. I know the feeling of every turn, and blind turn, and dip, and dive, and climb, and market oscillation, and economic swing, whether you are a freelancer, or working for a government, or a blue-chip multinational, or a regional conglomerate, or a local company big or small. I know the stress, and pressures, and uncertainty. I know how hard you try. I know how much it takes. I know how much of yourself you put into it, and that it takes even more than that out of you every day. You are unsung heroes. I salute you.
