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All of the interactions and issues you have with bosses and coworkers are just fluff.
You perform X service and get Y pay and benefits. There's nothing more to it.
People get way too emotionally involved with their jobs. I know as I've definitely been guilty of that myself.
Yes, this is true. However, it can be hard NOT to get emotionally involved as it's where you spend a large percentage of your waking hours and humans are social beings, so it's hurtful to be excluded, bullied, ostracized, passed over, witnessing favoritism, cliques, etc...
It's almost like you have to turn yourself into a robot and numb all emotions in order to deal with the workplace. Then you can just go in, do the work and collect the paycheck.
The only time I get emotionally involved is when I stay late and the idiot supervisor forgets I'm there and have to leave by a certain time. The really stupid thing? I'm going to forgive the idiot and start doing it more...$$$ I guess...
For many people, their work is central to who they are. You take away their work and in their view, you take away their identity. That's unhealthy, but all too common.
The better way to view work is like the classic line from the Godfather movies "It's not personal, it's just business."
I agree that it is nothing more than a business transaction. When I began working in the early 60s the overall attitude was we were there to get our work done successfully and then leave. It was not a party atmosphere or a social gathering arena. We treated each other with respect and used our breaks or lunch time to either socialize with coworkers or not.
And since our time was used effectively without interruptions of personal phone calls, idle chit chat, etc., overtime was not necessary. We were not robot workers by any means, we just realized that we 'earned' a paycheck, it was not an entitlement.
Now it has gone 180 to the point that many interviewers are more interested in selecting candidates that fit into their social circle than those who are actually qualified for the position.
Yes, this is true. However, it can be hard NOT to get emotionally involved as it's where you spend a large percentage of your waking hours and humans are social beings, so it's hurtful to be excluded, bullied, ostracized, passed over, witnessing favoritism, cliques, etc...
It's almost like you have to turn yourself into a robot and numb all emotions in order to deal with the workplace. Then you can just go in, do the work and collect the paycheck.
It's also hard because a lot of people's identities are tied up in their jobs. I mean, what's one of the first things you ask a little kid? "What do you want to be when you grow up?" What's one of the first things you ask an adult? "What do you do?"
You grow up with the idea that you ARE your job. If you say, "This is just what I do to finance my real life," people look at you funny, wondering why you're so undedicated. You go on a job interview and they want to hear you say it's always been your dream to do this job for this company-- anything else is the wrong answer, even if it's true.
There are people who do nothing *but* their jobs, either can't imagine retiring or do so and then have no clue what to do with themselves because all they have ever done is work-- no outside interests or hobbies to fall back on.
And to an extent, it is because it's as you say (and I always do, too)-- this is the thing you'll be doing with most of your waking hours for most of your life. It'd better be something you can stand to do, day in and day out, which means it should probably be something you enjoy and identify with just a little. (And then of course there are people who are lucky enough to be able to make a career out of doing what they love to pieces, but I don't know how common that is.)
Yeah....this is great in theory but in reality those that mind their own business, get their head in the game, do a good job and go home are those that find themselves loosing out on well-deserved promotions or worse being blindsided by 'performance issues'.
I can't think of one decent corporate job now a days that will permit an even transaction of your labor for money and not demand anything socially or relationally out of you. Not to mention, you're likely working with (and reporting to) people who have no lives/identities outside of work and when you do and act like it; here's the next round of layoffs for you.
For many people, their work is central to who they are.
You take away their work and in their view, you take away their identity.
That's unhealthy, but all too common.
The better way to view work is like the classic line from the Godfather movies
"It's not personal, it's just business."
And the work = identity notion gets drummed in from an early age; an adult will ask a youngster:
"What do you want to BE when you grow up?"
Not, "What kind of work do you think you'll do?" but "What do you want to BE?"
as if you aren't already the person you are, regardless of the kind of work you wind up doing later.
Controlling your emotions, and learning to read the emotions of other people are the best things a person can do for a career.
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