The Three Levels of Work

Fifth, at level three one knows little by direct experience and observation. Management by walking around is perhaps a way to regain some direct contact with the world of things, with those actually completing defined tasks, and with customers, but even while you are walking and talking and observing you're only getting glimpses into what is really going on. Statistically speaking, a small sample of a big reality, and a sample warped and biased by your own unusual presence. You are deciding or helping to decide important things based on summaries of summaries of reports of reports of reports. The issue, to some extent, becomes one's ability to effectively deduce and play the odds.

Before talking about what to do about this recipe for misery, there are two solutions I warn against. My management career is unusual in that it consists entirely of being a CEO, but I'd guess that the defenses and compensations used against this emotional instability are fairly typical of others doing level three work. I see these defenses commonly among my peers, and they are, I believe, dangerous to oneself and to others.

The classic defense is bravado, ruthlessness, and the claiming of certainty in the face of obscurity. This is hubris, the stuff of the tragedy and failure. My father wisely warned me constantly against a related fault, that of "believing your own bullshit." In this family of defenses are emphasis on simple slogans and simple measures, increasing share-holder value being the current end-all and be-all oversimplification and excuse for corruption.

Greed, materialism, and social-climbing is the second defense. I suppose a certain number of people pursue career advancement because they desire wealth, power, and social position. But I also sense that a certain number pursue work that they find rewarding only to say, when it turns to ashes in their mouth at some point, "Well, it must be worth it Look at how nice my house is and what a nice car I have and what I can buy for my family.". And there is plenty of reassurance from society at large for this view of things.

Before moving to solution, there is another defense I should mention. Failure. Failure, to my mind, does not consist in intentionally stepping off the path, or in understanding that one is not equipped in some way to succeed at whatever the next level demands. To give an example of the later (or maybe both), I realized that I lacked the physical endurance and capacity to handle pressure that it takes to be an effective trial attorney, which was the only law practice that appealed to me. And, hence, I've never practiced.

Sometimes, though, I think that managers simply shrink back. They may cling to task work when that is not called for, passively resist change, avoid conflict, or withdraw in other ways that eventually sabotage their careers. Unwilling to face their limitations, their fears, or lack of confidence, unable to admit doubt or weakness, they essentially freeze, put their head down, and hope that ignoring the issues will make them go away. As one of my college roommates used to say in our all too frequent moments of academic crisis, "Just go to sleep and it all goes away."

So, what would I recommend to my fellow dwellers in level three, or to those undergoing the trauma of moving in that direction? These thoughts are no more original than my description of the problem, but I've used them all to some success so far.

Breathing. Simple breathing exercises help one deal with stress. So can yoga, t'ai chi, and meditation.

Friendship. Or, the substitute found in support groups or professional counseling. This is a universal recommendation for dealing with human challenges. I participate in a couple of CEO groups that attempt to provide a way to discuss the challenges of the job. Unfortunately, we are usually no more willing to confess our doubts to each other than we are to our shareholders, boards, or subordinates. Elaborate defensive thinking and acting is the order of the day. Nevertheless, I believe that it is impossible to face these issues in one's own head -- one requires conversation, perspective, and distance. Cultivating relationships that allow for such conversation is difficult but mandatory.

One side comment. Sometimes defensiveness prevents relationships from developing. But sometimes it is guilt over whining. This drives CEO's together. Who really wants to hear me complain? Can I really deserve much empathy? Money doesn't buy happiness, but we all think it should.

Find a Source of Satisfaction. In an article about the migration of manufacturing jobs going overseas a man who made parts for rail cars discusses the rewards of his work: "I was making something. I had something to show for myself at the end of the day." He'd thought about taking various white-collar jobs, working behind a desk, but "That's just not my cup of tea.....Hands on is what I like to do. I like to work hard. Growing up, if there was work to do you, you did it."

These words suggest at least two attitudes to me. The first is that work behind a desk isn't really work at all. And for some, the loss of the physical rewards of work, and the sense of doing "real work" is difficult. But even for those who have gotten past that, or never felt it, even in many white collar basic level jobs the focus on tasks does all you to feel that you have something to show for yourself at the end of the day. The journal entries are finished, the orders have been taken, the shipments have been arranged for. The rock may roll back down the hill overnight, but you're confident that you can push it back up by 5 PM and forget about it.

 PREV  1 | 2 | 3 | 4  NEXT