Are you a dumbass manager?

Do you believe long hours means more productivity? Do believe controlling employees v. trusting them drives morale? Do you believe face-to-face meetings is the only way to build and sustain teams?

If you said yes to all those questions….You’re a dumbass.

Do you even like what you are doing for a career? Are you allowed to work in a way that best suits your skills and life?

gapingvoid

I could beat up the premise common sense is lost on a lot of folks, but, well, you know this. However, when the absence of common sense impacts the way you live your life, what do you do?

Because I am no longer forced to be at a work station/area nor required to adhere to a traditional work schedule, all areas of my life have become so much more fulfilling. However, if people see me with my laptop open (no matter where I am), the first question I’m asked is, “Are you working?”

Short answer, probably.

But….what I do for a career, I love, and how I do it, feels a kabillion times better than it ever did. Thank you ROWE. The big difference is I may also be doing stuff for my band, connecting with friends and family, creating content for my blog, or just soakin’ up some electronic information.

However if my laptop is not open in front of me, this does not mean my mind is not open to life, because I am forever thinking about my friends and family, my next blog post, my next gig, and changing the world of work. I’m living and loving everything I’m up to, which includes my career.

Some other cool responses to, “Are you working?”
Joe Longo: “I’m just living.”
Jody Thompson: In a ROWE, you are not working 24/7, you are living 24/7.
James A. Michener: The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.

Live it up!

This is my “Say YES! To Technology” speech. I sound like someone trying to make their first sale. My point is, technology can help people do good. Connect people. Start and influence business. Make [some] things easier. Change the world.

I don’t have enough time REALLY means I don’t have enough control.

I respect the fact people do need money for stuff. I am one of those people. We all need to eat, pay bills, support loved ones, etc. I’m with ya.

What I don’t understand is how so many people seem to believe misery is part of the deal.

Two scenarios

“I do it for a paycheck and the benefits.”

“This is so cool. I get to spend my time doing what makes me happy.”

A few questions

• Who has a job? Who has a career?
• Who enjoys what they are getting? Who enjoys what they are doing?
• Who asks for permission? Who decides?
• Who can’t wait until retirement? Who enjoys today?

If you are an organizational leader, biz owner, manager, or person who makes decisions for people (instead of with them), I want to know if you’re dumb. And I have 3 questions:

1) Do you think having a remote workforce (even if only a %) is more cost effective than maintaining an office building?
2) Do you think morale would be more positive if people were given control and freedom to determine how best to be successful in their career and fulfilled in their life?
3) Do you think the organization would be more relevant (in the industry and socially) if trusting the employees were more important than controlling them.

When you give someone something to do, do you give them a purpose too? When are given something to do, do you understand the purpose?