Traditionally, at a pallet plant, an entry-level job involved stacking lumber.
Stacking lumber repeatedly for a full shift is demanding. It requires physical strength and stamina. In my years, I’ve seen many enter the role only to leave it quickly, saying the work is hard, mindless, or a dead end—offering no clear path forward.
I was listening to Jenny Cavnar on a podcast. She is the first woman to serve as a play-by-play announcer in Major League Baseball, sharing her unlikely journey. Her goal at the start wasn’t to become a play-by-play announcer. She loved sports, was an engaging communicator, and a student of the game. She began as a sideline football announcer, built her credibility, and eventually transitioned to professional baseball. When a vacancy arose, she filled in, and the rest is history.
She said she “wasn’t ready for the job,” but she was “willing” to do it. She committed to doing her best and improving a bit every day. That mindset spoke for itself.
Which brings me back to stacking boards!
We have “experts” stacking boards throughout our company. They are physically fit. Whether for 8, 10, or 12 hours, they can stack lumber consistently until the job is done. They have a keen eye for quality—no usable board gets tossed, and no poor-quality board makes its way to the machine. A typical stacker may handle $1 million worth of raw material in a year, so ensuring its proper deployment is critical to our plant’s success.
They also demonstrate excellent team skills. They teach, encourage, and hold others accountable. They do the heavy lifting safely by using proper body mechanics and following safety rules. They keep an eye on the scoreboard because getting more done well is successful in any enterprise.
In my experience, many have started at the bottom, performed their roles excellently, and moved into more successful positions. Jenny Cavnar’s journey is a perfect example.
Be willing.
Get better.
Focus on being the best you can be.
No job is mindless. Make it your business to become an expert.
