Real Character, Real Work

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I was born in October 1971.

Image: marilyn d., Creative Commons

Some of you may think, “WHOA! This dude is ancient!” While some others of you may think, “He’s older than I thought.”

Although I’m sure most of you don’t even care.

I bring it up because I’ve been feeling like an old-timer these days when I see idiocy like the stunt that Lindsay Lohan pulled in court a few weeks back.

It seems like some kids (yes, KIDS) feel like they are entitled to do things like this or that it’s ok to fall back on an “it was only a joke” kind of excuse.

Thankfully, it looks like everyone in is in the same line of thinking that this kind of behavior does no one any favors.

But here’s the thing:

There are lots of young, smart people (in business and in Hollywood) that don’t even approach this level of stupidity – bright people in PR & Social Media like Lauren Fernandez , David Spinks, Heather Whaling and Tom O’Keefe (to name a few) just don’t go there.

Because at the end of the day, they realize (just like the rest of us) that there is work that needs to be done – real work.

Even if it’s something like:

Making copies the first half of the day
Getting editorial calendars the second half of the day
Stuffing press kit folders after hours for a conference
Making a caffeine run for the team so they can keep stuffing until midnight

Because we’ve all done it at one point or another.

It’s not so much about paying your dues

It’s a matter of recognizing that this “mundane” work is still work. A lot of the “important” stuff could not happen without that stuff getting done. And beyond that, it creates some grit and character in your work style. Yes, Lindsay Lohan may not be doing this kind of stuff; but look at Lindsay Lohan.

Apples… oranges, yes.

But character is character. And respect comes to those with character. Not someone who’s in danger of contempt of court for putting a slur on her fingernails.

At the end of the day, we’re all part of the same machine. The more we work together, the better the machine operates.

And the better the machine moves, the happier our clients may be.

What’s the “most mundane” work you’ve had to do in your career? How did it help your team?

Recommended – and perhaps contradictory – reading:

Tom Murphy says, “PR people: if you want respect, pay your dues”
Is “paying your dues” an outdated concept? (Employee Evolution)

With more than 14 years of public relations experience, Narciso Tovar is president and founder of Big Noise Communications, that runs on Method + Moxie. He lives in Dallas with his wife, Rhonda, and has a strong track record in media communications, both “old” and “new,” with organizations such as Vonage and the Wall Street Journal Online. One of the most energetic young voices in social media, you can easily connect with Narciso on Twitter.