Water Cooler Conversations

Written by Pat Perry
President, ERC 

Well, here we go…let the final acts of desperation begin.  Between Saturday Night Live, the David Letterman Show and ads on video games I think we are certainly getting a great picture of who should be “king”.  Watching the buffoonery almost makes you see the current occupant at the White House as a leader. Almost.

I believe the Chinese have a proverb “may you live in interesting times”.  Guess what?

Little by little they are wearing us down. From their signs on tree lawns to their unsolicited calls to our homes at the dinner hour - the candidates are in full gear racing towards the goal line…caring only to finish first with little concern about the grace demonstrated during the race.

Each day in the mail we receive a handful of meaningless junk, reflecting negative statements about candidates rather than addressing issues.  This is followed by radio and television ads that are no less damaging to personal character.  These are compounded further by advertising through various technologies with the Internet being used extensively.

On November 5^th, many of us will breath a sigh of relief…it will be over.  And…for most of us, nothing will change in our local, state and federal governments except some of the players.  The people I know are starting to ignore what is going on in government.  They are going to work every day and focused on growing their businesses and jobs while turning a deaf ear to the government noise around them.

The past three weeks I have asked people I have come in contact with how their business is going. Most respond that their business is doing quite well. For many, orders are up, profits are up and some businesses are having banner years. There is a sense that business people are ignoring the media hype and our elected officials. Perhaps this is why many business leaders in our area are not panicking. They are employing good old American work ethic and see the current economic conditions as an opportunity to improve and grow. 

Now…that’s patriotic.

If you listen to the candidates and the pundits you would think we are about to implode. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have great faith in the private sector.  Most of us are geared toward success and we are lucky enough to be in a land that provides unlimited opportunities. If we focus on the basics we will emerge over the next few years as a stronger region. Let’s seize the moment.

Remember…we are the economy.

Written by Pat Perry
President, ERC 

Only in America!  How many times have you uttered those words or heard them in response to the great freedoms we enjoy in this country.  I for one feel incredibly fortunate to have opportunities that would not be afforded to me and my family in most other countries on this good earth. Our Constitution continues to be challenged, but has stood the test of time well. Our forefathers certainly had great vision for the future.

The beauty of our freedom in America is the opportunity to control our destiny.  For instance, how we earn a living is a choice.  I have yet to meet someone who is truly being forced to work in a certain occupation or stay at a company or be satisfied with their compensation.  Unfortunately over the past 29 plus years serving in human resources related jobs I have met hundreds of people who act as if a gun were pointed at their head forcing them to serve a “life sentence” of job dissatisfaction. 

I remain perplexed as to why people stay in jobs they hate.  “Living” for the weekend and only enjoying two out of every seven days is a tough road. 

Retirement is often “sold” to us as the time of our lives when we are truly free to enjoy life. Let’s see if I understand this concept.  I’ll trudge through life until I have enough money to get out of the “rat race”.  Then I can really enjoy every day.  So let’s see - if I work forty years and am fortunate to live a full retirement (about 25 years on average) I can look back an tell my grandchildren how great life was for about 2/5 of my adult life.  Yea, right.  I would not wish this on anyone.

Why not retire today (if you hate your job)!  I propose to folks that they should not put off retirement from jobs where they are unhappy.  When people are dissatisfied with their jobs, they suffer, their company, friends and family also suffer.  Unbelievably, people even get killed over job dissatisfaction.

There is an interesting irony in our American culture.  We publicize and encourage people to follow their dreams in this land of opportunity.  On the other hand, our culture also encourages people to focus on the day when they don’t have to do what they supposedly like to do anymore.  

An ideal situation for many folks is to follow a path that allows them to live out their lives in a way that supports their passion.  From people who love to lay brick to those who put out fires to those who buy and sell companies, a common denominator of their happiness is that their work is their passion.  I am sure you have heard the saying, “love to work at work you love”.

What a country!

If you bought sparklers for your July 4th celebration, you should light one up tonight.  Either celebrate the fact that you are free from job dissatisfaction or make today your Independence Day!  Perhaps one day you can look back and see the foresight you once had to enjoy the great freedom this land has to offer.  What a finale!