Workplace Honey and Sole Glue
I'm pretty sure you've all heard the old saying "You'll catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." If you haven't heard it, that tells me two things. 1) You didn't grow up in the south or 2) Neither did your grandparents. Of course we aren't trying to attract flies to our cubicles (that would be super annoying and gross), but does anybody out there really like to work with "vinegar" people? Let's face it, we are all attracted to the "honey" people. Working around people who are genuinely nice just makes our day better all the way around.
Looking back on my 28 years as an Administrative Assistant, first in the grocery business, then healthcare and now power distribution, I can say with firm resolve that every company has their share of "vinegar and honey". Believe me, I have worked with some vinegar people. You know the ones. They find fault with everything and everyone. Heaven forbid a vinegar person has to do something that "isn't their job". For some vinegar people, if they were to crack a smile or speak to you in an elevator, I fear their face may just break apart and fall off their little head. I'm sorry, but in my book, vinegar is only good in pickle juice or mixed with oil on a salad.
On the other hand, I have found that associates who are able to achieve a balance of professionalism that is matched with a genuinely kind spirit, are the employees who truly make a difference for everyone in the workplace. They leave a sweet and long-lasting impression on others. These are the "honey" people. A Physician friend of mine called these folks the "sole glue" of a company. I like that term! We need something that binds us together, despite our differences. After all, no matter how good the leather is on a pair of shoes, if the sole comes loose our toes are sure to get wet. Companies are beyond blessed who hire people like this and have them living among us and working beside us breathing life into our 40+ hour work weeks. Sole glue people can help to keep us from coming "unglued" when times get tough at the office.
Let me give you a real life example of a honey workplace person. Someone who really was like "sole glue". Frank Horner was his name. I met Frank within my first week of employment at a large hospital when he came to my office to set up my desktop computer. Quickly and efficiently Frank took care of my computer needs. He welcomed me to our workplace, we had a nice conversation, and he was on his way. I remember thinking, "Wow, what a nice guy. I'm going to love it here." Frank was an IT guy who worked at the company Help Desk, but really, he was so much more than that. You see, I found Frank to be an ambassador for the company. No, you wouldn't have seen that on his ID Badge, his resume, nor was he monetarily compensated for the work he did in that role, but he truly was ALL that and more.
There were times when things would go wrong and I knew that Frank wasn't always the one I needed to call, but due to his kind mannerism and helpful attitude, I called him anyhow. It was as if I picked up that phone and my finger just automatically dialed his number (x7624 - it's etched in my brain). But why? It wasn't that he was the Bruce Lee of the Help Desk with a black belt in desktop solutions, but Frank possessed such a kind spirit people were drawn to him - much like flies are drawn to honey. I knew that even if he couldn't fix my problem, he would happily help me to find the person who could. (Disclaimer: Okay, I admit it, there was a dual purpose in my calling Frank. He would always compliment me in some way or another that simply made me feel good for the rest of the day. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all need that from time to time, don't we?) I quickly learned to depend on Frank not only when my computer froze up, but often times I would drop by his office for a quick dose of his wit and conversation to sweeten an otherwise sour day. Frank was super busy, all the time and looking back, I'm not sure how he was able to get any of his own work done for helping everybody else with theirs. To complicate matters in his life, he had chronic back pain, had endured multiple surgeries and was confined to a desk chair for most of his 8 to 10 hour day. He had every reason to be a little "vinegar" from time to time, but I never saw it. I feel a little guilty about taking so much of his time, reflecting back on those days.
Frank was my "go to guy" for eleven years. Then, our company decided to outsource their IT operations to a firm in India. ("Ello, dis is Peggy.") Some folks were laid off or took other jobs internally, but Frank and several others stayed on in-house, but working for the outside vendor. Under the new IT company, we were supposed to put in a "ticket" and someone from the international help desk (Dehli, India I believe) would return our call "in the order in which it was received". (I found it hard to believe there were 1,524 callers ahead of me, based upon how long it took them to return my call, but I digress...) Since old habits die hard, most times I would still dial x7624, after all, Frank was my 'buddy' and always willing to help a girl out. Come to find out, most of the Executive Assistants still called Frank for the same reasons I did. In true Frank fashion, he never turned us away or scolded us for breaking the new rules, even though I know it must have been frustrating for him doing the work that should have been assigned to three or four people.
A few months after leaving my employment at the hospital in 2014, on a cold December day I was notified that our sweet Frank had suddenly passed away. It seems he had a massive heart attack at the prime age of 56. I couldn't help but wonder how that could have happened to someone with a heart as big as Frank's. I was crushed. So many times I had thought of dropping in and visiting my old friend and catching up or meeting him for lunch, but I just never got around to it. When I attended the funeral home visitation for Frank I was not at all surprised to find the crowd lined up and down the hallway and nearly out the door. A few family members and friends, but mostly co-workers had come to offer their condolences. As I talked quietly to a group of my work peers, for the first time it hit me. I truly realized what an impact Frank's kindness had made on everyone who had the opportunity to work with him. You see, until then, I had thought of Frank as my very own, personal IT Guy and friend. As it turns out, everyone else felt the same way about Frank. Maybe it was just his nature, but this guy went out of his way to create a workplace that "worked" for everyone. It wasn't really his technical skills that would be missed - you can train anyone to fix what's broken. It's much more than that. What will be missed most was his kindness and willingness to give of himself to make things better for everyone Maya Angelo once said "Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud". Frank was definitely a rainbow, but I like to also think of him as "Workplace Honey".
Personally and professionally, I want to be like Frank. Not only to do a good job from 8-5, but with an attitude of "I'm here to help and to make your day a little brighter, your job a little easier and your life less stressful." Who knows, maybe at the end of my days someone will say, "She was the sole glue that held this place together."
Frank, thank you for always lending a helping hand and thank you for the lesson I didn't know you were teaching me.
