Often times, I wondered why I had to listen to team members as they make excuses concerning situations like car, wife, family, health, money, etc.That’s personal life, I thought. This is not bringing value to the table.
I then planned that for one week, I would say “NO” to any personal request. Actually, to say it with a sweet smile.
The test week came, and I needed only one day to see the impact of trying to remove personal life from work.
“Please I would like to see the doctor by 3p.m. today,” he said.
“My dear, please can you reschedule? We have deadlines to meet today. Won’t 5p.m. suit all of us?”
Reluctantly he replied, “Alright, I will reschedule.”
We did not meet the deadline. Team member was demotivated. He spent hours trying to get through to the doctor. He had a frown all through as he went about his work. The zeal and passion was no longer there. I tried to think of other times when I had accepted his reason to take an hour. Even if we missed a deadline, he was sure to put in extra hours to make up for the time lost.
Yes work is work and life is life, but we cannot separate these areas entirely. Someone who has personal issues may carry them to the workplace. This would ultimately affect his output at work.
I am still not in support of people taking excuses during working hours to solve personal problems. However, if it is for a genuine cause, there is no reason why such excuse should not be granted. And to take a step further, as “Manager” it was not enough to grant a request, but to ask about the progress of the personal issue. Has it been solved? Is everything okay? Knowing that someone cares could give some motivation at work.
We cannot separate work from life. Or can we?
3 comments:
no.i don't think we can ..i guess thats why the phrase "work-life balance" was coined..we don't necessarily have to separate..all we need is the right balance between the two..and no doubt finding that balance is continuous and definitely not easy..again another nice write up..keep going dear..Godspeed!
Thanks dear...someone once said that work-life balance is not easy and I really did not understand why not...now you've said it, I have to try and understand it...
The Naughty Boy
There was a naughty boy,
And a naughty boy was he,
He ran away to Scotland
The people for to see
Then he found
That the ground
Was as hard,
That a yard
Was as long,
That a song
Was as merry,
That a cherry
Was as red,
That lead
Was as weighty,
That fourscore
Was as eighty,
That a door
Was as wooden
As in England
So he stood in his shoes
And he wonder'd;
He stood in his shoes
And he wonder'd.
-----by aoc gold
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