Growing up in a family owned business carried with it many lessons that otherwise I don’t think I would have learned.
When I on Christmas break and sleeping in my Dad would stop into my ask, "Want to do firewood, Robert?"
The first thoughts that would go through my head were, "No, I don't want to wake up on my day off from school, and go out into the cold. "In an effort to procrastinate I'd ask when he planned to leave to which he would answer, "Right now."
Now this lesson I am about to share may seem trivial to anyone over 10 years old. However I still encounter adults that lack this simple skill - I really can't even call it a skill.
At the end of the loading and delivery of firewood my dear sweet Dad looks over at me as we park in the driveway at home and asks, "How many hours did you work today?"
Dumbfounded I respond with a penny-unwise shrug.
Then my gracious and providing Dad tells me the start and stop time of the day. Then he adds the sentiment. "If you want to be a manager you've got to wear a watch, and carry a wallet."
With that he hands me the hard earned wages, and closes with, "Put this in your wallet."