> These recent posts on the conflict between the theories of organizational
> learning and the realities of individual personalities, backgrounds and
> psychological make-up have struck a chord with me. In some of my research
> in this area of organizational learning and knowledge management, I have
> noticed that quite a few thinkers have approached this topic as almost a
> type of religious revival in the workplace, where people find a sense of
> place, meaning, and dignity.
>
> But I have often asked myself, on a normative/prescriptive level, _why_
> should we, as workers, look to organizations to provide the higher
> echelons of Maslov's needs? I was raised to believe that fulfillment came
> first from family and friends.
Snip
Duru, I read in your words that business and individual personality are in
conflict, and that we should learn to leave our personal issues at home. I
agree that there are some aspects of personality which do not belong in
the workplace, such as psychotherapy offers, and there are aspects of work
we should leave in the workplace. I disagree, however, that personality
and business are in conflict. I believe if we are allowed to bring our
whole selves to work, including emotion, intuition and spirit, we become
better workers, as well as more fulfilled, and happier. I also believe
that a strong, mentally healthy worklife supports a strong, healthy family
life, and vice-versa. If we deny the need for mental health at work, our
family lives will suffer, and vice-versa. It is not a question of either
fulfillment at work or fulfillment at home, it is a question of both
fulfillment at work AND fulfillment at home. We can have both, and it is
in our best interests to have both. It is not like there is a limited
amount of mental health or fulfillment, and we need to save it for where
it's most important (the family). It is that abundance of mental health
and fulfillment at home supports an abundance of mental health and
fulfillment at work, and vice versa.
Besides, such a huge amount of my time is now spent in the workplace, it
only makes sense (to me) that I give that big part of my life to something
that is important to me, that is that fulfills me.
And, yes, I do have a bit of an evangelical attitude towards this subject.
Thank you, Duru, for keeping the thread alive.
--John Crutcher <John.Crutcher@Boeing.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>