Once a man named Charles M. Schwab, a steel magnate, asked his colleagues, “Three men were laying brick. The first was asked: “What are you doing?” He answered: “Laying some brick.” The second man was asked: “What are you working for?” He answered: “Five dollars a day.” The third man was asked: “”What are you doing?”” He answered: “”I am helping to build a great cathedral.” Which man are you?”
The aim of the question was to determine what every individual works to gain in life. Deconstruction of the question shows us that its true motive is exactly what excites most of the people who know it. It shows us what most people don’t comprehend hence leading them to be like zombies, living without satisfaction in whatever they do.
In business before one starts the journey, there is a need to understand exactly what it is they are working towards and not just the utmost urgency of getting a job just for the purpose of dealing with expenses. Apart from being a way of increasing income and getting more finances, a business should also bring meaning to one’s life. It instils skills and experiences as well as confidence so that one is able to handle any situation that presents itself.
Charles Schwab’s question can be used to determine one’s attitude towards business. For instance, the first who responded that he was laying some bricks can be considered to have been there to do the job without any motivation driving him. This person can be compared to those who usually want to start businesses without knowing the consequences or responsibilities required to run it hence they end up giving up. If one has no motivation towards what they want to achieve when starting a business then it leads to a collapse in the near future and if not careful, to increasing debts.
The second person who answered the question seemed to have some motivation but his main objective was the money he was to receive as payment for the job. He seemed to be more focused on the money while neglecting all the other factors. Mostly, those who are starting a business or already own a business fall under this category. This is because the main aim of most people going into business is to make profit.
With this being what most people concentrate on, they usually end up neglecting other factors such as well-being of employees and better working conditions. If a business solely focusses on increasing its finances alone, then it is possible they would go as far as breaking the law to achieve their goals. Hence, even though this is a noble goal towards starting business, without the right guidelines, it can lead to negative impacts on both the business as well as the customers.
The third person who answered, “I am helping to build a great cathedral” was in simple terms a visionary. He had envisioned what he was helping build. He, unlike the rest was motivated not only by money but by what he was helping create hence he was motivated to see the project to the end. He can be compared to the business people who work towards creating a business to make their visions and dreams a reality despite the responsibilities and consequences that come with it. These are men and women who are dedicated to expand their businesses with the aim of not only making a profit but also being able to make something productive out of it.
Charles M. Schwab’s question has helped quite a few people who understand it to change their attitudes and perspectives towards how they view business. It has helped them to be more like the third person and not only concentrate on money but on creating something productive in the society. However, even though the third man was able to answer what he envisioned, the underlying question would be if he would have answered the same if he was the only one asked.
