What was the life you dreamed of as a kid?
Growing up, I always imagined I would follow in the steps of my dad and work at the same company forever.
As I got older, that dream started to materialize. I dreamt of getting a great marketing job out of college, climbing the corporate ladder, and having a strong impact on my company.
And as I graduated and landed my first job, I was sure I was on the path to my dreams. With my new job, I was promised big responsibilities and the chance to travel and network with executives and entrepreneurs. It was exactly what I wanted–I was even willing to commute three hours a day to make it happen.
Then I woke up and the dream ended.
My job was full of menial and mundane tasks like data entry and presentation creation. It was nothing like what I was promised and had no signs of changing.
It didn’t take long to realize that I had been sold a lie about the company to make me want to work there.
One day, the CEO came out of his corner office and said he had an important job for me. I excitedly hurried over, thinking that I would finally have the chance to do the meaningful work I had been promised.
Instead, he pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket and told me he was late for a meeting and to get him coffee. But don’t worry–I could also grab something for myself.
I was demoralized and realized the job would never be what I wanted. It wouldn’t get me to my dream.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that I didn’t last long at that company. And I don’t think I was alone–the unkept promises and culture of the organization made for a workforce that was unengaged and uninspired.
Can you imagine how different the company would be if it had been honest about what it was like to work there? Or better yet, if it had actually lived up to the fairy tale it was promising?
Instead of wasting money with a high turnover rate, the company could have been attracting the best talent and developing them into future leaders. It could become a place of innovation and growth instead of a place people were lining up to leave.
The worst part of the story is that this company isn’t an anomaly–things like this happen at countless organizations around the world every day.
How many employees’ dreams have been shattered by companies that don’t deliver on their promises or by organizations that are stuck operating like it’s 1960?
Employees are changing, and it’s up to leaders and organizations to change with them. The new world of work is flexible, collaborative, and engaging. But it requires a mindset shift in how we think about leadership and employees.
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