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Newsletter of January 3, 2011

What economists miss: most jobs suck


Hi, 

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with

your family and friends. Wishing you all a wonderful
and happy new year.


If you were following my work over the holiday
period, you will know that I published my own
new year's resolutions on December 22 and invited
others to join me over the next ten years in using
storytelling to turn organizations into curators of
the human spirit, rather than its destroyer.
So many people responded positively to my call
that I set up an online discussion group to help
implement my goal of "revolutionizing the world
of work". I am thrilled that around a hundred
people have joined the group so far and there are
already some lively, insightful and practical
discussions under way there. I hope you will
consider joining here.


One common new year's resolution in the US
was: to look for a new job. In fact a shocking
number of people-in fact, 84% of the workforce-
plan to look for a new job in 2011. This is an
astonishingly high figure which in one sense
is bad news for everyone: bosses, employees
and politicians
.


Yet if you think about it, there is also a silver
lining. It means that 84% are voting for change.
So there is already a large constituency for
"revolutionizing the world of work", as I explain here.

 

Meanwhile economists are living up to their
reputation as people who know the price
of everything and the value of nothing.  As
US unemployment is stuck at 10%, they are
wringing their hands over whether unemployment
is "cyclical" or "structural" (it's cyclical).  
What they are miss is the real jobs crisis:
most jobs suck.


In this respect, government is no different from the
private sector. They both suffer from the same
terminal disaease: hierarchical bureaucracy.


Some readers questioned whether my solution
to these problems-radical different management-
is really radical enough. I responded to these
concerns by suggesting that the revolution I am proposing is actually of the most dangerous and sustainable kind. It doesn't use diktats, or force, or legislation. It is far more profound and lasting
because it is a revolution of the heart.


Meanwhile, I came across an interesting story of how
delighting the client overcame impossible odds: how
the tiny nation of Qatar, with no soccer history and
practically no facilities beat out US, Japan, South
Korea and Australia for the right to host the 2022
World Cup. Extraordinary!


Wishing you all success and happiness in the new year.

Hope our paths cross soon,

Warmly

Steve
 

PS Don't forget to register for my webcast on
reinventing management next week on Tuesday
January 11 at 11am EST. Get the details here.

 


Read the Introduction
Watch the video
& pick up these amazing gifts!

Join our on-line
discussion group:

"Revolutionizing
the World
of Work"