Tom,
Let me rain on your parade for a bit. Farmers like the rain because it
fosters growth. I trust that you will like it, too.
You have set your venture up to fail, or to let you spend a bundle then
fail. My organization is meaningful, or it is not. There is no middle
ground. I can struggle for a long time, with huge teams of accountants,
and I will not come up with a meaningful notion of partial meaningfulness
("truly" meaningful vs. "just plain old" meaningful?).
My spirit be joyful, or it is not. Today, my spirit was joyful, and I
said "Grrrr" to a customer who I let go away mad, and I said "Grrrr" to
myself in the post game analysis. I still credit the customer with an
assist in the matter, which means that I am still saying "Grrrr." And, my
spirit be joyful. It is not the case that my spirit be 84% joyful, or
some other fraction.
The logical positivists of old might have dismissed this entire
conversation as meaningless. The notions of being joyful or being
meaningful, as we are using them, are essentially unverifiable. And, my
spirit be joyful. And, your question be meaningful.
By the way, my workplace has as much meaning as the next, maybe more
(couldn't resist). My co-workers are in it with their whole hearts and
souls (next, we can measure heart and soul size - the temptation is strong
indeed!). And, we are dysfunctional on a few dimensions, and manage to
irk each other on occasion. And, our spirits be joyful, although we all
might not yet say so.
Jim Battell
YourLegacy@aol.com wrote:
> Hello! My name (Tom Terez) or website (www.meaningatwork.com) may have a
> familiar ring. I'm the person who has been writing and speaking on the
> topic of "meaningful workplaces."
--Jim Battell <jbattell@mediaone.net>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>