Thank God it’s Monday
I want you to be honest in answering me this question. Are most people in the workplace happy with what they do or do you see more people in the workplace miserable with their lot in life and are there merely for the paycheck?
Take a look at some funny conversations that happen in the workplace; I’ve collected these for your enjoyment:
“Here’s one name on the committee that I never heard of.”
“Oh, that’s probably the person who actually does the work.”
Boss conversing with his new hire…
Boss: Most amazing; you’ve been with us two weeks and already you’re a month behind in your work. The new hire is always tardy… Boss: You should have been here at eight o’clock this morning.
New hire: Why? What happened?
And then here is his excuse: “I’m not really late, boss. I just took my coffee break before coming in.”
And so the boss had no choice but to terminate his employment… Boss: Have you anything to say before I fire you? Employee: Yes. How about a raise? Here is another story… First girl: I lost my job because of illness and fatigue. Second girl: That’s too bad. First girl: Yeah, my boss got sick and tired of me. There’s just so many drama and comedy happening in the workplace. I move in the circle of HR practitioners, I do consultancy work. And I deal with business owners and executives of many of the country’s top business organizations in the country.
A lot more growth and positive results would have happened in businesses if not for all these prickly and irritating drama happening. And then of course, there is the case of aging business owners now planting their next generation successors who have never experienced employment, overprotected, under prepared and spoiled to the core, now about to take over the rein of leadership in the organizations. Which now brings us to this conversation… One employee to another employee: “And when the boss’ son starts working here tomorrow he’ll have no special privileges or authority. Treat him just as you would anyone else who was due to take over the whole business in a year or two.”
These new generation COO’s or “children of the owner” begin to mark their territories, disrespect the people and drive the good people away rationalizing that it’s time to put in “new blood and younger people” in order to “revitalize” the business. So they put in their friends who have mastered the art and science of the “suck-up game” and pretty soon you begin to see the business declining and the organization crumbling.
These are dangerous and useless drama that should not be permitted to take place in any organizations but sadly, they do and they leave a trail of sad tales to tell.
But let me go back to the issue of employment. How do we find joy and enjoyment in our work? Every now and then you hear speakers and trainers say, “You need to love what you do.” And then they pull out an old Confucius line: “Love what you do and you do not have to work a single day of your life!” Really?! Here is reality, some jobs are not lovable; but for anyone to succeed, he or she must be willing to do even the things one would not enjoy doing.
But maybe we have been trained and conditioned to be that way either. Just think about it… Ever since you and I entered school, we have been indoctrinated and brainwashed to think that Mondays to Fridays are dreaded days when we are told to “work” on things we do not like to do… things like doing homework, memorizing tons of stuff and that “play” or “enjoyment” is reserved for the weekend.
And so we go to work… We dread Mondays to Fridays, we have to “work” in order to make a living; get the paycheck in order to pay the bills; enjoyment and “play” is reserved only on the weekends. And thus the famous expression is uttered and expressed every time we approach the 5th day of the week and with an exaggerated expression of joy and relief, you hear people in the workplace say, “Thank God it’s Friday!”
But what if we tell ourselves instead of “I love my job” and begin reframing our thoughts by saying, “I love the fact that I have a job… and I will work so hard on myself than I do on my job such that when I improve and level up, the company has no choice but to put me into another and better position because now I am too “overqualified” for the job… now wouldn’t that give us more reason to love what we do?
Life is a matter of perspective. Change the way we think and we change the way we live. So perhaps beginning now we say instead, “Thank God it’s Monday” and see the magic happen.
Ken Blachard and John Maxwell’s accredited industry practitioners and subject matter experts join Francis Kong in an afternoon conference entitled: LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE -THE WINNING EDGE! On March 2, 2018 at the new and beautiful Marquis Events Place BGC. For registration and inquiries contact Jacque at 0917-8173736 or Mary at 09178173736 or call Inspire-UN Leadership Consultancy Inc. 777-6038)