No One Knows He's the Boss

Everyone loves a good reality TV show. I'm currently on an Undercover Boss kick. Never heard of it? CEO's of major corporations go undercover in their own companies. They pretend to be contestants on a fake reality TV show called "Second Chances," where failed business owners try out new jobs and compete with other (fake) contestants for a cash prize. Wearing a sometimes-not-so-clever disguise, the CEO tries out four different jobs within the company. Usually, the CEO works one terrible and three fantastic employees. At the end of the show, the CEO calls all the workers to his corner office and reveals his true identity. Then s/he hands out rewards or "retraining" according to the performance of the employee.

from www.imdb.com

It's crazy, but the show regularly makes me tear up! While undercover, the boss gets to know a bit about the employee's struggles and dreams. At the reveal, the CEO often gives the employees thousands of dollars for school/medical/travel expenses. He does things for the employees that they could never do for themselves. The workers always cry in shock and relief. "Nobody's ever done something like this for me before," they say, wiping their eyes. And then I go looking for the kleenex box.

from www.forbes.com

Why so emotional? And why am I talking about this on a teaching blog?

1. I can't believe how hard people work in hard, thankless, low-paying jobs. I saw an episode where the janitor spent his own money on special cleaning products that were child-friendly. Some of the best attitudes come from people who pick garbage and clean toilets for a living. This makes me think about my own attitude toward teaching. Hey, teaching is hard work. BUT, I'm usally in a climate-controlled environment. I get to take breaks. I get to build relationships with people and see how my job makes a difference in someone else's life. And the salary is much higher than minimum wage!

2. Generosity is powerful. The families of my students may be struggling to keep a car running, pay medical expenses, or even buy food. While I can't give as much money as a CEO, there are many ways that I can give sacrificially to help people in my community. I would like families to know that I see their struggles and am on their side.

3. It reminds me how God sees my work and has compassion on me. He understands the long days, the frustrating moments, and the tough decisions. My work doesn't go unnoticed. He also gives me amazing gifts and opportunities that I could never orchastrate myself. It's said that God is the good shepherd. I would say he's also the good CEO.

PS: If you watch any episode, I would recommend Johnny Rockets. AJ is pretty much my favorite character ever.