The recent “web 2.0″ boom of the past few years has changed the dynamic of the workplace, in many ways for the better. At the same time, it has brought an era of dramatic privilege, a sense that employees should do what they want, whenever they want, and that employers should work to fulfill those desires if they want to keep said employees. And in my opinion, that change in work ethic proves the point that some things don’t change for the better.
Nothing typifies this more than the crazed directions the personal branding phenomena has branched into. While many purists debate with me about semantics — feeling that personal brands really mean an individual’s reputation — it’s clear that the movement has become something much more akin to Internet fame and rock stardom.
Lately, you’re not hearing that attitude so much. Millenials are now realizing their first economic downturn, and a more sober attitude seems to be arising from the general web 2.0 crowd towards works. The common statements of the day are “I’m grateful we’re busy,” or “I’m happy to have a job.”
That’s not to say that some of those gains should be turned away. In a world where you move from job to job or project to project in periods of years and months (rather than decades), it’s only natural to seek work in areas of interest. But being satisfied with a non-fulfilling job — even just for today — is OK, too.
One almost surefire result of America’s most difficult economic time since the Great Depression will be a return to old fashioned work ethic. This ethos, something that got drilled into me by my father and mentors in my twenties, revolves around good stewardship. While the nature of jobs have changed dramatically within a much shorter window of time, the principles of good stewardship still apply.
Good Stewardship
For the purpose of this discussion, let’s define stewardship as the successful execution of the management another’s property or financial affairs; one who successfully administers anything as the agent of another or others. So when someone pays you to do something — a.k.a. a job — they are financially compensating you for acting as their steward (Image: Working Class Hero by Jurek D.).
You don’t see fulfillment or building personal brands in this definition. Far from it really. What is evident is an underlying attitude of service. Rather than preach, it seems best to put down ten of the standards I try to apply to my own activities past and present:
1) I am responsible for my actions.
2) As part of my job (either full time or as part of a consultancy) I am paid to perform a service. I will do this, even if I only intend to stay for a year (or the project is for a couple of months).
3) Sacrifice is required at times. I make those sacrifices, even when it affects me personally. I did this before I owned my own company, too.
4) That’s because a job is not about accepting status quo, instead taking the baton and moving it further.
5) Success means passing the baton on so the next guy can take it and run, with a real opportunity to do even better than me.
6) By being a good steward, I will build a good personal reputation as well as benefit the larger brand. But selfish motives in day-to-day activity will actually reap the opposite reward.
7) In that vein, I succeed when my boss/client/company looks good as a result of actions taken.
8) Agreement with my company/client is not something I need to perform my responsibilities. If I voiced my concerns and I’m told to do something a different way, then so be it. I’ll do such activity with the best attitude possible.
9) When I make mistakes, I try to own them and when appropriate make amends
10) Perfection is not possible, but progress is. Therefore, I seek to evaluate, analyze, explore weaknesses, and build. More progress is always attainable.
I’m interested in your thoughts about shifting work ethic attitudes. Here’s another thought from Bonnie Parrish-Kell.
Nice post, Geoff. I sense the younger generation has this aura of entitlement to work. I see that changing–heck, it’s probably already changed these last few months. These younger folks will start appreciating their jobs, as you mention in your post. That said, I don’t think that should prevent anyone–regardless of age–from continuing to build their personal brand or reputation. That’s a constant and should never stop. Keep taking classes. Participating in professional development. And learning on your own. I also think there is just a generational component at play here–younger folks just don’t have the same values as Gen Xers or boomers.
Personally, I see personal branding/reputation/good stewardship as all being part of the same thing, which is simply being respected for doing a good job and helping others to also be able to perform to their best.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens over the next year, and which businesses will make the most of the limited opportunities – that’s going to be what shapes the view of the workplace for the next 10 years of so!
Personal branding is a BS term for developing a self image, an idea grounded in self-centeredness and the idea that people buy products from as the person. That’s not the way buying works, and while a persona’s reputation is helpful in the cylce, the description personal brands does not exist in marketing theory. A person does not have a brand, they have a reputation.
Per a comment I left on Jeremiah Owyang’s blog (http://tinyurl.com/828d8p), intelligent management avoids the Scoble personality dominating social media situation. At the same time companies should allow people to be brilliant.
This is important for the work ethic post… Showing a team is what companies are about — more than one. Personal brands come and go, much like stars come and go on casts and sports teams. No one star is responsible for a team winning, nor should they be viewed as such.
Using sports again, even MJ and Kobe could/can not power the Bulls and Lakers to championships without other key players. It’s the same with social media. Highlighting those other players allows a company to maintain its program in the wake of inevitable departures.
I agree with you, Geoff. Personal branding is one of those rules for success in Web 2.0 that haven’t had the chance to go through a full business cycle. I’d love to see a chart correlating Twitter follower count for an entrepreneur and the eventual acquisition price for that founder’s company. Of course, we have to wait for the end of this cycle to see that, and to know if personal branding really works in the long run. As long as the definition of “works” means makes money.
Geoff, your post is right on. It’s pretty irrelevant to talk about a “personal brand” when you don’t have a proven track record of performance…and, yes, stewardship. Most people in the first decade of two of their careers should focus on providing value to their employers/clients, building their skills, and (horrors!) developing character. A great reputation comes from this, and is the foundation of any “personal brand” that may follow.
All in all, I think this is a great post. However, to play devil’s advocate for a second, I know people that span the lifespan who have good work ethics and those that do not. Maybe it’s that I fall in the “millennial” demographic, but people calling us out all the time is a tad unfair…same goes for other blanket statements about other ages too. Personally, I’ve had at least one job since 6th grade, and in 6th grade, I had two jobs. One of which was being a dishwasher at a restaurant for $4 an hour that I did happily and thoroughly. I think the attitude ones brings to a job or task greatly impacts your success, what you can learn and the type of relationships you’ll forge with others. Thus, my long-winded point, is that there are always exceptions to the rule, and that even as I read this post, I too did a personal assessment….I think it’s a good reminder for all.
Cheers and Happy Holidays to the Buzz Bin!
Ugh, I was disappointed not to see the term “personal branding” on the NY Times Buzzwords of 2008. I was hoping that ridicule would force people to abandon the concept which, to me, is self-absorbed, superficial in content, and personality-driven. Ultimately, something that is only of value to that “person”. Next on my to-read list is Lucas Conley’s Obsessive Branding Disorder.
I’ll refrain from making blanket statements about the work ethic of millennials as then I’ll sound like the cranky lady yelling at the kids to get off my lawn. There were slackers in my day just like there are today.
As soon as they move out of their parents’ house, have kids & a mortgage to pay, that sense of entitlement will be shattered by the realities of having to pay their own way through life. It’s part of the passage that middle- & upper-class kids college-educated kids go through in their 20s. It was just shorter for those of us whose parents refused to bail us out of every financial problem we encountered.
I think kids only feel that sense of entitlement if their parents place no demands on them and make them the center of their universe. It’s not a bad thing to not have all of your needs fulfilled. And it’s no surprise that a huge percentage of successful entrepreneurs are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Success isn’t (or shouldn’t be!) handed to you, you have to be hungry for it.
I must’ve missed the entire personal branding thing. Maybe because I’m too old at 41. ;)
But the work ethic point is solid and there’s a reason it’s lasted a long, long time.
Anyway, in the interest of helping move the baton, here are three tenets my father passed on to me. I think they mesh with and reflect yours quite well:
1) Always do your tasks well, not matter how “minor.” You never know who you’ll impress.
2) Make your own luck. #1 is a big part of that. When people say opportunities fell out of the sky, it’s usually because they put themselves in a position to have them fall.
3) Find a job you love, and you’ll never have a day of work in your life. This might seem to be a personal branding statement, but in fact it’s about knowing what moves you and chasing it, even through what others might say is beneath you, treating others with respect, and not always going for what pays the most.
Geoff,
Great post. I think Rotary International has put it succinctly in its 4-Way Test:
1. Is the the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we used the 4-Way Test in all aspects of our lives?!
Happy Holidays.
Hi Geoff,
I started reading Buzz Bin after @wilreynolds twittered about a different post earlier today. I really like this post because it highlights the largest contributor to American decline over the last 50 years, at least from my perspective. Somehow we have lost our strong work ethic, the single most important factor for our success from the revolution to World War II.
Disclaimer: Some people do need the social programs and rules that are alluded to below; I’m not suggesting that we remove them altogether. They just need to be tightened up.
Everyone feels entitled to this or that, and no one wants to work for it. There are so many programs for people to “take advantage of” and so many rules that protect people from the consequences of negligence these days. It’s actually a difficult decision to take the other path and work hard for yourself when you know you don’t need to.
We are actually “supplementing” ourselves out of an increasingly competitive global market with this attitude and these legislated rewards for indifference.
Considering this: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2006/MateNagy.shtml why do we reward people for doing less?
In summary, I think we’re legislating our work ethic attitudes by providing protection for poor work ethic and social programs that encourage people not to work.