Marginalized
From the margins I can see right field
Mostly now I hit more to the left
Bloopers into the air, easy pop ups
Past the infield which gives me advantage
A player, I’ve learned the tricks
Over the first baseman into short right
A bunt towards 3rd base
I’m gold in a rally
Can steal with the best
Slide into second on a dime
Sometimes I ride the bench
Cheering for my mates
When truth is revealed
No matter how hard I try
I’ve learned to keep in mind
The greatest skill is staying in the margins.
Out in Left Field
The clanging of the key ring announces him before I lift my head up from my desk. Imagine the power of the being with the four-inch key ring. When he opens my door, the aroma of fresh baked bread enters my space. If I get up and move through the aisles, I’ll run head on into pepperoni balls heaped on a tray in the Deli.
“I’d like your help on the floor today,” he says.
I push back my chair and follow his quick steps to the Meat Department.
“This is not what I was hired for. I’m a nutritionist, I help customers plan meals and parties, not weigh fish fillets,” I insist.
He turns to me and glares as if I’m from another planet.
“Perhaps you are not aware of how we define success in this business. Tonnage is the bar we use—pounds of beef. You need to figure out how you can add to the bottom line.”
Not only was I not aware of the term “tonnage,” I cautioned shoppers to cut back on red meat consumption. Clearly, I was out in left field with little chance of coming close to the margins. If I was going to continue to be employed in the food business, I’d need to get creative.
So, I contacted The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) to find out how much a loyal customer is worth in dollars. Then I put together the data from all the customers I had helped in the past year.
From there I took the FMI formula and multiplied it by my data. The bottom line was staggering. Not only did I help create loyal shoppers, I gained the confidence I needed to bring my report to management and ask for a raise.
No longer marginalized, it was possible for me see the entire playing field and how my role in consumer affairs added to the bottom line of the supermarket. If you find yourself out in left field in your work, underappreciated, undervalued, maybe it’s time to get creative.
Thank you for subscribing to GET GUTSY. I’d love to hear about an experience you had in the margins or when you felt like you were out in left field. Hit the HEART and COMMENT, I’d be grateful.
Right on, Trish!!!
Fantastic message for all ages.