One evening a scholar was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture. One of the participants asked the following question :
"I am a manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 10 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 10 years I have gone through every experience in the organization. During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. But all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my joy any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job.
However, Sir, I was comparing my life to my mother's and mine should actually be more satisfying than hers but she seems more satisfied with her life than I am. I see that my mother has been doing the same boring job of looking after the family day in and day out, and that too with a smile on her face. She cooks, cleans, waits for everyone in the family, looks after our routine and though we rarely thank or appreciate her, doesn’t seem to get bored or tired.
The response from Scholar was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive the question:
"Please tell me for whom does your Mother do all this?"
The executive replied that obviously the mother does all that she does for the family i.e. others.
Then the Scholar said, "Your mother 'Serves' others and because of this service mindedness, she does not feel tired or bored. But in an office, we 'Work' and not 'Serve'. Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is difference between Serving and Working. Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work and it will make a very big difference in your internal energy." He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work.
Well. I know that life is more complicated than this simplistic story, but the point is clear. So, today lets 'Serve' and not 'Work'.
- Author Unknown
"I am a manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 10 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 10 years I have gone through every experience in the organization. During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. But all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my joy any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job.
However, Sir, I was comparing my life to my mother's and mine should actually be more satisfying than hers but she seems more satisfied with her life than I am. I see that my mother has been doing the same boring job of looking after the family day in and day out, and that too with a smile on her face. She cooks, cleans, waits for everyone in the family, looks after our routine and though we rarely thank or appreciate her, doesn’t seem to get bored or tired.
The response from Scholar was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive the question:
"Please tell me for whom does your Mother do all this?"
The executive replied that obviously the mother does all that she does for the family i.e. others.
Then the Scholar said, "Your mother 'Serves' others and because of this service mindedness, she does not feel tired or bored. But in an office, we 'Work' and not 'Serve'. Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is difference between Serving and Working. Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work and it will make a very big difference in your internal energy." He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work.
Well. I know that life is more complicated than this simplistic story, but the point is clear. So, today lets 'Serve' and not 'Work'.
- Author Unknown
