I’ll call you when I’ve finished one more page

Cone

This photograph was taken at Tremanskärr on April 26th. A cone had fallen down so that it stayed in this position, and it took a while to understand what kept it upright.

I have written here at Light Scrape a few times about the great colleagues I have at work, but today I thought about something else, which is even more remarkable: the bosses are great. And I'm not joking here, this is how it is.

I think I know something about bosses, having worked well over 25 years in various positions, also in management, seven years as a group manager, and seven years as a director with managers reporting to me. I had great people working with me during those days, and I learned a lot about leadership and what it takes to be a good boss.

So, what makes a good boss? Well, here is just one example to think about: organizational changes. A good boss minimizes organizational changes, which often work like poison on the workplace. If there is a problem, all too often the standard reply is that it will be fixed in the next organizational change (instead of just fixing the problem on the spot).

And when the organizational change happens, a couple of things may indeed get fixed, but a dozen new problems will appear. And those new problems are promised to be fixed ... in the next organizational change.

Professor Kiti Müller has written that Finland is the country in EU which is the most active in initiating organizational changes, and she has written wise words about how that poisons the work environment. We inflict unnecessary suffering to ourselves here in Finland.

But as I said, I have good bosses, and I feel blessed. Today I realized I shouldn't take for granted such good things.

At one point I speculated here at Light Scrape what I would do if I would suddenly get rich (an unlikely scenario if any). I wrote about walking four hours each day, and reading books four hours each day. But I think I would also like to continue with the work I have, which is rewarding and challenging. And despite being often extremely busy, and despite the rapid rate of change all around, I like my work, especially the people I work with.

(Posting title is from the poem Love and Work by Rachel Wetzsteon.)