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“Mankind was my business.”
– Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Being a CEO can easily place me in the position of appearing as a Scrooge. Over time, countless men and women in similar roles have sadly created this stereotype for those in positions of power.
Knowing this and having the “Christmas Carol” as one of my favorite Christmas tales of all time, I have made a personal promise to myself not to become like Jacob Marley.
For those of you who need a refresher on the “Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, Jacob Marley was Scrooge’s business partner and friend. He passed away and left Scrooge to continue taking money away, no matter the cost, from all individuals. For both, money was the only thing that mattered. They would do anything to pinch a penny, even if it meant forcing people to work overtime, neglecting family events, and not donating to the community. They focused completely on work and neglected what truly matters in life. What it cost them was friendships, family memories, and even their dreams they hatched in childhood for themselves.
Sadly, I saw this happen quite frequently in my years in the corporate world. Many individuals in high positions were feared by their staff and many of the individuals genuinely seemed unhappy and distressed. What I gathered from this was that these individuals lost sight of what truly mattered.
It’s not the money that should matter. What should matter is whether you believe in your work, and that it doesn’t inhibit happiness or balance from other areas of your life such as family, friends, and community.
There should be a healthy balance. When I went looking to see what types of people have achieved this, I found that the career which has shown these values most was independent work. These individuals can structure their career around what they are best at and love to do and their lifestyle.
What I wanted to know next was how this career developed over time, where it is today, and where it’s going. In the next three articles, I will show you how the Past, Present, and Future of Work has changed and shaped the American workforce. I’ll also discuss the opportunities we have to invest in this lifestyle of work and what challenges we may encounter.
So, stay tuned and read my series based on the famous “Christmas Carol” story to learn about what is shaping our future of work!
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