A Writer, His Workplace and Corporate Patron
For those who us who may be preoccupied with work (and with 9.6% unemployment who isn’t) and seek a broader understanding of our relationship to it, a recent book by Alain de Botton provides illumination.
Mr. de Botton, came to prominence over a decade ago, when he wrote How Proust Can Change Your Life and more recently considered The Joys and Sorrows at Work which met with mixed reviews. Now he continues his journey into how we work with A Week at the Airport (Vintage International 2010). (I learned about the Airport book from Gretchen Rubin’s insightful blog The Happiness Project.)
What is amazing about the book is its origins. It was instigated by Colin Matthews, the CEO of BAA, a subsidiary of Ferrovial that runs airports in England, Scotland and Italy including two outside London–Heathrow and Sansted.
Mr. Matthews, gives Mr. de Botton license to live at Heathrow Airport for a week, He takes up residence at the adjacent Sofitel Hotel and sets out to explore Terminal 5.
His title is writer-in-residence, one cannot imagine he would be any more prolific at a writer’s colony like Yaddo or Breadloaf. Mr.de Botton plunks himself down in the terminal and begins his interviews with travelers, security personnel, baggage handlers and even a corporate executive who seems to have less flexibility than those on the clock.
During one interview he meets Willie Walsh, the CEO of British Airways who is beset by threatened strikes, a balance sheet leaking red ink and the ire of Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer (He has fallen behind on a payment schedule for the 787 aircraft.)
What follows is an amusing portraity for any writer (myself included) who has attempted a CEO or celebrity interview and hoped for more than a tidbit to share with eager readers. “The promise of shared secrets is rarely fulfilled for it is almost never in the interests of a prominent figure to become intimate with members of the press. He has better people on whom to unburden himself. He does not need a new friend. He is not going to disclose plots of vengeance or his fears about his professional future.”
Alert to possibilities, Mr. de Botton floats the idea of becoming writer-in-flight, on a British Airways flight a concept that Mr. Walsh embraces slightly, before apologizing for taking so much of Mr. de Botton’s time and calling for a security guard to escort him from the corporate offices.
The relationship between Mr. Matthews, the BAA executive and Mr. Botton is a curious one, Chief executives have traditionally not been literary benefactors. Even after the publication of the book Mr. Botton puzzles over the motivation for it. In a reply to an e-mail inquiry he wrote, “… I’m stunned that Heathrow airport agreed to this book – indeed initiated it.” Previously, he said, “My experience of the corporate world for my previous book (The Pleasures and Sorrows…) was rather more negative. Again and again, I saw companies closing their doors to writers, assuming that they were either irrelevant or else out to destroy their reputations. The idea that a writer might simply want to observe and reflect in a complex way, both positive and sometimes negative, was alien to them.”
Mr. Matthews replied to a request about allowing a writer at Healthrow to chronicle activities there in human rather than strictly economic terms. He wrote in an e-mail,
“Alain de Botton’s book is not a traditional piece of corporate marketing. Opening Heathrow up to literary critique was an adventurous step and the result is a book that tempts people to think differently about Heathrow.
“We wanted a respected author and somebody who is passionate about travel to help us tell the many stories of passengers beginning or ending adventures at Heathrow, meeting or parting with people they love or just passing through on business.
“We can also tell a story of ongoing improvement in customer service at Heathrow. With freedom to roam the airport for a week and full editorial control of his book, Alain has created a credible story of how thousands of staff working across dozens of organisations are working hard to make every passenger’s journey better than the last one.”
With various models of new journalism being considered by pundits and journalists alike, Mr. Matthews observations offer an intriguing commentary about the role of the writer in our society. And as questions persist about why American corporations aren’t hiring, he offers an unconventional view about how to bring attention to a company’s products.
As the book concludes Mr. de Botton muses about all the other writer-in-residence positions he might take up in “institutions central to modern life—banks, nuclear power stations, governments, old people’s homes—and the kind of writing that could report on the world while still remaining irresponsible, subjective and a bit peculiar.”
Tags: Alain de Botton, Colin Matthews, corporate executives, corporations, Gretchen Rubin, hiring, interviewing, writer-in-residence
The Organization Man, “The Sequel”
William H. Whyte Jr.’s The Organization Man was a seminal work of the 1950’s .The book detailed what Mr. Whyte believed was the sacrifice of a generation in exchange for finding and keeping jobs that promised security. That generation came of age in the “Great Depression.”
Are we on track for The Organization Man, “The Sequel?” In their Global Workforce Study released today Towers Watson, a human capital firm, showed a workforce weary of the fallout from the recession. And, perhaps not surprisingly, there is a renewed interest in job security. When respondents were asked about the factors most important in a preferred work situation, 86% chose a secure and stable position. Fewer, 74%, chose substantially higher levels of compensation.
Has the pendulum swung away from the idea Daniel H. Pink, author of the recently released Drive, first popularized in Free Agent Nation? Said Laura Sejen, a leader of the company’s Talent and Rewards business, “Where once employers fretted over a ‘war for talent,’ now they must plan for a workforce that appears ready to settle in for years—perhaps even decades.”,
What will this mean for those joining the workforce in coming years, and folks who are delaying retirement? Share your thoughts!
Tags: Daniel H. Pink, employee attitudes, free agent nation, job security, organization man, recession, war for talent, William H. Whyte Jr., workplace trends
Working and Playing To Your Strengths
In December Right Management (a Manpower, Inc. subsidiary that handles outplacement) asked 900 workers, “Do you plan to pursue new job opportunities as the economy improves in 2010? More than half the workforce expected to have a foot out the door in the New Year. Fully 60% replied “yes, I intend to leave.” And nearly another quarter, 21% said “maybe, so I’m networking.” Which is better, leaving or staying? And if you do leave, will a new position play to your strength?
Marcus Buckingham has had a satisfying career advising managers and their employees about how to tap into their strengths. First Break All the Rules (1999), Now Discover Your Strengths ( 2001), One Thing You Need to Know (2005) and Go Put Your Strengths to Work (2007) encouraged individuals to build on strengths rather than work to improve weaknesses. This philosophy has earned him a well recognized place among management gurus. I first interviewed him a decade ago for a story about thoughtfulness in the workplace.
Now, though, he’s broadened his approach with the publication of Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently (Thomas Nelson 2008). Before you groan, as I did, about yet another book about women, this one is different. For openers, it shocks by describing that by all subjective measures of well being, women are less happy than men. And for women, who may be juggling a home, family, a job, and perhaps aging parents, happiness and fulfillment may seem like distant goals.
To minimize a tendency toward unhappiness Mr. Buckingham says we need to have a clear idea of what choices strengthen us and give short shrift to confusing and contradictory messages. And he offers a check list.
…How often do you feel an emotional high in your life?
…How often do you find yourself positively anticipating your day?
…How often do you become so involved in what you are doing that you lose track of time?
….How often do you feel invigorated at the end of a long, busy day?
…How often do you get to do the things you really like to do?
It’s important, he says, to recognize that most responsibilities involve many different types of activities and it sometimes takes a conscious, selfishness to choose the ones that nourish you. Where have we heard that before? And how can we better do that?
It turns out that some of our unhappiness may be because we haven’t thought seriously about what invigorates us and we haven’t taken a stand for ourselves without bragging.
The book directs you to take the Strong Life Test. Some might consider it a gimmick, but it was surprisingly accurate, at least for this reporter. You only need to take ti once. I tried twice and got a different answer both times. “It’s best read the first time,” said Mr. Buckingham because on subsequent testing you’ve prepared and have time to weigh considerations.
And he says we get stronger as we get older because aging brings an acceptance of what sustains us. His name for this phenomenon is, “The Popeye Syndrome” because, he says, like Popeye, those who are reaching maturity, regardless of age acknowledge, “I am what I am.”
Mr. Buckingham offers tips to start off in the direction of what he calls a strong life…
Consider outsourcing activities that you find frustrating.
Better yet, look at the activity through the eyes of a strength. An example, at social gatherings or parties, try turning the festivity into a series of long individual conversations rather than brief cocktail party talk in a large group.
It’s more important to listen to your own voice, than social norms.
Tags: management, mentoring, satisfying work
Civic Ventures, Encore Careers and the Purpose Prize
Marc Freedman heads a unique organization in San Francisco called Civic Ventures. It’s a think tank that promotes careers that combine continued income, greater meaning and social impact. And in his view, baby boomers will revolutionize retirement and transform the country. His book Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life (Public Affairs 2007), which describes the possibilities, has taken on new relevance since its publication.
Instead of a traditional retirement of leisure, Mr. Freedman is advocating baby boomers undertake a significant second career of in an area of social importance. And he makes a compelling case. In Encore he offers specific illustrations of individuals who heeded that call, and moved onto areas what they consider “greater purpose.” One example is Jacqueline Khan who went from truant officer to critical care nurse. Another is Robert Chambers who went from owning a car dealership to becoming a social entrepreneur.
Paradoxically, the stifled economy may have given a lift to Mr. Freedman’s thesis. He says the downturn has provided a climate for individuals to reassess their values and priorities. “There’s a reevaluation of what constitutes success,” he said, pointing to a disillusionment many are feeling about corporate America.
Still, despite considerable research that shows baby boomers are seeking a combination of fulfillment and want to remain engaged Freedman says that there are challenges to embracing what he calls purposeful work. Why? “You are often pretty much on your own in initiating this kind of career shift,” he says. To help with the transition, Civic Ventures, is again funding a $100,000 Purpose Prize for those over sixty in second careers who are inventing new ways of solving social problems. The deadline for the application is March 5, 2010. Self nominations are allowed.
For those just beginning to contemplate “an encore” Mr. Freedman suggests trying to think about a career trajectory longer than one you might have previously anticipated. “Reset the time horizon,” he said, and think about your life as a body of work.
Career Reinvention in the New Year
January is a time to feel optimistic. Any New Year’s resolutions are probably still being kept. For some, they involve finding a new career. With the economy still shedding jobs, a career hunt may be a more formidable undertaking than in the past.
Alexandra Levit who previously wrote How’d You Score that Gig? and They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, is back with a lively and insightful new book entitled New Job, New You. (Ballantine Books) She has put together a toolkit that includes everything a job seeker needs for career reinvention culled from the experiences of people who have made a transition some more than once.
Ms. Levit assembled a winning and diverse group of career changers, all younger than 40. And one almost wishes we could see them in five or ten years after they’ve gained more seasoning in the aftermath of the economic crisis.
She sets the tone early in the book with a reinvention assessment, which when taken honestly, can separate those who are merely musing from those who are ready to reivent.
We caught up with Ms. Levit recently to talk about managing some of the challenges of career reinvention.
Here are several of her tips, with suggestions for first job seekers and baby boomers.
Define your motivation in career switching. A twenty-five item questionnaire in New Job, New You gives a reader insight into whether a career reinvention is a necessity or a passing whim. Sample question—True or False, You feel you are a different person now than when you first started your career.
Remember everything you do is a measured risk. Just because the economy is in trouble is no reason not to pursue your dream job. You only need one small thing at a time to move forward. Sign up for the week-end workshop or take that on-line webinar.
Choose a first job by the knowledge you’ll gain. When weighing offers chose the job offer with as many transferable skills as possible. These might include project management, sales, marketing, finance and client relations.
The first job is not the be all and end all. Trust your instincts, when making a job choice, especially a first job choice, but also dial back the pressure. Again ask, will the job allow me to have transferable skills? You’ll be able to walk out of that job with a resume to make you proud.
If you are considering a graduate degree ask if the lifestyle applicable and good for you. Sure parents and peers may be thinking that grad school is a good way to sit out the recession, but unless you have a couple of years experience under your belt and an affinity for the field, it might be a waste of time and money.
If you are a baby boomer seeking reinvention, realize you have an advantage. Yes, you may encounter age discrimination, so consider deleting dates from your resume, but you know the business world and hopefully have learned something about packaging yourself. You have more to draw on than someone with just a few years of experience behind them. If you want to do something you feel passionate about, now’s your chance.
Tags: baby boomers, career transitions, Careers, job seekers
