Good habits, bad habits

Tomasz Karwatka wrote a great post with good advice - I disagree with it a bit!

Why? Tomek's advice contains many exceptions. Tomek mentions a few of them, but I think it's worth expanding on them because taking these tips "at face value" can lead to burnout and internal conflicts of values.

1. Always be on time - This is an unrealistic expectation. In life and work, various situations can prevent us from being on time. I'm not talking about obvious issues like a delayed train or plane, or situations where a family or health issue requires attention (less obvious). Mainly, it's about situations where "something needs to be delivered" (i.e., finished), often at another meeting. For example, I don't think it's harmful to a career if a doctor is late because a surgery took longer, or if a developer is late because they're finishing a deployment. Nowadays, being late is often a result of the digital work model, where more often we don't work from offices, and calendars are set by the rhythm of digitally scheduled meetings. It's easy to fall into the trap of needing to be on time everywhere because it's just as easy for someone to put something on our calendar. I believe we should learn that it's just as easy to reschedule a meeting, and being 5 or 10 minutes late to a call, if you've informed others beforehand, is completely OK and natural in today's workplace. At the same time, I think it's not OK behavior if done habitually, especially when both parties meet in person and bear the costs of travel.

2. Keep your word - Here, I have the most doubts, not about keeping your word, but that Tomek equates it with "delivering" and "predictability in business." If you are a salaried employee, you don't "deliver" anything tangible (unless clearly specified in contract); you merely sell your working time to the employer - the amount of this time is the only predictable thing (excluding illnesses and accidents) one can expect. Sometimes, during this time, you manage to "deliver" something expeptional, and sometimes not - and that's OK. This is because work efficiency can fluctuate, but primarily because the employer (and different people inside the org) can give you many different (sometimes conflicting) tasks within the same time, which affects the ability to "deliver" a given project. Last but not least - "keeping one's word" is not, in my opinion, a healthy business practice towards employees. They are bound by the labor code and contract, not by honor categories like “giving one's word”. We should talk about performing tasks assigned by the supervisor and accepted as understandable and realistic to complete by the employee - both things are equally important. Not completing tasks should be the subject of analysis by both parties (employee, manager), but it is not breaking one's word.

3. Be polite - Tomek mentions respecting the other person but does not mention that the category of respect and politeness is diverse. What is polite for a 40-year-old boomer like me ("get this done by tomorrow, you need to deliver it, we still have a whole night to do it!”) can be a complete crossing of boundaries for someone from a different generation. Similarly, a younger employee's refusal to accept a task may be considered "disrespectful" by someone raised in the work culture of the 90s, like me. Not to mention the differences in respect in different regions and types of businesses (imagine polite football players or paramedics).

To be clear, my post is not intended to attack Tomek, whom I respect very much. I am simply trying to show a different perspective on issues that, in my opinion, "are not that simple."

Finally, my 3 tips:

1. Be understanding - Try to understand and respect the complexity of the situation and the world of the other person. Don't assume that being late, not getting something done on time, or doing a task poorly is a result of laziness, bad will, or a poor work ethic. There can be many reasons, it's worth understanding them, and only then judge the person and possibly make decisions about further steps.

2. Communicate three times better than now - If you're going to be late - say so. If you don't understand a task - say so. If you consider goals unrealistic - say so.

3. Respect diverse opinions on what is standard - The rules and values that applied to you will not necessarily be shared by your bosses, business partners, and employees. Don't assume that "this is how things should be done." It's better to recognize that this is your preference, not always seen as good, rational, or even ethical by others. Don't be afraid to talk about this diversity.

Oh, you might ask about the picture I've added to this - it is a panel during Off Camera festival, to which Adam Tunikowski was late, because he was finish an important client call.