Sunday, March 30, 2014

Greg Marcus' Busting Your Corporate Idol


dogbert work life balance

As many of you know, I am more than aware of the impact that not having a work-life balance can have on one's health, emotionally and physically.

After my piece appeared in the Globe and Mail,  Dr. Greg Marcus, Silicon Vally work-life balance guru reached out to me and we had a very interesting chat.  Well actually, I babbled on to him and he listened very kindly.  I could tell he must be a good coach!

It seems that though New Brunswick is a fraction of the size of the part of California in which Greg lives, the issues I faced were identical to what he faced before he left his job and are identical to those experienced by the many individuals with whom he coaches.

Greg sent me his book to read and I am so glad that he did, as it was a revelatory experience. 

I connected again and again with the stories Greg shares in the book and wished I'd read it before I left my job (which is not to say I still wouldn't have left anyway, but is to say I might have survived the experience a little more intact).

In a previous life, Greg was an MIT graduate, working for large corporations, doing cutting edge research and work and a true believer in the cult of work at all costs. Until the cost became too high and he realized this his idol didn't share the same values and feelings for him (since, by definition, organizations are not capable of having feelings).


The central conceit of the book is Marcus' belief that our places of work have become in many cases false idols, a concept which occurred to him during Yom Kippur.  For those unfamiliar with Yom Kippur, it is the Day of Atonement for the Jewish faith that involves fasting from sunrise to sunset and prayers of reflection on one's life.  A time for atonement, amends. 

The idolatry metaphor is a good one.  The corporation, and work in general, has become a 24-7 taskmaster, requiring our full love and attention, and often at the expense of the things that are most important to our well-being - our family and our health.

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A caveat here for those of you who are going to write and tell me that you love your job and are happy - I loved a lot of my job, too, and was very happy at times in my position(s) - and that therefore even if you are tethered to work, physically and emotionally, that's okay, I say "have at it".  But I would also say that having balance is a good thing.
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Throughout the book, Greg uses case studies and offers helpful ideas and key questions for self-examination aimed to assist the reader to identify if they have an issue and how they can fix it.

However, let's face it - if you are drawn to this book, you have an issue.  I was working so much and was so distracted constantly by the incoming emails and phone messages and the constant crises and documents, that even when I wasn't working, I was never, ever, truly "not working".  And though there was an expectation that people should take vacations, the sheer volume of work piling up during our absence often leads people to continue to do some work (or even be called in for a crisis by the same boss who encouraged them to take a vacation), because the thought of returning to 2000 emails after a couple of weeks off made the vacation seem not really worth it.


This was so me...


The overworking culture is promoted in most organizations I've worked in - either people are sharing (bragging) about how worn out they are, or they are one-upping one another to see who can stay the latest, "be there" when the organization needs them.

There was even a certain esprit-de-corps that existed, where we would all share war stories about having the shit kicked out of us constantly and working around the clock.

And while I worked very hard to make my children a priority, what I lost along the way was quality time with friends and quality time with myself, so that by the end I was dragging myself from day to day, bootstrapping it through meetings and long nights of work.  And to be honest, in the end I didn't feel I was making enough of a difference in my job that it was worth getting sick for.  I heard from a lot of people within the organization about how happy they were for me at being able to leave for my health's sake and wished they could do likewise. The silence from others, whom I had thought were comrades-in-arms, was deafening.  Because dropping out is a cardinal sin when you are talking corporate idolatry.

Greg posits that organizations which are money driven are particularly susceptible to this type of corporate idolatry.  I think that when the economy suffers, as is certainly the case in New Brunswick right now, the pressure to deliver gets jacked up even higher, both within the private and public sectors.  Individuals with whom I chat with regularly across all levels within Government right now appear to me to be as demoralized as I've ever seen them, which makes sense given the need to find savings, not fill vacant positions (which in turn requires existing staff to work more and harder) and the ongoing uncertainty of future job cuts if the economy doesn't bounce back.  Friends in the private sector are saying the same.  And all of them mention a lack of balance, an expectation that they will work every evening and most weekends and be on call via email.

international assignment work life balance


Of course there are ways around it that are less drastic than leaving one's job, and thank goodness Greg Marcus provides some helpful tools that can be used to recalibrate balance between one's workplace and one's home life.

And while a crisis often forces the change - in my case my father dying and my inability to sleep due to stress - we do our employees and our society a disservice if we allow it to get to that point.

A fundamental shift is starting to fester around the edges of our obsessed-with-work-and-getting-ahead culture.  Organizations would do well to buy Greg's book and see what they might do differently, how their leaders can push back and create a different kind of workplace that values people's health and recognizes that if our whole sense of self comes from our jobs, we really have no sense of self, since the organization's sense of self does not come from us.



But most importantly, people who are currently experiencing this kind of stress need to read this book and take the baby steps necessary "to get a life".  And I understand all too well that many of you who are reading this are frankly too busy to imagine taking the time to read this book and even the thought of that makes you feel stressed, so I say one thing: put it by the toilet.  Surely to god you are taking a break for that!

If you are interested in buying the book or learning more about Greg and his Idolbuster Coaching Institute, click here.The book is also available to purchase from Amazon.  The book is well written, a straightforward and compassionate read and leaves one with the feeling in the end that this cane be tackled if only there is a the will to do so.

Thanks Greg!  And best of luck saving all of us who have or who are struggling to find a real work-life balance!  

42 comments:

  1. Your "put it by the toilet" lines sum it all up lol! If one's not taking a break for that then it sounds like the book might be a useful read! Also, I love Dogbert! I'm glad you found the book helpful, and that was really nice that the author reached out to you.

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  2. Wendy that was an excellent post. I know this topic is close to your heart and I have to say that Greg Marcus sounds very interesting, I'm going to read his book even though I am certainly not working in any kind of corporate culture.
    I do find the concept of False Idols interesting. I think whether it be corporate culture, celebrity influence or a "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality, the False Idol is a singular problem of our time, when we lack the support of family or religion, when everything moves quickly and we don't want to be left behind.
    Certainly corporate/workplace culture seems to have a special connection with the demon that is the False Idol!
    Okay I'm going to go buy Greg's book but it will NOT be going in the loo. I'm very happy for that! ;)

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    1. Dani, I was really intrigued by the concept of false idols as well. I also love to see a more spiritual perspective on these things! I think you will find it interesting to read!

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    2. Oh and p.s. I LOVE to read in the tub!

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    3. Oh I love everything that Dani wrote, that's a topic to be expanded on in the future by someone please!

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    4. Tabs - I agree - there are all kinds of false idols about these days (well I guess there always have been), things that we chase or look up to that in the end bring us no last peace. The book really goes into this subject very well, as does Arianna Huffington's new book, Thrive, which I am currently reading (and have highlighted almost every page thus far, just like I did with Greg's book!)

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    6. Hi Dani - great comment. Many people have connected with the book who are not in a corporate environment, Wendy not the least of them! Please let me know what you think!
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      thanks for keeping my book out of the loo!

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  3. Well being self employed is no picnic either, is it? We try to work to live instead of live to work but it can be quite difficult. Truthfully the one God, one life keeps me focused on what is really important. My hubs, keeping him focused is another matter. Not one to keep up with the Joneses our issue is to keep people employed...I could go on and on with this subject. A bit tuff when you are the money train.

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    1. Blue Booby I hear you, and we only have two employees! MrBP has to keep the work coming in and the quality work going out, it's pressure for sure. Work can easily take over life.

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    2. We have four employees but lots of subcontractors that work almost exclusively for us. Hunters loyalty to them, and I would not have it any other way, is amazing. And it does pay off. Just a delicate balance these days especially with the kids gone...we could work ALL the time. Really the only way to get hubs to relax is take him out of town.

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    3. I think you are right BB - there is a lot of pressure to keep all the plates spinning and doing it in a way that's humane to all. Hunter sounds like he knows the secret to keeping loyalty and you know the secret to keeping him balanced!

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    4. BB that's the only time MrBP really relaxes as well, getting the hell out of Dodge!

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  4. Sounds like an interesting read. After my time in management consulting and banking, I have no desire to return even though I miss the overt ego building that world provided. As I run my own business, work life balance becomes even trickier in some ways so this sounds like a book worth reading before I develop too many bad habits!

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    1. Spot on Jen. Interesting point about the ego building. Those kinds of messages are one of the root causes of overwork. Thanks for your interest.

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  5. Just managed to delete today's post by trying to fix a spelling mistake on the iPhone - ugh.

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    1. Well my laptop just responded to jen's comment down below, not beneath - the gremlins are out today!

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  6. Work as a false idol, now there's a thought! I recall once taking a day off to be with my dad and first thing in the morning getting an email from boss saying he needed to talk to me ASAP, there went half of that day. As far as taking a break for *that* well ... hmmm, there are many times when even that is rushed or skipped. Sad but true.

    My recent (ahem) mishap has caused me, or rather forced me, to slow down, a concussion does not take to working long hours well. Now there's a silver lining!

    Thanks for your post, Wendy!

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    1. TR, that sounds just like my old life! And sometimes our concussions, or burnouts, are just the thing we need to help us rebalance!

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  7. Jen, those worlds are all about ego building and it is very easy to get sucked in and then realize that none of it is really true, and that you are ultimately just a cog, even if you are the cog at the top of the wheel!

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  8. I cam relate as I just had a heavy week at work. I do love working though as it gives me some financial freedom but also important is the structure it gives me to get out of bed in the morning, get my brain working and connect with a tribe outside of my family. You don't have to have a job to get these things however, it's all up to us to build this structure anyway we want it.

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  9. Oh come on now ladies! It's not like you're a movie star, those women have it really tough compared to we routine office workers. Gwyneth Paltrow says so.

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    1. Oh boy poor GP she really puts her foot in it doesn't she. I think that those sites should ban comments on any article about her, they are really dreadful!

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    2. Now I understand, poor Chris just couldn't stand it any longer.

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    3. Oh Dani, I did not look at the comments until just now. What is wrong with some people? That is awful.
      I actually read about the firestorm around the interview first, then went to see it myself. Quite a backlash from all sides.

      Fred, I think some people live in such a bubble that they truly have no idea about the rest of the world.

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    4. xoxo - my mouth dropped when I read that article. She really would have no idea what most people's schedules are really like, what a typical person holding a typical job would be required to do. Honestly, hard to save someone from themselves!

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  10. I could not deal with corporate America -- after a few years of working, I was so stressed that I was making fairly regular visits to the ER to calm the swelling hives in my throat, and finally one ER doctor (who I got several times) told me I need to quit my job, and a lightbulb went on over my head; I had never even thought of that. My husband, however, who is is the same field and nearing 25 years at work, is still at it, but unfortunately, I have little say in his devotion to his job. We were on Spring Break last week, skiing, and he was on his smartphone nearly always, even on the lifts. It is a particularly busy time for him right now, but it ruined the vacation for me. He is a bathroom reader, I find it really gross, so maybe I will leave it by his toilet (yes, we have separate bedroom toilets!). Any thoughts on how to disguise the book to look more enticing?

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    1. Audrey - offer your undying attention (however you choose to define that!) and maybe he'll take a gander.

      I do think that some people process work stress differently than others and some are especially good about making firm boundaries so that work doesn't bleed in. Having said that, I would say in the last decade I saw even the toughest bastards become overwhelmed by the expectation of being available to the business 24-7. And you forget that there is a real world out there!

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  11. There's a reason work isn't called "fun-filled challenges and daring adventures." There's a reason they pay you to do it, and generally not one dime more than it takes to get you out from under the covers. I do feel sympathy for anyone whose job runs her life, but there's an inverse ratio: the larger the take-home, the smaller the sympathy I can muster. And speaking as one who was trapped under the heel of a certifiably insane boss, it's not always possible to make a positive move away from a toxic situation. Ahhh, the delight I felt when I learned a few years later that he had been carried out of the office, gibbering and growling.

    Thus, I have only respect and admiration for those who can muster the courage and determination to separate from a paycheck-driven life. The first time we gave it any serious consideration we realized we'd have to do without one of the children, and we were unable to agree which one.

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    1. Fred - excellent points! Having said that, I had the larger take-home within my organization and I can say that the money was not worth it, since with the hours I was keeping, I was probably only earning minimum wage anyway! And toxic bosses are the worst and lead to huge loss of productivity and employee turnover and most corporate cultures do not deal adequately with them, especially if they are producers (and force production on their poor victims!)

      And you are right, stepping away requires a significant change in lifestyle, and even then, may not be possible. We certainly wouldn't have gone south this year if not for my dear old dad!

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  12. I think there are those who work long hours because they have to and those who work long hours because they want to. I fall into the latter category and I cannot wait to get back to work. I miss it terribly and I am planning to return soon.

    I don't see myself as a cog, I think that's rather demeaning actually. I see myself and my job as making a real difference and I love that.

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    1. xoxo - I think you are one lucky person and I think if you can maintain the boundaries so that you can have a good personal life when you have little kids, more's the better. I loved my job till I got closer to the top. When I was a director I felt I was making a difference and could still go home at night with a minimum of overtime!

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    2. I'm with you, xoxo. To me, the expression should be 'work life/non-work life balance,' if one needs to make a distinction anyway. I'm not high paid or high powered, but, as a prof in public higher ed in a state--hell, in a country--that looks at intellectuals with deep suspicion, I see myself as the last line in the public good that is an engaged citizenry. To call upon one of my academic heroes, to submit to the "objectification of my labor-power into something opposed to my total personality" would make me a part of the very system I'm calling into question.

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    3. Cc - I love your way with words! Wish everyone could feel like that and agree completely about the academic world!

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  13. Bosses often look to the one person who is the most productive to give more work to. They simply want the job done and done well so will avoid confronting incompetence respectfully and getting everyone to pull equal weight.The whole workplace has to deal with all the issues around workplace overwork and underwork. Not an easy task.

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    1. That happens when a person is storm stayed in their own home for two days straight!!

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  14. I felt the stress building as I read this. Do some people in the workplace actually get the work/life balance right?

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  15. Wendy - thanks so much for the great review. Your story inspired me, and from the readership here many others as well. And thanks everyone for the comments. I feel like I could answer them all (and maybe I will.)

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  16. Hi Wendy,
    This is a very interesting post. There is so much to say. I love this concept of False Idolatry.
    I think we are somewhat manipulated and money has been brought as number 1 value... It is so "cool" to work more, to earn more and then just be able to consume more... But our whole global economy is based on this consumerism... Unfortunately, it looks to me that with the crisis, people work more but earn less and today your devotion to your work is just, you know, your contribution to help maintain our economy... I am losing myself in my comment... I am not looking for a work/life balance, but rather for a work that do not feel like work, a work where I would have the feeling that i have accomplished something that has a meaning for people...

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  17. I'm going to scroll down and try and re-read your article again. My husband got very debilitated (sp) over the years with all sorts of health complaints, a stressful job takes years off your life and manifests itself in the strangest of ailments. My issue is working from home and making myself start at 9am and work a constant day. No discipline. I am better with tight and strict deadlines, but impossible to have those everyday. Wow, you really worked hard and long hours.

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