More on the Work Ethic

[ailbhe]

So it seems that other people think I'm not lazy.

My friend says that I care too much about the job - whatever the job may be. That I need to learn not to care. I think she's right; I do care about getting a good job done, and I get frustrated when other people make that impossible, especially if I end up getting blamed for other people's mistakes or neglect.

So, how does one stop caring?

Comments

Re: More on the Work Ethic

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

hm. i think i don't see it quite as negative as you do, since there was a time when i had overcome a lot of my fears, but was still ruled by the rest of the lot too much for my own good. that didn't mean i hadn't worked hard, and it didn't mean that the work didn't count, just that i was still not always doing what was best/better for me, in some situations, and did myself no good by giving in to the fears.

but i am sorry it struck such a bad chord in you, that was definitely not intentional. i have by no means the notion that you're a quivering mouse in a corner. :) (and i think you did great in your reply considering you felt so negatively about it; had you not mentioned it, i wouldn't have noticed anything.)

...

it is IMO definitely not your fault if you can't get things from A to B if somebody else is holding up an integral part of it, and yeah, i think it'd be a good idea to develop a more detailed image of your job performance, instead of holding yourself responsible for an end result you cannot achieve because of other people. as long as your boss knows what's up, it is basically out of your hands -- this is what managers are there for.

whether there is nothing you can do at all, though, that probably depends on a lot of things, and i know nothing about your job, so i would only have guesses. maybe there is nothing, that does happen.

but ok, some wild-assed guesses:

asking the boss whether something can be done about switching things around so you're not always waiting on somebody else.

talking with the people who are holding up things and finding out whether you can help in some way to get them unstuck.