Ta Wan brought up an interesting point on his main blog -- Tao Wow -- yesterday. He has just started reading the Wen Tzu and his post centered around a portion of the Introduction.
In the intro to the Wen Tzu the writer is talking about the idea of all people working in unity, all doing what they are naturally good at and doing it for the common good and not in competition. The reason this hit home was that on my way home from work yesterday I was chatting to a workmate over the exact same point...
He later offers an example of one worker helping out another and then the person being helped -- who subsequently didn't do much or any of the work at all -- grabs "the completed task and claim[s] it as their own."
I don't know about you, but that's one of things my ego can't stand! When I was in the workaday world, that used to drive me right up the wall.
Unlike the majority of my coworkers, I was never into trying to score points with the boss or winning lots of plaudits from whomever. I worked hard to complete my responsibilities and I made myself available to help out my coworkers, especially the junior staff or volunteers. The way I looked at it is that, when the unit itself met expectations and beyond, it benefited the entire team.
I have never liked being singled out or congratulated for performing the work our unit or section is supposed to be doing in the first place. As long as the praise was heaped upon the group as a collective, I would be pleased as punch.
However, as I stated above, I just hated it when I performed the lion's share of the work and the laziest person in our group would stand up to take full credit. My colleagues almost always misunderstand the impetus for my anger. They would try to "set the record straight" and this tack would irritate me just as much as the other!!
It took me quite a long time, but I finally figured out the solution for this ongoing problem: stay away from group work. That's why I'm a lone wolf now.
I don't know about you, but that's one of things my ego can't stand! When I was in the workaday world, that used to drive me right up the wall.
Unlike the majority of my coworkers, I was never into trying to score points with the boss or winning lots of plaudits from whomever. I worked hard to complete my responsibilities and I made myself available to help out my coworkers, especially the junior staff or volunteers. The way I looked at it is that, when the unit itself met expectations and beyond, it benefited the entire team.
I have never liked being singled out or congratulated for performing the work our unit or section is supposed to be doing in the first place. As long as the praise was heaped upon the group as a collective, I would be pleased as punch.
However, as I stated above, I just hated it when I performed the lion's share of the work and the laziest person in our group would stand up to take full credit. My colleagues almost always misunderstand the impetus for my anger. They would try to "set the record straight" and this tack would irritate me just as much as the other!!
It took me quite a long time, but I finally figured out the solution for this ongoing problem: stay away from group work. That's why I'm a lone wolf now.
For exactly the reasons you've laid out, I have spent most of the last two decades being that lone wolf. I've seen the behavior you described again and again and, like you, it drives me bonkers too.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to be a lone wolf, you just have to come to realize that the ego gratification doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteKarma works it all out eventually. Taking credit for others work is a way to build up some very bad karma indeed.
This wasn't one of my best writing efforts! I write this now because I didn't explain WHY I decided it was necessary to become a lone wolf.
ReplyDeleteIt's not because I don't understand and agree with your point, Donna. It's more that I have a tendency to tick off self-styled adversaries and allies alike. I have a propensity to create great tempests without even realizing it -- a typical aspie trait, me thinks.