Why People Hate Work. . or, It's Not a Game of Survivor

One individual winning. 

If that's the key focus at work, at the expense of teams winning,  the workplace will be miserable.   Even the individuals who supposedly "win"  in this workplace game of survival will be miserable - but accept their ultimate hate of work as just part of the price that needs to be paid to ultimately come out on top.

Popular culture has done very little to promote teamwork; alternatively, it has glorified those who survive no matter how many bodies are left behind.   Witness, in fact, "Survivor."     Watch any episode of the Real Housewives and seemingly all that matters is who has the last word.    Even something as innocuous as House Hunters creates drama between partners: "Who will win out - the person who wants the Tudor Cottage or the person who wants the mid-century modern?"  We are led to believe that absolutely everything is a contest in which ultimately there is one winner and a field of woe-be-gone left-behinds.

Yes, I realize this is all in the name of drama.   But "good drama" does not make good workplaces.

And if there is any remaining doubt that we glorify one individual winning  in our public culture, just take a look at the current political landscape.  Is anybody. . .anyone. . .happy with that?

If this is the perspective we bring to work - no wonder we hate it so.  Spending 8+ hours per day wondering who lied to get ahead or who stabbed us in the back so they can take our place is not a productive use of time or energy.   Seriously, no one should want to live (or work) this way.     And contrary to some popular story lines, it does not produce excellence or even mediocre work.  It produces a hero for approximately an hour and then it is on to the next drama.

So as much as we want this madness to stop, we have ownership in that decision.   We can stop wishing for (or even worshipping) division, game playing and one-ups-manship.   We can  stop the hero worship of those who are so obviously selfish human beings.   We can stop being pawns.

For those of us fortunate to work in collaborative, team-oriented environments - we realize how much this contributes to the enjoyment of work and the joy of accomplishment.

Glorify accomplishment and team work.   Own that, hold it and exercise it.     Then you will love work. . .and life.

And get a lot more done.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.