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.
....
CAclubindia
