There was a period in the past decade when it was cool to be what I describe as being a “soldier” at work – work at all odd hours, sacrifice sleep, chug coffee and take naps in the office. We are at war, always. Over time, this approach to work has gone out of vogue. There’s been a lot of research on the importance of sleep and the “work life” balance idea is trending.
The way I see it, there are 2 ways in which you can operate –
– The soldier way is the path I’m referring to above. In this mode, you are constantly at war. You can’t afford to rest because your cause would fall apart without you. Boundaries are a bad thing.
– The general way is where you deal with the reality of war very differently. You take control of your work, actively set boundaries and expectations and learn to work with others (often soldiers :-)) to do what needs to be done. Being a good general requires a degree of calm, mindfulness and focus.
Here’s the catch – the soldier’s way is the default path. You need to be very intentional to change your mode of operation. And, if it isn’t obvious as yet, you can operate like a general even if you are a soldier by rank and vice versa. This isn’t about titles. This is all about how you work.
So, why does this matter? I find it worth remembering that it is soldiers who die in battle. Generals don’t.
A Learning a Day 