Working in a corporate environment that fosters competition between the masses has created a culture of individuals who adhere to an all work and no play policy. It is commonplace to hear bragging in conference rooms or the proverbial water cooler about how many hours people worked during the week, or over the weekend, or on a holiday. At the end of the year, it is amazing how many people boast about how much vacation time they are going to lose because they were too busy to take it. What shocks me most is the attitude around these conversations. They are not angry at having to work so hard, they are not upset at the amount of time spent at work rather then with those they love, instead, they are proud that they have given work the ultimate sacrifice; their time.
Time is a precious commodity. It is important to remember that how we spend our time defines who we are. Those who spend all of their time working essentially are their jobs. Who they are, how they characterize themselves, their definition of self-worth are directly correlated to what they do for a living. Risking sounding cliché, they don’t realize there is a distinction between what you do for a living and what you do for a life; ultimately, they have no life.
There is a profound difference between cultures on how they perceive work. Working overseas provided me the unique opportunity to learn this lesson years ago. My team tried to work later then 6:00 one evening in Luxembourg, a time that would be considered within the normal working day in the United States. We were asked to leave the building by the site director. He explained to us that Americans live to work, and Europeans work to live. While we were at his site working in his country, we would have to adopt the work to live philosophy. So, every evening we left work and enjoyed the beauty that is Luxembourg. I recall very little of the work I actually did in Luxembourg, but the city and its beautiful citizens will always have a special place in my heart. It was an important lesson to learn; it is easy to forget details of some job or project, but you will always remember amazing people and experiences.
It would be naïve to think everyone can just take on this attitude and survive in today’s workplace. Far too many people perceive those who dedicate their whole life to a job as the most committed and productive employees, and those who seek a work/life balance as less dedicated to the success of the organization. What has this produced? Really boring people at the top of the corporate ladder; people who are so one-dimensional that they are unable to talk about anything but work, who neglect the social and personal needs of their friends and family, and who are admired for how hard they work and not who they are. Executives and wanna-be executives who have few real life experiences to pull new ideas and concepts from, everything they do know about the world is from their B-school text books.
With the high-pressure, high-stakes world of U.S. business, a person who has balance, who puts their family and friends on top, and who takes their vacation time, will probably never move to the top of a major corporate organization. For those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to move ahead, I say go for it. I might never achieve my childhood dreams of being a CEO or President, but those other dreams around having fun and seeing the world are much more important.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Today's Terror Level is "Peeved"
A forward from my friend Jooli, a fellow Mary Washington Political Science survivor, who appreciates a good joke about world governments just as much as I do.
Heightened Threat Levels In Europe
An increase in recent terrorist threats has raised security levels all across Great Britain from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated," or even "A Bit Cross." The British have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. If threats continue to rise, levels may go to "Tiresome" or even a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British
issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.
In a related move, the French government announced yesterday that it has also raised its terror alert level, moving from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Surrender" and "Collaborate." This rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.
And it's not only the English and French who have heightened their respective levels of alert. Italy has increased its alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly," to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain for the Italians: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."
Not to be outdone, the Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They too, have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbor" and "Lose."
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
Meanwhile, the Spanish are quite excited about the deployment of their new fleet of submarines. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Heightened Threat Levels In Europe
An increase in recent terrorist threats has raised security levels all across Great Britain from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated," or even "A Bit Cross." The British have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. If threats continue to rise, levels may go to "Tiresome" or even a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British
issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.
In a related move, the French government announced yesterday that it has also raised its terror alert level, moving from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Surrender" and "Collaborate." This rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.
And it's not only the English and French who have heightened their respective levels of alert. Italy has increased its alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly," to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain for the Italians: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."
Not to be outdone, the Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They too, have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbor" and "Lose."
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
Meanwhile, the Spanish are quite excited about the deployment of their new fleet of submarines. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Guilty Pleasures
A new season of Dancing with the Stars begins tonight, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit just how excited I am for the season premier. Dancing with the Stars is one of my many guilty pleasures. A guilty pleasure is essentially something a person takes pleasure in or enjoys with feelings of embarrassment or shame. Depending on who you are, where you come from and what friends you have determines what a guilty pleasure is. A person from LA with size zero friends might hide their love of fast food while someone from Chicago might feel horrible that they like New York style pizza.
Everyone has guilty pleasures, although some keep these from their friends and family to hide their humiliation. In the essence of full disclosure of who I am, it is time for me to come out of the proverbial closet and admit to some of my guilty pleasures.
Dancing with the Stars: I will watch this dreaming that I had moves that made me look magical on the dance floor, mesmerized how professional dancers can make amateurs look so good, fully knowing there is no professional on earth who could make me look like anything but one of those dancing hippos from Fantasia.
Karaoke: If my singing skills came anywhere near my skills in business process modeling and requirements gathering I would have been a star. Unfortunately, I sound like a truck driver who got into an unfortunate accident with a helium balloon. But when behind the mic singing the Divinyls "I Touch Myself" I can pretend I'm on top of the charts.
The Cutting Edge: Everyone has a movie they love and are embarrassed to admit and I am no exception. A talented figure skater needs a partner. An injured hockey player just can't stay off the ice. They meet, they hate each other but they skate together anyway. They fall in love and win an Olympic medal. I cry every time.
Celebreality: I am anti-reality shows… except for those dubbed celebreality. There is nothing real about throwing a dozen people on an island and making them do obstacle courses or sending teams on a world-wide scavenger hunt to see who makes it back to the US first. Reality is seeing what a wuss Hulk Hogan is with his family. Going beyond celebrities, The Real Housewives of Orange County and Dr. 90210 are also more real and more entertaining then any of the scripted reality shows. Seeing these stars and rich people being stupid makes me feel better about myself. There, I said it.
Trashy Magazines: Us Weekly. People. Star. Hello! OK! Anything that gives me the dirt on who hates who and who’s not eating in Hollywood. I would like to think I am too high-brow and intellectual to care about Angelina’s latest adoption or Ashlee’s latest nose job, but I’m not. I’m so ashamed of this pleasure, I often hide trashy magazines in the middle of a Newsweek or National Geographic to give the appearance that I am transfixed on worthwhile news.
Asian Buffets: Chicken lo-mien sitting in grease over a hotplate. All the fried won-tons I can eat. Barbecue pork spare ribs coming out my ears. I love gorging at any good buffet, but there is something extra special about the risk of eating at an Asian buffet.
Black Eyed Peas and Hair Bands: Not the food, the music group. There is nothing I like running on the treadmill to more then “Pump It” or “My Humps.” Additionally, if Poison, Warrant or Motley Crue starts playing on the radio, I will start banging my head and thrashing my hair.
Hawaii: This one aligns with guilty pleasures being different depending on who your friends and acquaintances are. I would go to Hawaii every year, lounging on the beach, hopping on stage to show off my hula prowess and drinking Pine Coladas until I turn into coconut. This may sound exotic to most, but when your friends are people who surf in Bali, trek in Thailand, safari in South Africa, get massaged in the Maldives and sail the Mediterranean, Hawaii seems so mundane. But honestly, if you want to get away from it all, relax but not have to deal with challenges like language, monetary exchange and food poisoning that often plague exotic vacations, then go to Hawaii.
Dog Costumes: Okay, I guess I can’t be too embarrassed at this one since I dress up Luna and Solei quite often and share their photos with a greater part of the planet. However, I am aware of how the general populace feels about dog clothes and occasionally get a little quiet when someone makes a negative comment on dressing animals up. But frankly, I feel the same way about how people dress their kids up so the score is pretty even in my opinion.
I’m glad I finally got all that off my chest. I feel energized and liberated. Leave me a comment to confess your guilty pleasure… long term embarrassment is much more fun when shared with friends.
Everyone has guilty pleasures, although some keep these from their friends and family to hide their humiliation. In the essence of full disclosure of who I am, it is time for me to come out of the proverbial closet and admit to some of my guilty pleasures.
Dancing with the Stars: I will watch this dreaming that I had moves that made me look magical on the dance floor, mesmerized how professional dancers can make amateurs look so good, fully knowing there is no professional on earth who could make me look like anything but one of those dancing hippos from Fantasia.
Karaoke: If my singing skills came anywhere near my skills in business process modeling and requirements gathering I would have been a star. Unfortunately, I sound like a truck driver who got into an unfortunate accident with a helium balloon. But when behind the mic singing the Divinyls "I Touch Myself" I can pretend I'm on top of the charts.
The Cutting Edge: Everyone has a movie they love and are embarrassed to admit and I am no exception. A talented figure skater needs a partner. An injured hockey player just can't stay off the ice. They meet, they hate each other but they skate together anyway. They fall in love and win an Olympic medal. I cry every time.
Celebreality: I am anti-reality shows… except for those dubbed celebreality. There is nothing real about throwing a dozen people on an island and making them do obstacle courses or sending teams on a world-wide scavenger hunt to see who makes it back to the US first. Reality is seeing what a wuss Hulk Hogan is with his family. Going beyond celebrities, The Real Housewives of Orange County and Dr. 90210 are also more real and more entertaining then any of the scripted reality shows. Seeing these stars and rich people being stupid makes me feel better about myself. There, I said it.
Trashy Magazines: Us Weekly. People. Star. Hello! OK! Anything that gives me the dirt on who hates who and who’s not eating in Hollywood. I would like to think I am too high-brow and intellectual to care about Angelina’s latest adoption or Ashlee’s latest nose job, but I’m not. I’m so ashamed of this pleasure, I often hide trashy magazines in the middle of a Newsweek or National Geographic to give the appearance that I am transfixed on worthwhile news.
Asian Buffets: Chicken lo-mien sitting in grease over a hotplate. All the fried won-tons I can eat. Barbecue pork spare ribs coming out my ears. I love gorging at any good buffet, but there is something extra special about the risk of eating at an Asian buffet.
Black Eyed Peas and Hair Bands: Not the food, the music group. There is nothing I like running on the treadmill to more then “Pump It” or “My Humps.” Additionally, if Poison, Warrant or Motley Crue starts playing on the radio, I will start banging my head and thrashing my hair.
Hawaii: This one aligns with guilty pleasures being different depending on who your friends and acquaintances are. I would go to Hawaii every year, lounging on the beach, hopping on stage to show off my hula prowess and drinking Pine Coladas until I turn into coconut. This may sound exotic to most, but when your friends are people who surf in Bali, trek in Thailand, safari in South Africa, get massaged in the Maldives and sail the Mediterranean, Hawaii seems so mundane. But honestly, if you want to get away from it all, relax but not have to deal with challenges like language, monetary exchange and food poisoning that often plague exotic vacations, then go to Hawaii.
Dog Costumes: Okay, I guess I can’t be too embarrassed at this one since I dress up Luna and Solei quite often and share their photos with a greater part of the planet. However, I am aware of how the general populace feels about dog clothes and occasionally get a little quiet when someone makes a negative comment on dressing animals up. But frankly, I feel the same way about how people dress their kids up so the score is pretty even in my opinion.
I’m glad I finally got all that off my chest. I feel energized and liberated. Leave me a comment to confess your guilty pleasure… long term embarrassment is much more fun when shared with friends.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)