I finally sat down and watched Mike Rowe’s video from Ted [based on the recommendations of several PRHR readers] and I was blown away.
If you haven’t seen it, you should really watch it.
Mike Rowe talks about the myth of ‘doing what you love’ and examines the way America has devalued work to the point where we have huge infrastructure needs and a shortage of skilled workers.
So I wonder — How do you define real work? Do you think we devalue real work? Do we learn this from the media? From our family? As many of us in America move further and further away from our immigrant roots, do we start to equate work with a lower class of citizens?
Laurie Ruettimann: Team Building is for Suckers and Punk Rock HR is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Mike Rowe referenced the media’s role in fostering this change of attitude toward work; I couldn’t agree more. As we’ve grown contemptuous of “dirty jobs” — and, criminally, the people who perform them — we’ve lost our comprehension of and appreciation for the dignity inherent in simply tackling the task at hand, regardless of how unpleasant it may appear. My late mother had five sons, and she was not about to let any of us grow up without understanding physical labor. My willingness to not only perform it, but to understand it, enriches my working life to this day; there is a common thread running through raking leaves for eight hours, and preparing a spreadsheet: Do your best, be thorough, and be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
Many managers, like me, have the internal stuff necessary to throw aside our concept of what work we are supposed to be doing and, during a crisis, key input for two hours simply to get a time-sensitive job done. I acquired that mental discipline while using a rake, a hammer, and a garden shovel.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not wanting to be miserable for most of your waking hours. But I do think we set ourselves up for disappointment by thinking work should be “fun.” What we should pursue is “satisfaction.” And that feeling is only going to come after you put in some serious hard work. It’s not about how you feel while you’re working, it’s how you feel after you’ve finished.
As a manager, I feel like one of my primary responsibilities is to help my people realize how their efforts (even the boring, grinding stuff — OK, especially that stuff) contributes to the overall goal.
Oh, I just love Mike Rowe!
This video should go viral. It would explain to any number of managers and higher level executives the virtue that produces their perks and benefits. We have so neglected the “working class” who have suddenly become the “working poor” that we no longer understand the contribution made by them. This is our loss and demonstrated in fallen bridges, potholes, poor hygiene in food plants and being left behind in the world market.
In my early twenties I worked on the back of a garbage truck. It was one of the best jobs I ever had.
AS Mary Ellen observed, sometikes work isn’t fun, like working in the winter rain while fighting bronchitis, but it can be satisfying.
We had our route, we had our truck and we were left alone to get the job done. We were paid by the day. If there was more garbage than usual or extra pick-ups thrown in, we worked late for the same money. If the day was light and we were fast, oh heaven!, we went home early.
The owners expected us to admit to mistakes right away, accepted apologies, fired slackers and treated us with quiet respect. And yes Ken, they rolled up their sleeves and got out there themselves when needed. We respected them.
They’d be a great case history on good management practices. I think of them with gratitude and still apply the lessons I learned then to work now.
Profound! Frankly, that is totally true!
I’ll say it, I am NOT afraid to work doing whatever I have to do! More so, I really don’t care if people think I’m brilliant because of my job or that I am a “loser” because of my job! I KNOW that I am brilliant and that work is just that, work!
Thanks @Laurie – I am forwarding this to many of my working friends.
I also love Mike Rowe…he should sing this…have you heard the man sing? WONDERFUL.
This was BRILLIANT!! Thanks for sharing! I am totally on board with Mike Rowe. I would like to ask if this is not even a new phenomenon. Don’t you think this is seen over and over from naming the upper, middle, and lower classes and what that means to people, to nobles vs peasants?
Does anyone still say work hard and you’ll be successful? I think the mantra these days is think hard on how you can be rich the quickest way possible.
Dude, friggin’ awesome! Mike Rowe is in my pantheon of hero’s. I really loved that he noted that success often doesn’t come from following your passion, but from doing what others are not. That is so true, and great advice, particularly because it is so contrary (and I loves me some contrary) to conventional wisdom.
There is a stigma that has been associated with blue collar jobs in this country, and I think part of it has been driven by the concept of the American Dream, each successive generation doing better than the preceding generation. However, with the strong potential of that reversing, I wonder if the stigma will shift?
Also, I should mention one of the greatest books ever World War Z http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z(becasue all Zombie books are the greatest ever – whoo hoo for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Zombies-Classic-Ultraviolent/dp/1594743347 ), when they trie to rebuild the US, there is a total shortage of people with real skills, and the social pyramid reverses.
Alright, enough Mike Rowe and Zombie love from me, thanks for hte clip!
When I go looking for fresh-out new hires, I actively seek people who have worked their way through school. The worse the job that got them through school, the better. I’ve hired plumber’s apprentices, farmhands, landscapers, and lots and lots of restaurant help, both in the kitchen and in the front. I know these kids understand work on a much more fundamental level than your average recent grad, and have the maturity to keep pushing when things get less-than-easy.
I worked as a plant lady, (you know the lady who takes care of the plants in your office?) all the way through college – it took muscle, discretion, humbleness and some serious initiative. In retrospect, it was more satisfying in some ways than my current job – I had something to show for my day in a way I usually don’t, now.
@Franny I think ‘work’ demonstrates character, so I really applaud parents who make their kids take jobs even when money isn’t an issue. Work does accelerate maturity, doesn’t it?
@HRpuf I had no idea you liked zombies. It’s so awesome that you can link HR, zombies, and Mike Rowe!
@Teresa I think people say ‘work is for suckers’. At least, that’s what they say in my family.
@InkedHR I’ve heard rumors of his operatic voice!
@Lisa Oh! I’m so glad you liked it!
@Lois I think that’s right — a management case study is long overdue. We claim to learn so much from Jack Welch. What can we learn from the average garbage man who picks up my trash every Wednesday and does it RIGHT FIRST TIME?
@Ali I totally hope it goes viral. It’s so smart & should be shown in business schools.
@HR Minion He is the best. Mmmmm….ike Rowe!
@Mary Ellen I’m with you. Also, fun stuff doesn’t really pay. Sometimes people can earn loads of money and have fun. Those people are brilliant. The rest of us should be so lucky — and we should appreciate other things in life.
@Ken I know this: I totally respect anyone who can build shit, hang shit, fix shit, or work in my yard. I never learned those skills, and I would pay a million bucks to have someone fix a clogged toilet. So there is a market for people who have mad technical & hands-on skills — people like me will pay money, and people with technical skills should take my money, work hard, and grab a beer after work and watch the game.
Awesome! You know, I also sort of got from Mike’s message that following your “passion” equates to such a lack of a balanced life. What I mean is that there is much to be said for doing a job, doing it right, doing it proud, and going home. No intangibles, no wistful dreams of someday being free of the chase, and no ethereal brass ring. The ring is the job at hand and you grab that f’in ring everyday.
Dudes, I’m going to trade school. Screw HR.
Jackbuilt
Mike is absolutely right.
I’ve written two books, started a business, met with business leaders you read about in Fortune/WSJ/etc., and my best “day” of work, hands down, was a 72 hour stretch freshman year of college when I loaded boxes of personal belongings onto a UHaul, drove 14 hours to Phila, met up with 12 or so other guys, unloaded the boxes (along with boxes from ~7 other trucks), sorted them at a self-storage facility, reloaded them according to their destination, and delivered them to their rightful owners at their dorms.
The work was nasty: each of the 3 white t-shirts I wore had to be thrown away—the work was so hard that showers were irrelevant. I lived on orange juice, pizza, and chips for days and slept ~14 hrs when it was over.
I have also never felt more fulfilled by work before or since.
Laurie,
Thanks for posting this. It is fabulous and I posted it over on my blog.
He makes such fabulous points. Thanks for sharing.
@EVILHRLADY Hey, thanks for reposting. That’s great.
@Jason I’m not so enamored with labor. Ask me about the time I sorted through boxes at a fake floral warehouse — or about taking orders at a Chinese food restaurant for 8 hour shifts — and I’ll tell you that working in Human Resources is a walk in the park. I really appreciate people who can do that kind of work and not let it wear on their souls.
@Jackbuilt Totally good insight. I think you picked up on an important part of the work/life balance discussion. Do your job and find balance elsewhere.
Awesome post, truly punk rock! Thanks for sharing.