Therefore one of the most important management tasks consists of training
employees to function and think as individuals but also as a team or unit. Perfor-
mance of duties and job awareness are indispensable for upper-level management,
according to Malik. When working with quality staff, leadership instruction should
be used only when necessary. Good managers, he feels, help their subordinates to
celebrate their own accomplishments and effectiveness; they do not help them to
enjoy their work, as this is of no consequence.
It is at this point that I have to disagree with Malik. Having fun at work is neither
unimportant nor unrealistic. If work is not fun and enjoyable to some extent, then
the employees are in the wrong place and will not mature and flourish into
becoming productive, effective personnel. If an employee does not feel a connec-
tion, has no drive and no direct responsibility, then he/she will become bored and
frustrated. Unhappy and unproductive members of staff are a waste of resources.
A company often loses its best, long-term employees due to the lack of job morale,
fulfillment, importance and empowerment. Naturally, work cannot always be fun.
Not every facet of the job is exciting and it can often become routine; nonetheless,
enjoying your work cannot be a privilege. “The self-care factors of each employee
will differ and may be directly linked to the variance of job enjoyment and
satisfaction” (see Herzberg 1959). Upper-level management must bring lifetime
commitment and a great deal of energy to the job. In order for the employee to
maintain balance in his/her life, the job must bring satisfaction in addition to the
happiness gained from their life outside of the office.
Therefore I do not share Malik’s belief, namely that there is no evidence that
employees who enjoy what they do tend to produce better results. Observing the
workplace on a daily basis proofs just the opposite. Someone who is passionate
about what he or she does will deliver maximum performance. Capitalizing on
these colleagues’ enthusiasm at work will result in higher productivity. A 2004
study surveyed some 350 upper-level managers from different industries, who were
asked what hindered them from producing maximum output at work.
54% stated insufficient communication.
42% claimed it was due to confusion as to areas of responsibility.
31% cited distrust between employees and management.
The factors that drive managers to achieve at the workplace (see Akademie-
Studie 2004) are:
83%: enjoy what they do
72%: being their own boss
50%: appreciation from their superiors
As managers are only human, these results also tend to ring true for employees.
The upper-level management has the unique responsibility to guide and lead
employees to achieve their maximum potential. This may often be an uncomfort-
able task involving pushing the employees out of their comfort zone in order to
achieve higher goals. Yet leading, instructing, encouraging and driving employees
to reach their full potential and have fun doing it is a valuable and noble gift.
30 2 Occupation or Calling: What Makes for Good Leadership?