Do Your Employees Build Cathedrals or Lay Stone?

Have you ever heard the story about a man that walks by a construction site and sees three workers, each pushing a wheelbarrow full of stone.

Out of curiosity, he asks one of the workers what they are doing. “What does it look like I am doing?” the first construction worker says with a sneer.  “I’m just laying stone.”

Unsatisfied with that answer, the man asks the second construction worker with a wheelbarrow the same question. Without even bothering to look up, this man grumbles “I’m putting up walls.”

Frustrated, the man asks the third construction worker. “Can you please tell me what you men are doing here?” Unlike the other two, this man stops what he is doing, sets down his wheelbarrow, wipes the sweat from his brow and says with a big smile, “We’re building a cathedral. Wait until you see it, it’s going to be beautiful!”

Perspective makes a world of difference
Here are three different workers; all doing the exact same thing, but each one has a different perspective. This story says a lot about the attitude that each of us applies to our own lives, which in effect, influences those around us in our workplace and in our homes.

In Webster’s dictionary, “perspective” is defined as a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

What is the perspective of your employees at work? Do they feel like they are just “laying stone” and aren’t contributing to anything beautiful? If so, then that is a mediocre employee and will not benefit your company, or your department. Growing businesses do not have time for mediocre employees that lay stone. Employees that think small, will keep your company small. The difference between having an employee that thinks she has a mediocre job and an employee that feels like she has a contributing career, is their perception of the tasks they accomplish.

Employees that just “lay stone” cause the most discord in any office and lay a foundation of negativity and narrow-mindedness. They do not see completion of a project or a task as anything but mundane and unfulfilling.

But employees that “Build a Cathedral” will in fact, build up each other. Those are the employees that build something beautiful in and out of their workplace.  Those are the employees that help build a powerful team and a strong business. Employees that feel accomplished after completing a task are the employees that you want working for you.

Kandi Chapman, President & Founder
MBI Worldwide, Inc.