Another disease is excessive busyness. It is found in those who immerse themselves in work and inevitably neglect to “rest a while.” Neglecting needed rest leads to stress and agitation. A time of rest, for those who have completed their work, is necessary, obligatory and should be taken seriously: by spending time with one’s family and respecting holidays as moments for recharging.
Gary Hamel, The 15 Diseases of Leadership, According to Pope Francis
The recruitment panel had been interviewing candidates all morning. They were tired but excited because it seemed as if, finally, the vacancy would be filled. They had struggled to attract ‘good candidates’, and the interview only took place after the second round of advertisements had been widely published. Each panel member expressed their assessment of the candidates and one of them started to stand out as the most suitable.
This person had the experience and expertise, was at the level of the post, had glowing performance reviews, and during the interview made a positive impact on the panel by being articulate, to the point, humble but assertive. However, there was one issue worrying some of the panel members: when asked about an area of development, the candidate had trouble responding beyond what looked like a previously rehearsed -and little convincing- answer. I must confess -said the candidate with a hint of pride- that I am a bit of a workaholic, but I’m working on this…
Some panel members empathized with the candidate and noted that they also could confess to being workaholics themselves while explaining that it was ‘the way of the organization and that there’s nothing good performers could do about it if they wanted to succeed’. Others, the ones concerned with the candidate, highlighted that the response could suggest a lack of self-awareness, putting forward a ‘positive’ -though not politically correct- trait, disguised as an area of development. None was specifically concerned with the fact that the candidate was openly saying that he had the ‘disease of excessive busyness’!
In the end, the panel unanimously recommended the candidate, and -not surprisingly- once appointed the person continued to work, work, and work, neglecting rest, friends, hobbies, and family.
I was in that panel some time ago and now I know that all of us in that panel were very much infected with the virus of excessive busyness. Worst enough, the virus impacted our decision and has continued to negatively affect our lives. Let me be blunt: this is not good. Accepting as ‘normal’ -even ‘desirable’- that people don’t have a life is not good and there’s much to be done to change the narrative and our actions. Little things matter.
People who fail to disconnect, who talk only about their jobs, whose life is solely or mostly defined by their works, are people who could be on the brink of mental and physical breakdowns, are more prone to get other leadership diseases, such as considering themselves indispensable, and are less agile and innovative. Furthermore, research shows that it can be fatal. The main cause of death worldwide is cardiovascular diseases and, guess what, stress is critical to these diseases. We need to regain our balance. We work for a living, we do not live for working. Our loved ones need more of us and less of our things. If you don’t believe me, go ask them. Don’t miss the opportunity to see what happens in some families who have it all, but their parents’ time and attention.
I want you all very healthy, so, in keeping with the general vaccination approach the world has had for a couple of years, I leave several ‘vaccines’ for your consideration. Depending on your level of infection, you might need to take them all, look for additional options, and even repeat the doses!
The science of vacation: Ian Cole at TEDxOrlando – YouTube
What is the value of a vacation? | Tony Robbins – YouTube
Why We All Need to Become Vacation Superheroes | Josh Leibowitz | TEDxCoconutGrove – YouTube
Why we’re unhappy — the expectation gap | Nat Ware | TEDxKlagenfurt – YouTube
