It’s a dangerous thing to fall in love with your employer. I’m not talking about your boss, although that has its own set of risks. I’m talking about thinking that just because you love working for your employer, your employer is going to love you back. It won’t happen. I’ve spent much of my career working in higher education, and it’s not unusual to have a young graduate try to find a job with her alma mater. She may love the college town atmosphere, the sports, the libraries, and the arts, but her university is incapable of returning that affection. Its not limited to university employment. I’ve heard many, many others tell me that they just love working for their companies. They usually go on to list their favorite things about that job: the benefits, the hours, the short commute, the challenge, the opportunity, etc. But an employer cannot and will not return the loyalty.
So where’s the danger in that? You set yourself up for a huge emotional crash if you expect an organization to make decisions and act like a person. Your family should love you unconditionally; but don’t expect your employer to do so, no matter how many raises or awards or accolades you’ve achieved. Just ask Tiger Woods, Mike Leach or Conan O’Brien. When the time comes, your employer will make a cold, dispassionate business decision. If you expect that from your employer it won’t lessen the surprise or ease the pain when it happens to you; but sometime in the days ahead you’ll realize it wasn’t personal, it was just business. And then you can better pick yourself up and get on with the rest of your life. So no matter how great your current job is, do not love your employer!
So true! I learned a long time ago that the only person responsible for making my mortgage payment is me. And, you have to keep work in perspective.
Thanks for the reminder!
It’s very important to maintain healthy boundaries at work. It’s really just a J.O.B. (Just Over Broke) in the end. Important to do our best…even our very best. But in the end…the only one you can count on to adequately reward you for a job well done is yourself. I think it’s time we all define what those rewards are. A genuine vacation where we are “really” unplugged for the duration of the vacation. A special big deal “thing” we’ve always wanted. Or maybe even the next new challenge…a new employer relationship where we invest ourselves appropriately. It’s the management of our persoanl energy…not time that makes us superior Corporate Athletes…and that takes the courage to set realistic work/life boundaries.
Sorry for the length of comment. Just felt compelled to share.