Why Work Sucks

A couple days ago I had lunch with some folks from a local marketing company. I had met them at a local tweetup (twitter users face to face networking get together) and it seemed that we really hit if off. Anyway, .... we met at a local coffee house for lunch and instantly I noticed the office dynamics of these two individuals.


It clearly wasn't a formal "boss / employee" relationship. Almost like 2 adults who respect the fact that they are adults... but almost like brother and sister. (They each ordered something different so they could share. I have since learned that is the rule if you go out to eat with them... you have to order something different and share what you have. )


Throughout lunch we had a great conversation about a variety of topics including restaurants (I just had a bad experience at a local restaurant), work enviroments and dynamics.


I have rarely heard people speak about "loving work" but although it was not said... you could tell that something is working very well at that office.


Before I left the office the big cheese over there gave me a book. It's called "Why Work Sucks and How to Fix it" We chatted about the book for a few minutes and I left.


The last couple of nights I have been reading this book and it's almost as if someone took my own thoughts and views and wrote a book for me... really, I should be taking credit for this book because I have had exactly the same thoughts for atleast the last 5 years...


The thought process with this book is very interesting and I would say controversial to an extent but makes so much sense....The book is based on the "Results Only Work Environment (google it if you need too) Here is a quote or two for you to ponder:


"This new way of living is based on the radical idea that you are an adult. It is based on the radical idea that even though you owe your company your best work, you do not owe them your time or your life" (page 3)


"In a Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) people can do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as the work gets done" (also page 3)


"You get paid for a chunk of work not a chunk of time" (page 4)


There are TONS of golden nuggets of info that I am just captivated by... It may seem outlandish but I truely believe that it is possible to run a business using this principal . The truth is the guy that gave me this book?? He runs his business based on many of these principals, and from the outside looking in it sure looks like a happy crew over there who love their jobs and have the flexibility to actually have a life.

So in saying all this, I think I might just move in there just to feed off the energy that these happy people have created. Got an extra chair??