A Place Where Everybody Knows your Name

Points to Ponder: The words that we attach to our experience become our experience. – Tony Robbins

Cheers, Where Everybody Knows your Name. T-Shirt from Cheers Bar in Boston

Story Line: This year I had a sad experience of parting with the T-Shirt that I have worn for a long time. It was a T-Shirt from Cheers Bar in Boston that my wife and daughter had bought for me over a decade ago. It had inscription on the back: Cheers, Where Everybody Knows your Name. The years had taken its toll. Even after it had developed holes in underarm sleeves a few years ago; instead of throwing it away, I had cut the sleeves and still wore it.

This had greatly puzzled my friend who was witnessing a gentle dialogue between my wife and me about retiring that treasure. So in order to calm/satisfy his curiosity I explained the background.

Years ago when my wife handed me that T-Shirt, the thought (analogy) that came to my mind was “Wouldn’t it be valuable to have the similar theme applied in work and life atmosphere: “Cheers, Where Everybody Knows your and your organization’s Name”? But your stakeholders (customers, partners, investors and employees) can remember your name in two ways; positive experiences or negative experiences.

Years ago I got a job in an organization that managed supply of materials used in making semiconductor chips. The job involved dealing with suppliers in many different countries, huge portfolio of materials, dealing with many different manufacturing facilities and demanding customers. There were huge challenges to continue uninterrupted supply of materials amidst growing business, faster introduction of newer products and technologies, and not very patient customers. Dealing with stakeholders in many different geographies required significant time commitment and flexibility. The pressure and stress level was viewed very intense by some who left the group.

To succeed in such an environment, there was great need for an organization culture that was focused on providing memorable valuable experiences for the stakeholders. Well my good fortune that the team I worked with created such a culture. The organization got recognized numerous times by the real stakeholders for delivering outstanding results. Even years after I retired from the industry, people I run into mentions so many names from that team in a very positive light. Awards, Trophies, Public recognitions are like stamp collections**but the learnings from those experiences are lifelong. That experience had demonstrated to me the true meaning of the tag line “Where Everybody Knows your Name.”

The friend who was previously puzzled with my attachment to that T-Shirt seemed to be happy with the explanation.

Reflection: The experience enriched me with knowledge of many different industries and incredible technologies, understanding of numerous company cultures and learning to work with many country cultures. I also learned about diverse group of materials and how to stay calm under intense pressures while solving complex problems. Not to forget the travel to 13 different countries.  But most importantly learning how to keep customers and team members motivated while dealing with all the challenges. To be honest, I often told myself “How many people in the world get an opportunity to have such a broad scope job and learn so much in same amount of time?”

That piece of cloth and words on it I had held on to so dearly was not just the T-Shirt. It is the memory of the great learning experience. It is also the reminder of the value I must continue to provide to people who put their time, resources and trust in me. Every day, I am enriching myself with new experiences from that learning.

Every encounter in life has some learnings. The key thing is how one views that experience and resulting actions.

**“Stamp Collection” is where one pulls things from the shelf (past), dust them off, flip pages, feel good about it and then put them back. Once former Boss used the words “Stamp Collection” to describe behaviors when people get in the mode of Self Admiration (team members complemnting each other for great job for stakeholders without any input from the real stakeholders) or produce tons of data that is not useful.

The word Place in the title could be a company, a country, an organization, a team, a group or an individual.

 

Extras:

… Making your way in the world today Takes everything you've got……..

.....Be glad there's one place in the world Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came…..….You want to go (Be) where everybody knows your name

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Besides that dear T-Shirt and one brown like the above photo, there are a few others that have been my companion for a very long time; again for the similar reason as the one above. Each one has enriched me with more knowledge, better service and clarity about life.

Yellow Stone (retired after 10 years of service): For immense diversity and harmony in one place.

SF Giants World Series (still in service):  What a group of committed, focused, rookies and also not star players can achieve when they work together as a team on the singular purpose. They had no superstars or big names when they got their first two championships. And third time they had so many players- Where Everybody Knew their Names. 😊 😊 😃

Global Supply Management (still keeps on ticking eventhough with a lot of beating/torn): It was a great privilege to be of service to this great organization that delivered immense value to the corporation and provided great opportunity to learn about many different industries, incredible technologies, 100s of company country cultures, many country cultures and huge portfolio of materials and solve complex problems.

 

 

 

Comments

[MC Singapore]

A very heart warming story. Thank you.

[humble warrior]

Cheers Anand and FR family... this was touching... I too share the same sentiment on a few of my shirts

[Cebuana]

There's a lot of truth to this, Ananda. Everywhere we go, there's something to think about or we get something to remember it by. It's also a learning experience, something to start conversation with, and to cherish. It's true that as we trod to every place we go or work, there's always one who is a odd but if we ignore it and just do what we're supposed to do and love it without any malice, one achieve greatness and satisfaction.

Have a good weekend..

[Bill Hoddy]

Great reflection Anand. I too worked for the same company as you in supply chain and traveled the world as you. It was an experience of a lifetime and unfortunately most of the co-workers and friends have moved on to new adventures. It's time to create new memories with new people. Have a fantastic week.