Andy Raynor - Beyond the Brief

Andy Raynor's blog

Work/life balance

Phrases that should be banned #1

Somewhere in the damp, dark annals of people management lies the origin of this phrase. Created with good intent and a furrowed brow by a tweed-jacketed academic peering into a future of reduced working hours. The mantra was co-opted by HR advisers, union officials, maniacally grinning life counsellors who are clearly on better drugs than I can find, and earnest sociologists.

But those words are utterly misguided.

For this simple reason: they imply that “work” and “life” are on the opposite ends of the scales. That they are opposing forces. That they work against each other.

That is defeat for both you and your team. We shouldn’t be looking for an antidote to work. We should spend less time pretending this is a tightrope act and think more carefully about how to make the business somewhere people like to spend their time.

Not all of this is in the gift of the business leader, but most is. This is not about the type of work. It isn’t necessarily about the place, although some attention to detail is vital.

It’s about the attitude and the belief of the leaders and the extent to which they care, almost uniformly, for the people they work with. And therefore - because leaders' behaviour beomes the culture of a business - what it feels like to work around here.

Now I know you’re a fighting pit-prop of an entrepreneur and you don’t always feel you should be such a cuddly pushover, so maybe think about three things:

1. Everyone is important. The story of the week: Alex Ferguson resigns? Nope, the tale from one of his players of finding this man, not noted for his pliability, sitting on a counter in the laundry room after a huge Champions League match, chatting to the ladies sorting the dirty kit.

2. People are never motivated by money above happiness. This is not about flinging money around until a smile appears.

3. Your business is a community. Does it feel like one?

Tell me what you think at andy@andypraynor.com

And see what's been said before by looking in the archive:

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© Andy Raynor 2013

	Andy Raynor - Beyond the Brief

	Andy Raynor's blog Work/life balance *Phrases that should be banned #1* Somewhere in the damp, dark annals of people management lies the origin of this phrase. Created with good intent and a furrowed brow by a tweed-jacketed academic peering into a future of reduced working hours. The mantra was co-opted by HR advisers, union officials, maniacally grinning life counsellors who are clearly on better drugs than I can find, and earnest sociologists. But those words are utterly misguided. For this simple reason: they imply that “work” and “life” are on the opposite ends of the scales. That they are opposing forces. That they work against each other. That is defeat for both you and your team. We shouldn’t be looking for an antidote to work. We should spend less time pretending this is a tightrope act and think more carefully about how to make the business somewhere people like to spend their time. Not all of this is in the gift of the business leader, but most is. This is not about the type of work. It isn’t necessarily about the place, although some attention to detail is vital. It’s about the attitude and the belief of the leaders and the extent to which they care, almost uniformly, for the people they work with. And therefore - because leaders' behaviour beomes the culture of a business - what it feels like to work around here. Now I know you’re a fighting pit-prop of an entrepreneur and you don’t always feel you should be such a cuddly pushover, so maybe think about three things: 1. Everyone is important. The story of the week: Alex Ferguson resigns? Nope, the tale from one of his players of finding this man, not noted for his pliability, sitting on a counter in the laundry room after a huge Champions League match, chatting to the ladies sorting the dirty kit. 2. People are never motivated by money above happiness. This is not about flinging money around until a smile appears. 3. Your business is a community. Does it feel like one? Tell me what you think at andy@andypraynor.com And see what's been said before by looking in the archive:
	Home \| Why? \| Me \| You \| Advisers \| Blog \| Links \| Contact	© Andy Raynor 2013