It pays to be nice … but not enough

I’ll be quick, as I’m behind as usual. I swear, I took on 30 hours of work between two jobs and yet I am NEVER CAUGHT UP. Why is that? I am at my ‘puter from 9 to 6 (at least) every day. And I’m not burning any calories, with no commute unless it’s to the refrigerator that’s 100 feet away. So much for the flexible life to do what I want/need. Le sigh.

Loved the article at the WSJ today about how everyone’s wearing 40 different hats at their jobs in order to keep them. This struck me because it has been my downfall at my last three jobs — I was always the “nice” person who could juggle in the extra work “till we hire someone.”

But then, when those urgent, day-to-day duties start to take away from the “big thinking” that needs to be done, you’re the asshole who’s too wrapped up in the details to ever prove your mettle by showing that you should have been left exclusively to the idea generation all along.

Especially in my field, everyone is using the same tired five ideas. Actually, it’s probably really only three ideas. If I’m being generous. And they all SUCK just as much now as they did the first hundred times we saw them.

See, I work in an “ideas” business, but everyone’s lying to themselves if they actually believe it. (Not accosting any current employers. Just stating the obvious for those who read this page and want to see themselves in it.) The “ideas” can only come from certain staff members (above a certain pay grade) and if you’ve already got a “golden child” on staff, you might as well save your breath and head off to Costco to buy toilet paper and coffee for the office.

They will GLADLY show you praise for the dumb shit and tear you a new one over an idea that no one else has tried — who wants to do the legwork of the unproven idea when someone else made money with the stupid thing that somehow miraculously worked?

Anyway. Go. Read. Now. “Superjobs”: Why You Work More, Enjoy it Less

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