Currently there are approximately 220 of us that have a Job at David H. Martin Excavating Inc. Many of us consider this our Occupation and hopefully most of us feel like this is a Calling. Anytime I try to dig deeper in a study of something I often find myself looking up the definition of words. Even common words that I feel like I understand well sometimes surprise me with the given definition(s). Below is a bit of what I’ve found regarding these three words:
Job
A post of employment; Full-time or Part-time position
Occupation
A person’s usual or principal work or business, especially as a means of earning a living; vocation
Calling
A strong urge toward a particular way of life or career; a vocation
While we can all easily say we have a Job at DHM, I hope that when we think about it further, we can at least say we perform our Occupation at DHM. While our primary focus at DHM is the excavating business there are many different parts required to help make this happen. We have mechanics, estimators, accountants, drivers, operators, safety personnel, human resource staff, surveyors, administrators, laborers, supervisors, landscapers, and many others.
Maybe some of us just “ended up” where we are but I think regardless of if we recognize it or not, the “strong urge” that is referred to in the definition of a Calling had something to do with it. It shows through in how well you perform your duties and in the pride that you take in doing a good job.
Everyone can learn or develop skills but each of us also have God given talents and abilities that make us a natural fit for certain things. It’s fun to watch someone who is good at what they do perform their job. It almost seems effortless and natural. We try our best to put people in positions that they can succeed and do well at. Does that mean they are stuck there forever? Hopefully not.
Our goal is always to allow employees to go as far as they want to and are capable of. To some of us that may be right where we are. For others, we may be on a stepping-stone preparing for the next move. Don’t be afraid to try something different when the opportunity presents itself. You might be surprised at your talents and abilities that have never been tapped into.
I know of at least two longtime employees that were close to termination because of lack of performance but when they were given a different task to do, they exceled way beyond expectations. Please communicate your goals with us. Obviously, we can’t make changes overnight but it’s almost impossible to get people in the right places without communication.
I would also encourage everyone to support and mentor coworkers. If we can encourage and assist each other, we will continue to improve as a company. Offer constructive criticism and applaud successes. Make suggestions to coworkers and/or management if you feel someone’s talents and abilities aren’t being utilized to their fullest potential.
Let’s all continue to do our Jobs, relating to our Occupation, as we live out our Calling.