Segment: Stop Thinking Bosses Owe You More - Skills Get You Hired, Attitude Gets You Fired

Summary

---

Episode Overview

Theme:
In this episode of the Konnected Minds Podcast, host Derrick Abaitey and his guest dive deep into a fundamental workplace truth: “Skills get you hired, attitude gets you fired.” The conversation centers around why employees feel underpaid, the realities of entrepreneurship, perpetual dissatisfaction with salaries, and the interplay between motivation and discipline in achieving success. The episode challenges common beliefs about employer obligations and highlights the importance of mindset for both employees and business owners.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Real Skills Gap: Attitude Over Ability

[00:30 - 01:00]

• Misconception: Many believe a lack of skills is the main barrier to employment.
• Reality Check: “Because the jobs there are not skill driven. It's attitudinal. You get a job because of your skill, you lose it because of attitude more than 80 to 95% of the time.” – Guest [00:37]
• Takeaway: Attitude issues, not skills, are the root cause of job loss. Schools can’t teach attitude – it's shaped at home or developed independently.

2. Employee Turnover & The Perpetual Hiring Cycle

[01:00 - 03:00]

• Employers, especially entrepreneurs, face near-constant staff changes, often not due to firing but because employees opt to leave for better pay.
• “It's not because I sacked someone…when someone comes in, they realize this guy's never pay me well enough for all this hard work. Yes. And it's fair…Nobody would ever pay you enough for the work you are doing. Show me somebody who is paid enough salary for the work he's doing, I'll show you a lazy person.” – Guest [01:12 & 01:36]
• Employees consistently feel they’re not compensated according to their output, fueling frequent job changes.

3. Why You’ll Never Feel Paid Enough

[02:01 - 03:48]

• The guest explains the inherent financial “dissonance” in the employer-employee relationship:
  • Employees see the revenue they create and expect a directly proportional salary.
  • Employers must factor in costs, risks, and reinvestment, meaning the “extra” isn't just profit.
• “You can never truly be paid your equivalent…When you start to work for yourself, you now realize why you can't pay it. Because…if I pay him 800, then I have to pay 100. How much is left, sir? And I still have to live the lifestyle I want to. So everybody gets into that cycle. It's normal. It's the circle of life.” – Guest [02:47]

4. The Myth of the Perfect Salary

[03:48 - 04:31]

• “No employee will ever be paid enough.”
• If someone claims to be paid exactly what they’re worth and wants no increase: “I'll show you a lazy man.” – Guest [03:51]
• Real performers always outgrow their current compensation because greater results drive higher expectations.

5. Employer Perspective: Why ‘More’ Isn’t Always Possible

[04:31 - 06:41]

• Many young workers believe bosses should just "hand it to them,” but business owners cannot—and will not—do this perpetually.
• Employees rarely see the full business context: hidden costs, fluctuating expenses, and owner sacrifices.
• “The maths an employee makes is one that does not account for all the variables, including the hidden variables that you cannot tell them…the ticket price changed from what I budgeted…these are not the numbers you're telling them…because you see the vision.” – Guest [05:14]
• Business owners bear greater risk and, therefore, claim greater reward.

Memorable Quote:
“I have borrowed someone. I've written it down as collateral. You don't have this problem. I have this problem, and I'm okay with that. I take that risk. So you have to understand that this is the risk I take as a business person. And the reward for taking the greater risk is to have the greater reward.” – Guest [06:15]

6. Cultural Mindset Shifts and Social Media Debates

[06:42 - 07:14]

• Online, discontent about pay is rampant, but few understand the nuanced reality.
• Derrick acknowledges, “Even me as a business owner, I always knew that there's a limit, but I couldn't really explain how and why…You've brought home some really interesting concepts.” – Derrick [06:56]

7. Motivation vs. Discipline: Which Matters More?

[07:14 - 09:41]

• The guest breaks down their relationship:
  • “Your motivation comes from what drives you to choose a goal. Discipline is how you stay the course, even when the goal doesn't seem to be coming through…” – Guest [07:19]
  • “Motivation is the fuel that leads your discipline to its goal.” – Guest [08:12]
• Personal Example: The guest shares struggles with gym discipline, contrasting it with their focus and discipline in business.
• Personal health scare: “Three years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2… I hit the gym, I avoided all the sugar… now my blood sugar is perfect… The fear of dying forced me to do the right thing. Now that that fear is gone, I am still doing the right thing, only considering my options differently.” – Guest [09:41]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You get a job because of your skill, you lose it because of attitude more than 80 to 95% of the time.” [00:37]
• “Nobody would ever pay you enough for the work you are doing…Show me somebody who is paid enough salary for the work he's doing, I'll show you a lazy person.” [01:36]
• “You can never truly be paid your equivalent.” [02:47]
• “The maths an employee makes is one that does not account for all the variables, including the hidden variables…” [05:14]
• “The reward for taking the greater risk is to have the greater reward.” [06:15]
• “Your motivation comes from what drives you to choose a goal. Discipline is how you stay the course, even when the goal doesn’t seem to be coming through...” [07:19]
• “Motivation is the fuel that will drive you to be disciplined.” [10:23]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30 – 01:00: Why skills aren’t the primary cause for job loss (attitude matters more)
• 01:00 – 03:00: High staff turnover and employee dissatisfaction with pay
• 03:48 – 04:31: The impossibility of ever being “paid enough”
• 04:31 – 06:41: Why business owners can’t always pay more; unseen costs and risks
• 07:14 – 09:41: Motivation vs. discipline: real-world application and personal example
• 09:41 – 10:23: Health scare, motivation, and lasting lifestyle change
• 10:27 – 11:17: Derrick’s outro and call for feedback

---

Conclusion

This episode delivers a candid, sometimes hard-hitting discussion about the workplace realities most avoid: No one owes you more than your agreed wage, attitude trumps skill in long-term job security, and you’ll never truly feel “paid enough.” The guest and Derrick break down both the employee and employer perspectives, urging listeners to adjust expectations, focus on their own attitude, and balance motivation with discipline on the road to success. The tone is straight-talking, practical, and packed with personal example—making these insights applicable for both ambitious employees and business owners.

---

For more mind-opening conversations, follow @KonnectedMinds on YouTube, IG, and TikTok.

Transcript

[A]

This week at Safeway and Albertsons. Red, green or black seedless grapes are $1.99 per pound limit six pounds. Member price with coupon and fresh boneless pork shoulder country style ribs. Value packs are $2.49 per pound. Member price plus selected sizes and varieties of General Mills cereals or Treat bars. Nature Valley granola bars, Mott's Fruit by the Foot or gushers are $1.99 each. Member price when you buy three. Hurry in. These deals won't last. Visit safewayoralbertsons.com for more deals and ways to save.

[B]

If there are jobs, why don't we list all the jobs and the skills required and then teach people the skills needed.

[C]

Because the jobs there are not skill driven. It's attitudinal. You get a job because of your skill, you lose it because of attitude more than 80 to 95% of the time.

[B]

Okay, talk to me.

[C]

There are jobs. There are people who have the skill to do the job. They just don't have the right attitude for the job. And you can't teach attitude in schools that is self taught or from home. So when you find a lot of jobs I say every time I'm hiring. I'm always hiring. I kid you not. It's so ridiculous. I don't think there's been a month in the last three years that I've not needed a new person. It's not because I sacked someone. It's because I hire someone. Something will happen. They will go. I've only sacked before with my entire life and I've probably worked with over 130 something stuff. It's across. I'm just and I'm ballparking here. I don't suck as much as people exit because when you quickly realize that when someone comes in go to the rigor, they realize this guy's never pay me well enough for all this hard work. Yes. And it's fair. And obviously that's why I'm always very secret. Because I'm like I always said to my I said to my driver this morning, I said nobody would ever pay you enough for the work you are doing. Show me somebody who is paid enough salary for the work he's doing. I'll show you a lazy person. You can ask anybody in this room that if they think that the salary they're earning is commensurate to the work they are putting in.

[B]

Why?

[C]

Because if you are really putting in the work and you are seeing the results, you would assume fairly that you should be Earning more because the results will generate more income than you are earning. And you start yourself that. Hold on. They are paying me, Let me use Ghana cities. They're paying me to read Ghana Cities. And this company is making 3,000 Ghana cities for my work. Obviously you might as well pay me 400 because obviously I'm making more for you.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So what then happens? That dissonance is why you would say, I'm changing jobs. And you go somewhere, say in case what I did for them, they were paying me again 3,000 Ghana cities. But if you pay me 500, I can still get 3,000 Gana cities. Then I say, you know what? No, I'll give you 500, but you give me 6,000 Gana cities. You're like, no, no. Okay, we agree at four, five. I'm like, okay, great. Now when you start to bring four, five, you're like, hold on a minute. I'm even bringing like 6,000. You told me four, five. I'm bringing like 6,000. Because now you are smarter. Why am I not getting 800 Ghana cities if I'm able to bring 6000? Then the boss is like, but I mean, if I'm being honest, we gave you the resources to help you to achieve it. I'm like, okay, I see you don't like me here. And then you go to another job, same thing. And then repeat the mozzle. So you see, you can never truly be paid your equivalent. Now when you start to work for yourself, you now realize why you can't pay it. Because what is that we now realize? Ah, because if I pay him 800, then I have to pay 100. How much is left, sir? And I still have to live the lifestyle I want to. So everybody gets into that cycle. It's normal. It's the circle of life.

[B]

No employee will ever be paid enough.

[C]

You can if you are paid enough. I'll show you a lazy man. If you tell me that this company pay me enough that what they pay me, I don't deserve an increase. Nothing is needed. In fact, they should just keep paying me this value. You are a lazy person. You obviously are not doing enough to earn your salary. Because I did enough. You earn more. You ask, ah, I'm working, I don't sleep. I said, I said I was telling my driver this morning, I said, if I pick up the phone and call Chidi, I said today, come, come, come, come, come. Let's have a conversation. These fella people are paying me. I'm working too hard for it. I said, I'll Be justified. But the reality is that I signed a contract and agree the terms if it's not favorable exits.

[B]

Right.

[C]

But a lot of young people think that entrepreneurs and business owners should by default hand it to them. They will never. I. I'm an entrepreneur and I'm honest enough to admit that I would never. Why would I want to do that? Yes, you say you never found that one like me. True. But I will find another one. Maybe not like you, but another one. Because I am honest enough to know even if I pay you what you think you should earn and I do it, I do sometimes pay. At some point I'm gonna have to drop, drop the limit and say this is it, this is, this is it. Because if you don't put the this is it in it, you would always have to say by you are repeating the cycle. I mean, think about it. If your employee comes to you and says, ah, this trip will make to Nigeria. I saw how much you spent on tickets and everything. You're not paying me enough money. Wouldn't you ask him, hold on. Would you rather I did not take you? Because. Yeah, I mean, we came here, we're six. I know how much we spent on tickets and food, even the location. You must have a lot of money. Pay me more. Because the maths an employee makes is one that does not account for all the variables, including the hidden variables that you cannot tell them the when we're coming here, ticket price changed from what I budgeted. And you can't see, you can't. You can't tell me you're not doing. You buy it, you show up here, you reach here. The food you plant, they are buying more food. You know, you're not telling them. These are not the numbers you're telling them. You know what? We can do this. All right? That is. Don't worry, don't worry because you see the vision. So every now and then when they get a whiff of what they think is the full picture, they expect to be compensated. I'm like, I made. I made sacrifices too. I borrowed money. You don't know. I borrowed. I tried my employee, I tried them. I said, I'm not borrowing money, I'm lending money. I'm taking loans. I all my cars own their collaterals. So businesses. I said, you, you have your car, you go home. Nobody if my car. I'm very watchful. Don't scratch it though. It's not really my car. I have borrowed someone. I've written it down as collateral. You don't have this problem. I have this problem, and I'm okay with that. I take that risk. So you have to understand that this is the risk I take as a business person. And the reward for taking the greater risk is to have the greater reward.

[B]

You've summed this up so well. You know, this thing has been going on on X and several social media platforms where employees are complaining that they don't get paid enough. And I think this is the first time I've heard even me as a business owner, I always knew that there's a limit, but I couldn't really explain how and why. You know, a lot of, you know, entrepreneurs do this, and I think you've, you've brought home some really interesting concepts. Now, in the pursuit of greatness, success as a whole, holistically, you know which one is more important, motivation or discipline?

[C]

I don't know that we can separate the two because they work hand in hand. To be disciplined, you need to motivate it. So I would say it like this. Your motivation comes from what drives you to choose a goal. Discipline is how you stay the course, even when the goal doesn't seem to be coming through or when the goal goal doesn't seem to be coming closer. I'm a terrible gym buddy. I have zero motivation. I mean, not zero, but I have zero discipline. When it comes to gym workouts. I. I am motivated. I buy the kits, I pay the gym fees. I will even wake up in the morning and remind myself that you're going to the gym today. And then I'll be on my email and I'm looking at them. I'm like, just give me 10 more minutes. Some days I will make it to the gym as much as I won't do it. But you see, I am disciplined enough to do other things because the motivation for them is higher. For example, you will never catch me going to the club to burn money. And it's not like I don't like the idea. Oh, I do like the idea of being the club and popping the champagne and going, wow. But when I check the books and I think how much I need to spend, I'm telling myself, this doesn't sound like a smart thing you are doing. This is to say that regardless of how people see these things, motivation is the fuel that leads your discipline to its goal. So regardless of where you find yourself in life, you need some sort of motivation. I used to have a theorist university, my best friend. The fear of failure was a stronger motivator than the joy of success. Psychologists tell you you should not use failure as a motivation because it's not a very strong. But you see, death motivates people to stay alive. It's not enough to keep you living healthy, but it moves people to stay alive. To stay healthy, you require another level of motivation. Another. It's an innate desire to want to live a healthy living. It's a different level, and that's the one I struggle with. Let's talk about going to the gym, because I want to live healthy, but I still love the burger. I want to. Yeah, you know, I want to go to the gym, but I'm waking up, I'm like, just two more Instagram content. And before it was happening, it's like 8:30. I'm like, Ah, tomorrow again. Tomorrow again. I just bought a bicycle because I'm like, you know what?

[B]

Maybe let's ride.

[C]

Maybe let's ride. Because like I said, I can surround myself with resources. But you see, the motivation must come from a different place.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2. It's the first time I've seen it on any TV. I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and I was like, not today. We're not dying anytime soon. So I hit the gym. I did it right. I hit the gym, I avoided all the sugar. I stopped, I went, I did everything. And then this is the reversal. I stopped using drugs over a year now my blood sugar is perfect and I'm eating. I'm back to eating ice cream and eating cake. But the difference is that I'm more measured. Where am I going with all of this? The fear of dying forced me to do the right thing. Now that that fear is gone, I am still doing the right thing, only considering my options differently. Do you understand?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So. So the motivation will come.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Motivation is the fuel that will drive you to be disciplined.

[B]

Oh, Senior, thank you so much. I think this has been. It's taking an unexpected ride, which I really enjoyed because some of the things you spoke about, again, for me personally, it was. It's very important for people to know when it's necessary to serve and when it's necessary to also employ the right people who, who are in fact smarter than you, you know, to keep the boat moving. You know, when you spoke about the whole entrepreneurship stuff as well, I hope my audience, you guys are getting some value out of this. And as usual, if you make it to the end, I'd love to know in the comments. So drop it and hype this on YouTube. If you're listening in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, share this with someone and if you're on Spotify or Apple, leave a comment as well. My name is Derek Abite and this has been an awesome conversation. Thank you so much.

[C]

Thank you Derek.

[A]

Connected Minds podcast this week at Safeway and Albertsons. Red, green or black seedless grapes are 199per pound limit 6lb member price with coupon and fresh boneless pork shoulder country style ribs. Value packs are $2.49 per pound member price plus selected sizes and prices. Varieties of General Mills cereals or Treat bars, Nature Valley granola bars, Motts, Fruit by the Foot or gushers are 199 each member price when you buy three. Hurry in. These deals won't last. Visit safewayoralbertsons.com for more deals and ways to save.