A Hobo Life
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
A Hobo Life
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
When I was a young child, my brothers and I would get excited by passing trains. It wasn’t the train cars that captured our fascination - it was the prospect of seeing someone who had jumped the train for a free ride that we got excited about. “Hobo!” we’d yell as the person passed by in an instant.
Surprisingly, the legacy of hoboes in American history offers valuable insights for leaders and teams seeking to enhance collaborative and ethical practices. In the aftermath of the Civil War, with little or no money, hoboes began navigating a rapidly growing network of train tracks, hopping trains in search of opportunity.
There are different theories as to where the term “hobo” came from. It could have been because many were young farmhands who carried a hoe (hoe-boy), perhaps it was “Ho, beau” from the shortening of the railroad greeting “homeward bound”, or it may have come from abbreviating “homeless boy.” These “hoboes” were transient workers ready to work and make their way. The only free ride they wanted was on the trains they hopped.
Significant moments in American history impacted this traveling way of life. There were rises in the number of hoboes following the Civil War, as the American frontier was settled, during the Great Depression, and after America’s twentieth-century wars. While sometimes romanticized, life as a hobo was far from glamorous. It was very dangerous and over time the number of hoboes dwindled due to these dangers, economic changes, and the increasing difficulties of living a nomadic train life.
Free riding on trains from city to city and the challenges faced created a unique subculture, remnants of which remain today. Some commonly used terms are attributed to the distinctive lingo hoboes used, like “Big house” (prison), “Cooties” (body lice), and “punk” (any young kid).
In many ways, Hobo life ran counter to mainstream culture. For example, hopping trains – a staple of a hobo’s way of living – is illegal in the United States. Yet a closer examination of hobo culture provides insights into how to successfully live with others and the world around us.
In 1889, hoboes convened in St. Louis for a national hobo convention, where they discussed the creation of a Hobo Ethical Code. Remarkably, many principles of this code continue to resonate and provide profound lessons for today’s leaders and teams. Generations later, there are many parallels to the challenges faced by contemporary organizations:
Autonomy and Self-Determination
Hobo Code: Decide your own life; don't let another person run or rule you.
Leadership Lesson: Encourage individual agency and empowerment within your team.
Respect for Local Laws and Authorities
Hobo Code: When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.
Leadership Lesson: Cultivate a culture of respect for others and the space around you, prioritizing positive relationships with others.
Empathy and Integrity
Hobo Code: Don't take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals, or other hoboes.
Leadership Lesson: Prioritize ethical behavior and demonstrate empathy in your interactions with all team members and stakeholders.
Work Ethic and Contribution
Hobo Code: Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants.
Leadership Lesson: Recognize specific individual efforts and a willingness to tackle challenging tasks within the team.
Creativity and Adaptability
Hobo Code: When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.
Leadership Lesson: Foster a culture of creativity and adaptability to overcome challenges and seize opportunities.
Responsibility for Personal Well-being
Hobo Code: Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals' treatment of other hoboes.
Leadership Lesson: Promote a healthy work-life balance and responsible behavior among team members.
Service to Others
Hobo Code: If in a community jungle (an area off a railroad where hoboes camp and congregate), always pitch in and help.
Leadership Lesson: Look for and find ways to serve, help, and uplift others.
Stewardship
Hobo Code: Always respect nature; do not leave garbage where you are jungling.
Leadership Lesson: Leave your surroundings in better condition than you found it.
Community and Cooperation
Hobo Code: Help your fellow hoboes whenever and wherever needed; you may need their help someday.
Leadership Lesson: Help others in need. Cultivate a sense of community and collaboration within the team, recognizing the importance of mutual support.
These lessons, drafted by hoboes more than a century ago, show the wisdom we can gain from unconventional sources. We can learn and grow from anyone, anywhere, anytime – even from the most unexpected people and places!
"To see what is right and not do it is a lack of courage."
- Confucius
Connecting this quote to the story. The hobo community acted in accordance with their principles, even in challenging circumstances, following a special code of conduct. The quote by Confucius underscores the importance of not just recognizing what is right but also having the courage to live by those principles.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Your character determines your legacy.
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, 2023