When you go home for Thanksgiving and talk about your work, what do you tell your mom? Is she proud? No, I don’t mean does she give you that weak smile and pretend to be proud. I mean, is she really proud? Are you excited to go home and tell your kids what you did at work today?
If not, it might be because you’re an asshole. If you think you are, read this first, then go change your behavior. Then, and only then, are you allowed to continue reading my blog.
More likely though, it’s because your job just doesn’t deserve pride. I get that we all have to earn a living. And if the way you earn your living is legal and ethical then that’s OK. But is OK good enough for you? Today we have more opportunities than ever to do great things at work. As the old methods and structures come tumbling down, we have more opportunities to reach for greatness. To think in a new way. To invent new things, new ideas, new ways or working. To touch people’s lives in a new way.
What do you dream of? To show up and just take orders? To punch a clock? To earn your living by executing well against someone else’s aspiration, agenda and mental model? If so, your life is probably relatively easy now. The bad news is that your opportunities are dwindling.
If you dream of something bigger, the bad news is that your work life is going to be tough and demanding. There’s no place to hide. You’ve got to be fully engaged with your heart, mind, body and soul. The good news is that there will be more and more opportunity for your passion and skills.
And to my friends in HR: The people in the latter category are exactly what you need. It doesn’t matter what school they went to or how they dress. These are the people that will make your business survive and thrive. Go find them and hire them. Give them plenty of opportunity to do their thing and do everything possible to get those corporate types out of their way.
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