I hate my job

January 20, 2009

Burnout used to be so much easier to handle. Getting things done, meeting deadlines, juggling a hundred different conversations, everything that is involved in navigating the modern workplace. It was stressful yes, and we would complain. But it is different now.

The GFC knocked the economic world off its axis and has taken us with it. The office now seems gripped by a collective shock-induced psychosis. It seems every conversation is infused with a frantic exploration of each persons depth of fear: What now? How bad will it be? How are things at your place?

To add to all this, it the work itself has turned from positive, productive future building to anxious, defensive plays: postponing projects, checking balance sheets, calling creditors, shoring up what might be left of the strategies that were going to take the company to the next level but are now full of holes.
It is, in short, depressing. Literally. Read more

What I'm working on

July 2: Arrived in London this morning to attend my 10 year reunion at the London Business School. Reunion includes lectures at the School from rockademics such as Zeger Degraeve on the Art of Decision Making - brilliant stuff - and Randall Petersen on why talented people don't make it up the leadership pyramid. Back in the real world, working on the next issue of Business21C magazine, as well as working with Scott David to produce some wicked information visualisations.