When Tom Murry was 18, he learned a lesson about
work that he never forgot.
The son of an oil executive, he was handed a job
on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Stepping onto
the rig for the first time, 80 miles off the shores of Louisiana, he
wore a brand-new uniform and carried a pristine helmet – and
was instantly met with a wave of hostility. “I quickly learned that I
had taken one of the regular worker’s jobs,” he said.
“On the first night, I was in the shower and guys started shov-ing
me back and forth… I thought I might be fighting for my life.”
As a high school wrestler, Murry was able to defend himself and
prove he was up to the job and the environment. Over the next few
months, he learned a lot about the importance of contributing to a
team, finding your place within a diverse group of co-workers and
working long and hard. “These takeaways helped shape and form
me at an impressionable age. I learned that even if it’s not your
ideal job, you can figure out a way to make it work and learn some-thing
along the way.”
It was a critical early experience for a man who would go on to
retire as CEO of Calvin Klein, after 17 years of growth, including
building the business from $2.8 billion in global retail sales to $7.7
billion. He says the most essential part of becoming successful is
finding not only the right fit, but a great fit.
“A great fit goes beyond liking your job or being competent –
it’s a place where you belong, where your talents are both fully
expressed and needed, and where you can serve the greatest num-ber
of people.”
We asked Murry to share some of his hard-earned wisdom
about creating the right conditions for a satisfying career, cultivat-ing
the right fit for your workplace and strategies for personal and
professional success.
vadimgozhda/123RF
The
Right
Fit
FORMER CALVIN KLEIN CEO SHARES
WISDOM ABOUT FIT AND STRATEGIES
FOR SUCCESS
By Heather Hudson
34 ❚ FEBRUARY 2019 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
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