Federal Express, now known as FedEx, is based in Memphis, Tenn. In the early years, everything one would send via FedEx was sent to Memphis and then re-routed to the destination. Early on, this one huge facility had 50 to 60 conveyor belts to move all the packages around. It was the lifeblood of FedEx at that time. If even one of those conveyors stopped moving, the packages would be late to their planes with the potential for loss of money to the company and unhappy customers.
One day, not one, not two, not three, but every single one of the conveyor belts stopped simultaneously. Immediately it was thought that it must have been caused by an electrical problem, however all of the lights were on and everything else was working perfectly.
Panic broke out. Every minute these belts were down, the company lost tens of thousands of dollars. A repairman was called and told of the emergency along with an urgent request to come immediately. The repairman assured them with his answer, “No problem. I am five minutes away. I will be right over.” Within minutes the repairman arrived. The facility was at a dead stop.
The owner of FedEx begged, “You have got to help me.” The repairman looked around and assessed the situation for a moment. Without wasting any time, he walked straight to a pole in the middle of the room, opened a little metal box on the pole and took out a little screwdriver. With that tool he turned one little screw a quarter of an inch and everything in the place started up. Every conveyor belt began working perfectly once again.
The owner was beside himself, his elation evident. His response to the repairman was one of gratitude. “You saved my life. How much do I owe you?” The repairman replied, “$10,000”. Totally shocked, the owner questioned, “$10,000? You were here for what? Four or five minutes?” The repairman replied, “That’s right, $10,000.” The owner was upset and retorted, “How about you give me an itemized bill for that?” The repairman answered, “I don’t need to leave for that. Give me a pen and paper and I’ll give you an itemized bill.” The owner handed him a pen and paper and the man jotted down the breakdown. The owner read it, nodded his head, smiled and replied, “You are right.” He retrieved money from the safe and paid the repairman in cash.
Can you guess what the note said? “Turning the screw: $1. Knowing which screw to turn $9,999.”
There are many morals that can be taken from this legendary story.
Maybe you were reminded that we each have something unique we can offer the world, whether it is knowing which screw to turn, or where to begin to make a change that will bless other’s lives or businesses.
Or perhaps the lesson is that proper education can make all the difference in critical (and everyday) matters. Or maybe the moral for you is to never think that what you have to offer is insignificant. There will always be someone out there who needs what you have. Another application of this story is that sometimes a simple solution is the biggest way to make a difference.
After hearing of this FedEx experience, I determined to use it as a reminder that my small contributions could very well make a difference in someone’s life. I plan to tuck my proverbial little pink “screwdriver” into my handbag since one never knows when their involvement could be a blessing to someone in need. I am reminded of a poem penned by Emily Dickinson:
They might not need me; but they might.
I’ll let my head be just in sight;
A smile as small as mine might be
Precisely their necessity.
Susan Stucki, speaker, author and entrepreneur is the creator of Celebrate Life.