Just Sayin’ Blog – Being Average

Average isn’t good enough anymore. On January 24, 2012 I read Thomas L. Friedman’s op-ed (opposite the editorial page) article titled ‘Average Is Over’ in the New York Times. He noted that:

“In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra — their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment. Average is over.”

The article is thought provoking. Globalization and information technology has been changing the world in which we live dramatically. There has been an increase in the manufacturing of automotive replacement parts by “cheap foreign labor” that supply the United States automotive service industry. Those parts are being installed by automotive technicians and if you’re a technician in the auto glass repair and replacement (AGRR) industry, the auto body repair industry or other automotive after-market service industries you’re fortunate that cheap foreign labor isn’t installing the parts they supply. Service installation jobs are safe, but just because a job isn’t likely to be replaced by foreign labor doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t raise your game and excel at what you do.

Who wants to consider themselves “average” in their chosen profession anyway? Are you doing anything to raise your game? If you’re an AGRR technician you can improve your skills through the Auto Glass Safety Council Technician Certification program and other trainings resources, if you are an auto body collision repair technician I-CAR Automotive Collision Repair training programs are readily available and if you work in the automotive repair industry you can look to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for training programs to improve your skills. Is your employer providing you periodic training to improve your skills from an organization such as the ones listed above? Are you actively seeking training to provide yourself skills that will make you above average in your chosen field?

Average just doesn’t cut it anymore as Mr. Friedman writes. What are you doing to separate yourself from others in the industry you work and to raise your skills above those that are average?

Don’t ever allow yourself to be just average.

Just sayin’.