Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post - Putting More People into the Rat Race to Support My Escape

marinik · 11-23-2009, 06:59 AM

My father did an experiment in his firm about 40 years ago. He asked people to write down the pay they thought they deserved on a list that had only the highest on the top and lowest wages at the bottom. It was very interesting to see that everybody had it right almost to the cent, in comparison where my father thought they should be "on the scale". Only one underestimated his worth. After asked if they were satisfied with what they wrote 100% said they were. So my dad gave them the raises/cuts and so on... and made just one bad mistake, in trying to be transparent at everything he did he "published" the list. The moment people saw what other people were making it all went to hell, because it became personal - Joe has more than I??? and he is... and I am... To conclude as long as they were alone on the list and only had their own contribution to measure it was OK, the moment another person was there to compete with...

For Stacy it would be prudent to ask what would be the fair wage for a certain job. Not how much they would like to earn, or what would be enough - the question is "what is fare". People are at their best then and are very responsible towards all concerned.

And if they are unrealistic it shows a lot about their character and what kind ow worker/team player they would be.

In all of my years as a manager there was always a group of people that had no intention to move up the corporate leader, even become a "little" boss of a small group. They were OK and very happy at what they were doing day by day. Even in just punching endless numbers. So Stacy you will find people happy to do the oddest job. Don't worry. And the people will be happy if they are respected for what they do.

11-23-2009, 06:59 AM	#12 (permalink)
marinik Legendary Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Where Living and Loving and Laughing are written into the Constitution Posts: 14,240	My father did an experiment in his firm about 40 years ago. He asked people to write down the pay they thought they deserved on a list that had only the highest on the top and lowest wages at the bottom. It was very interesting to see that everybody had it right almost to the cent, in comparison where my father thought they should be "on the scale". Only one underestimated his worth. After asked if they were satisfied with what they wrote 100% said they were. So my dad gave them the raises/cuts and so on... and made just one bad mistake, in trying to be transparent at everything he did he "published" the list. The moment people saw what other people were making it all went to hell, because it became personal - Joe has more than I??? and he is... and I am... To conclude as long as they were alone on the list and only had their own contribution to measure it was OK, the moment another person was there to compete with... For Stacy it would be prudent to ask what would be the fair wage for a certain job. Not how much they would like to earn, or what would be enough - the question is "what is fare". People are at their best then and are very responsible towards all concerned. And if they are unrealistic it shows a lot about their character and what kind ow worker/team player they would be. In all of my years as a manager there was always a group of people that had no intention to move up the corporate leader, even become a "little" boss of a small group. They were OK and very happy at what they were doing day by day. Even in just punching endless numbers. So Stacy you will find people happy to do the oddest job. Don't worry. And the people will be happy if they are respected for what they do. Last edited by marinik; 11-23-2009 at 07:03 AM.