New World Order

Friday is the day that I'm showered by 6 a.m. and out the door by 6:30 a.m. There is no other day that I do that.

But I have to get bloodwork as early as possible the day of my chemo treatment. If my blood counts are not where they're supposed to be, they won't proceed with the chemo treatment. So far, my blood counts have held fairly steady right along the lowest acceptable guidelines.

I've never been much for being a slave to time. Time clocks at work, to me, have always seemed silly.

Although I do not like being a slave to time, I am rarely late for anything.

I worked for a company once that organized a leadership group. The owner of the company asked me to join the group, which I did. On my first day he led us in a discussion about time and about being late. Being late, he said, leaves the impression that you are more important than everyone else, that you don't care if others have to wait on you.

I couldn't agree more. I hate to make people wait on me.

Then the owner of the company was late for the next dozen leadership meetings.

I eventually stopped attending the leadership meetings. He was only interested in shaping his little minions to serve him. He didn't actually want to follow the good lessons in leadership himself.

I've never worked a job that made me miserable. If it made me miserable, I went and got another job.

I've also never worked a job where I hadn't put in more hours than I've gotten paid for. When I get to work I go to work. Often times there seems to be an us versus them mentality within one company, workers versus the owner(s). I've always worked as if I owned the company, because don't workers and owners alike all share a vested interest in the company?

I've certainly seen folks standing around talking, drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, waiting for the time clock to punch in and begin work. When I get to work I like to go to work, that's why I drove in through rush-hour traffic.

Once a company scolded me for punching in too early. They were afraid I was after overtime pay that was not pre-approved. I don't care about the overtime, I told them, I just want to get to work. They looked at me like I was from Mars.

I've worked with a girl once that would steal from the company. She would back her truck up to the backdoor and steal stupid things - like stools. To me she was stealing from all of us, owner(s) and employees alike. I turned her in.

I was meant to have my own business. There's never been a question of my drive and desire to work. I made sure that I learned a craft that I really enjoyed. Many people were worried about my chances to earn good money as an artist - a writer, an illustrator, a graphic designer, a photographer. But what meant more to me than money was getting up everyday and loving what I do. And that is the thinking behind someone who should have their own business - not someone who is a slave to the time clock.

But many people like being a slave to others. They really do. They like being a slave to that time clock. Many people lack ambition or cannot find a career that they really love. Many people are afraid to take that giant leap and figure out how to make it on their own.

As we enter the next few decades I believe the circumstances around us will force more of us to find a way to become our own boss. Because of technology many people can work from home, in many different positions, without missing a beat.

Two dozen people in two dozen places can easily work on the same network, with the same information, without missing a beat. I can call a co-worker in North Dakota on the computer and video conference direct with him or her.

And think of all the cars we'd take off the road, all the gas we'd save. The benefits to company owners and employees alike abound.

My goal with Albert Design Studio is to secure a network of talent without hiring an employee. Everyone works and contributes from their own home office. So far I've interested a web programmer and a print designer to join us in this pursuit.

Now we've just got to stir up more business, in this tough economy, and make it work. I think it will.