A Basic Flaw in Full-time Employment

Full time employment today looks like this: I expect you to achieve these and these goals and I also want you to spend 40 hours in this office.

It is the same as expecting a military general both to win the war and suffer 40% casualties.

If those associates can reach their weekly goals in fewer than 40 hours, then what is the logic in pushing them to do even more just to fill the time.

Imagine professional marathon runners. Would you expect them to run two full marathons every day just fill up eight hours. That is retarded.

Sooner or later associates will learn they have no chance of winning anyway, and all you achieve is chronic underperformance. They will fill up the allotted time with menial tasks.

You have probably heard the phrase that a slave with two masters is free. Associates who are accountable both for filling up time and achieving certain results are accountable for nothing.

So, if you expect your people to achieve results, then give them freedom and let them figure out how to do it. Unless you are an idiot who regularly hires kindred spirits, that is, other idiots who need full-time micromanaging, give your people credit and trust them they willingly do their best without your standing over them with whips and chains.

Oh, and one more thing. If you say you can’t trust them, then look at yourself how trustworthy you yourself are. Trustworthy people usually have a reasonable amount of trust in others, which is really the reflection of their self-trust. You may have noticed that the greatest flakes are also the greatest sceptics. The most unreasonably demanding clients are the worst providers to their own clients and customers.