What If Work Was Fun?

The basic idea: No matter your job, you almost certainly get paid to produce results that have economic value. That's it. No one pays you to be miserable or lonely. Work can absolutely be fun, and you can make trusted friends there, too. (I'm serious. This is not a joke.)

A bit more background: There was a stretch during those long months at home when I spoke to Morag Barrett—CEO and Founder of the leadership development firm, SkyeTeam—once a week. She never failed to uplift me... thanks to her ability to be substantive, amusing and warm, all at the same time. For reasons you will soon understand, I recently called her up and recorded a portion of our conversation (with her consent, of course):

Morag: Lately, you've been writing a lot about ways to live your best possible life.

Bruce: That's right.

Morag: Well, we just wrote a book about having your best possible life at work.

Bruce: That's why I called you.

Morag: What a fortunate coincidence!

Bruce: It's not really a coincidence. You asked me to help spread the word about your book.

Morag: No matter. So many people are just putting in the hours. They're conforming to the stereotype of 9 to 5. Sit at your desk, do your thing, work your overtime, go home, and that's where you get to do the real living.

But the reality is that you can have fun at work. The work/life balance thing has always annoyed me. It's all life... of which work is a part. It's not an either or. So you need to embrace that and create a work environment in which you can thrive.

Bruce: Your book can help me do that? Not just me, but everybody?

Morag: Yes, everybody. But you actually have to read it. Just buying it won't be enough.

Bruce: What if I buy a few copies and give them to people I want to be happier?

Morag: That would be lovely, thank you.

Regular readers of this newsletter know that I rarely promote books or anything else, for that matter. Morag and her colleagues are the real deal and they are perfectly in sync with the theme of Mountain Minute, which is to grow your career by helping others. It's also well worth visiting the book's web site to complete your Ally Profile (see above image)—a key concept from the book—which is a substantive self-assessment.

The book is You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!) by Morag Barrett, Eric Spencer and Ruby Vesely

***

I work with founders and CEOs, helping each to be a great writer without actually writing. Details at Kasanoff.com.