Recent talk about work, including a really good post by my friend Jen got me thinking again about the nature of work. I remembered hearing about a book by Patrick Lencioni which dealt with this subject so I looked it up on Amazon.

Patrick Lencioni authored a book called “Three Signs of a Miserable Job.”

In a short video promoting the book he shares his memory of growing up and coming to a realization that his Dad had to spend eight hours a day at work. Patrick says this realization, “kind of freaked me out.”

What he found even more terrifying was that many people didn’t like their jobs. This later inspired him to write Three Signs of a Miserable Job. If you don’t want to read the book, though it is short, here are the three signs. 

1. Anonymity

(When someone feels like their manager doesn’t know or care who they are as a person.) 

2. Irrelevance

(When a person doesn’t understand how their job is significant.)

3. Immeasurement

(When a person cannot assess for themselves the difference their job makes.)

Though I haven’t actually read the book, I thought that these three signs even by themselves were very helpful and worth sharing. 

I think that if even the few people that read this blog worked know and care about the people they  managed, regularly emphasized and explained the significance of the work the employee was doing, and created a system where the person’s contribution could be measured and celebrated, that it would make a difference. 

If you are not in a position to shape someone else’s work experience now, you probably will be someday. Take this knowledge with you. Employees and volunteers who are managed well will surely be better employees and volunteers. 

Besides, who wants to be responsible for making someone else’s life miserable, when with some effort you could make it purposeful, relationally fulfilled and celebrated?