There once was a man who owned a shipping company. He recieved daily shipments from all over the world. He had a man who was retiring who had been an incredible asset to him. Knowing that it would be very hard to vfind someone just like him he went in search of two to accomplish the task.
One day his oldest son, Alan came to the owner and asked his father for some work. The owner told him that he did have an opening and put the young man to work on the docks doing inventory. The days turned to weeks and the son was working out so well that he asked another of his sons to help out to even out thre work load. The other son Steve agreed and he came to work. At first all was well both brothers worked side by side. They talked of little but liked working together. Both brothers were being paid the same rate and were doing great. Six months past and Alan came back from lunch one day with a grin so wide and a spring to his step. Steve asked what he was so excited about. Then Alan replied that he had just recieved a large wage increase. That he was able to get his needs met just that much more quickly. Steve just smiled and went about his work. At the end of the work day he went to his father and asked about why Alan had recieved a raise and he had not. The father replied that Alan had been doing a really good job. Feeling the rage Steve responded; "what does he do that I do not." "Well..." The father started. "Let me answer your question with a question. What do you see, in these invoices." He handed the invoices to Steve. Steve rifled through the stack. He told his father that the invoices had all the information and the amout of product in each box. The father looked at him and said "now go verify the order." That was his job look at the invoice and make sure that what was there was really there. So Steve walked out to the dock. Muttering all the while and fretting about the days events. About 20 minutes later Steve was back in his fathers office. He handed the manifest to his father. He looked at it and complimented the work that his son had performed. After looking at the work and evaluating the effort put forth by his son he gave him another manifest. This one was completed. The father asked what do you notice about this invoice? Other than the fact that it was completed by your Brother. Steve scanned the documents and started to recognize a pattern. Each item had been accounted for. Each box opened and attention to detail was made with each box on the manifest. He had actually made the effort to make sure that what the manifest said was there, was there. His goal was not to loose the company any profit because of a misaccounting. He had been perfect in all he did for his father. Steve looked at the papers, then back at his father and whispered I understand. He hung his head low and retreated from the office knowing what he had to do to be worthy of a raise.
