Take it Back

Why is it that for many of us, if we give, we need to take something back as soon as possible?
For example, a person spends extra hours making a customer thrilled. The next day the employee takes a three hour lunch and then decides to go home.

Or a person travels several days with his team on the road. They return and come into the office in a leisurely fashion the next day, except for one of them, who is now sick and stays home for two days.

Or a person pitches in to help win a project and without telling anyone, drops her responsibility on another project and allows it fail.

When we behave like that, is it because we don't trust our company or fellow co-workers to be fair? Or is it because we can't trust ourselves and we're projecting that we would take advantage of others in those situations? I wonder.

The extra effort put in is spoiled if that person immediately grabs something of equal or greater value to make up for it. It also demoralizes the team. They all know what's going on and could feel resentment.

My opinion is that in the short run, you can play sick or disappear or drop something else and get immediate gratification. But in the long run, you'll be unhappy because you'll still feel underappreciated, which will be in part add to the need to take it back.

How about doing a great job as part of the team, not keeping score and trust you will be dealt with fairly in the long run?


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com