Would You Rather?

Last week, I had a conversation with a client who had recently lost his job. He offered that he might possibly get rehired by his former employer, either working nights at one job or traveling 100% of the time at another. He had worked a day job prior to getting downsized. The two choices he presented reminded me of the Would You Rather game and how life is always presenting choices. As a professional, would you rather...

• work at a job you hate for a lot of money or work at a job you love for a little money?
• be president of a company where everyone disliked you or vice president of a company where everyone loved you?
• be the one doing the talking or the one doing the listening?
• be the leader or be the manager?
• have a competent manager or a competent team?
• work nights for more money or work days for less money?
• be seen or be heard at a networking event?
• have someone read your company e-mail or listen to your phone calls?
• be the one who speaks up or the one who shuts up?
• know a little about a lot or know a lot about a little?
• be the one to give or the one to receive?
• be the changer or be the changed?
• be the winner or be the whiner?
• manage others well or well-manage yourself?
• be respected for your knowledge or trusted for your common sense?
• wear an old suit that's comfortable or a new one that's uncomfortable?
• be the employer or be the employee?
• buy an existing business or build an organization from scratch?
• be the question or be the answer?
• be the innovator or be the implementer?
• be the interviewer or be the interviewee?

What career choices are facing you right now? What would you rather?

cross-posted at billiesucherweblog

Comments

[Sophie Lagacé]

Heh. When choosing the lesser of two evils like this, I think the key is to remember that there may be only two possibilities *right now* (and I doubt even that), but there are an infinite number of possibilities when widening the parameters. So pick the lesser evil right now if the choice has narrowed down to this, but use it as a stepping stone to another, better choice in the future: another job, new skills, useful contacts, whatever.

[billiesucher]

Thanks, Sophie, for your very well-stated comment.
- Billie

[Sharon Wilson]

Great post. Another would you rather that some of us deal with is would you rather work longer hours for more money but less free time, or shorter hours for less money and more free time. It's the age old work life balance question.

[billiesucher]

Sharon, that's good - thanks for posting. Here's another one I was told...would you rather get demoted with a pay cut or take a severance package?
- Billie

[Craig Althof]

Weighty questions, Billie.

The meaning of “work” has shifted. As a boomer, my folks were of the generation that believed any job that paid the bills was worth fighting for, and eventually dying in. Forget “job satisfaction”…that’s why they call it “work”. “Put down the guitar, get a haircut and get a real job!” Not so any more, thankfully.

In the mid-90’s I got involved in Managing Personal Growth (MPG) from BlessingWhite (www.blessingwhite.com ). As part of certification, I completed the two-day values identification / career management process. By “values” I don’t mean the real kumbaya-type stuff. Besides family happiness, mine include helping others, creativity, learning new things, and freedom from constraints. So many major “AHAs” came out of that two-day workshop and my subsequent involvement with MPG that I won’t list them all, but two deserve noting:

1. If your own values are disconnected from your company’s, and if your work does not satisfy your true core motivators, you’ll be miserable and will not be a top contributor. Self and company both are short-sheeted.

2. If you take the time to establish your own values-based vision, mission and objectives you will stand a much better chance of surviving job loss and transitioning to a new and meaningful professional life. I will personally testify to that Truth…twice. I am currently seeking work for the second time in nine years, and my values-based plan is once again my Keeper of Sanity.

At the very top of my strategy is my Vision: Leave a Legacy. That is pretty much wide open—needs meat. Two key areas of influence became my Objectives: education / secondary schools through school-to-career; and business and industry, by focusing on engagement, alignment and execution (just as values-based as I can covertly get the message across. Ops managers, bless their hearts, do not care for values-based discussions as a rule. Don’t tell on me, please!).
Further down my strategic hierarchy are more detailed tactics and action plans, which I am executing right now.

To sum up—identify what really drives you beyond position, power and lots of coin. Then, be true to your values. You’ll live longer, be more fun to be around, and be much more productive to boot.

Thanks for letting me play, Billie. I explore these things at In Search of Excellence: http://craigalan.wordpress.com

[Craig Althof]

SORRY--rookie mistake, got that long-winded Tolstoy under the wrong post.

Severance, although it would be much tougher to make that decision in the current environment. You'd be better off in the long run taking a survival job (Billie's other post) than staying where your misery level will be ramped up after having your stripes ripped off your sleeve.

Some of the factors I noted in my "mistake" post are relvant to that decision, so I guess it wasn't a totally wasted post!

[billiesucher]

Hi Craig! Not sure where the Tolstoy remarks were to go, but hey, they work here just fine! Thank you for both entries and keep up the great work on your new blog!:)
- Billie

[Claire]

I'd rather be just me.

[Craig Althof]

Claire, I'm curious as to what it is in that "me" job description that really grabs you more than other positions....

That brings to mind the stuff that's coming out about strengths-based leadership, and a parable from a pioneer book on the subject "Soar With your Strengths" by Donald Clifton (that's purely memory...hope I'm right)

The parable is called "Let the Rabbits Run". I just found it in its original form here: http://fullyhuman.wordpress.com/2007/06/07/let-the-rabbits-run

....the Wise Old Owl cocked his head and said, “Rabbit, life doesn’t have to be that way. We could have schools and businesses where people are allowed to concentrate on what they do well.”

Hotdog....I WAS right about the title and author, verified in the linked post.

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