A Mop Bucket Attitude
“Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."
- Conrad Hilton
A Mop Bucket Attitude
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
Dave Thomas was the founder and owner of Wendy's restaurants. His early life was very difficult; he was put up for adoption at birth, his adopted mother passed away when he was five, and his adopted father then moved from city to city, showing little care for him. Thomas dropped out of high school, later earning a GED. It was an "MBA" Thomas credited with his success, however. He carried a "Mop Bucket Attitude" through life. He got his first job pumping gas when he was ten, and soon after that, he started working at a restaurant. His friends called him "Hamburger Boy" and made fun of him. Thomas made the important decision that he would not let what others think of him determine his destiny.
Soon, Thomas owned four of his own restaurants, and before he died in 2002, he owned over 6,000. Thomas was very charitable and very involved in supporting child adoption initiatives. He also never passed up an opportunity to display and preach the importance of a mop bucket attitude. He said for all the time and attention given to various business strategies and models, everything else pales in comparison to the wisdom of a clean floor. A mop bucket attitude means you are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and do it well. No job is beneath you, and all work is honorable.
A mop bucket attitude is also about quality. It is being willing to do anything necessary to produce your desired results – focusing on even the smallest detail to ensure quality. Thomas explained that a willingness to do whatever it takes can be as important as a piece of paper you get from a college degree. No one, including any of us, is above picking up a mop bucket to clean up a mess or to help out.
Thomas's life is a testament to serving others with a mop-bucket attitude. He didn't let what others thought of him determine his destiny, and neither should we.
“What’s the secret to success? It’s no secret. You need a winning attitude, honesty and integrity, and a burning desire to succeed.”
- Dave Thomas
Connecting this quote to the story. It is important to have a winning attitude, honesty and integrity, and a burning desire to succeed to achieve success. These qualities are vital to a "mop bucket attitude," which means being willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals and recognizing the value in all types of work.
Chasing Influence tip: True success is making a positive difference in the lives of others.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024