I think we actually got into the recession in the first place because wwe tried and worked harder at all the wrong things without any regards to checks and balances whether internal or external.
The problem does not lie in the "harder" equation but more in HARDER at what. The innovation and creativity comes into play ensuring that the fundamentals of the economy and the way we approach it are sound. As in all human activities the pendlum swings to the other side with a vengance and we will put checks and balances that will invariably go way beyond what is required. Once we have defined what is it that we need to fix it then yes, by all means let us all work and try harder.
Like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, we are working harder despite a predictable end. Innovation is sorely needed and it will be an idea well out of the box before it makes a difference. A recent newspaper article in the US stated that airlines have declared war on their customers. How many industries have survived that?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard the phrase "working smarter, not harder"? I have, so many times it makes me sick (and I teach change management at the MBA level). There's a funny paradox in innovation - dramatic change is needed, dramatic change is almost impossible. This is reality and anyone who has tried to make major change in an aerospace organisation knows this. But it is necessary.
Let's consider then, the concept of the pendulum swinging too far to one side for a moment. I wonder if our labour unions were stronger (in all industries and at all employee levels) if the aftermath of the current financial crisis would be so bad? It's a hypothetical question at best. While unions have annoying traits and tactics, they also can have great benefits. I believe (as an airline exec) that without unions, most of Europe and the US/Canada would be reduced to minimum wage by now.
Working smarter means something different to me - you wouldn't have to espouse the need for it all the time if people on the job didn't have such an unbalanced and limited opportunity to share in the success of their companies. Greed, greed, greed by the few has always led to rebellion, ultimately.
I do not suggest we should all join unions tomorrow, however I do feel we should all re-evaluate what we work for, given this crisis. Oussama brings out a great point - it's the shared nature of work that makes us feel better about our work. If we all believed we and our customers could benefit from working smarter, then we would all feel better about it. No more 12 hour days because its expected, 12 hour days because we're contributing (and receiving) from the effort.
It's community that makes us feel better about ourselves as people. In the aviation industry we're fortunate because we can see daily evidence that this transcends nationality, ethnic origin, sex or religion. Whatever our political backgrounds and views, it is time to consider what working harder means. I have, and I urge others to do the same.