I had a very interesting discussion about American competitiveness the other day. With a non- american, I should say. We were talking about the necessity of competition in a workplace.
I came home one day, and marveled at the ineffectiveness of the workplace that I´d visited. They stay in the office until 8 p.m. shuffling papers, doing nothing! Why would they do that?! I exclaimed very self righteously.
- Because of competition, he responded calmly. And it is encouraged, he continued, everyone is encouraged to compete with their colleagues by arriving the earliest and leaving the latest.
- But it’s so ineffective! ( Swede*) I went on, by now, everyone knows how the human brain works, and that it is impossible to work effectively for twelve hours a day!
I’m not saying there are never situations that calls for 15 hour workdays, nor that I have never or wouldn’t do one when called for, I was just reacting to the fact that this is made the norm.
- Do you consider yourself competitive?...