Saturday, December 10, 2011

Sometimes, the Jobs You Reject Are Just as Important as the Jobs You Choose to Keep.

...If You're Not Going to Try to Do Great Work, Why Bother?


There are way too many people in jobs just doing the minimum they can do to get by. What a waste of a life. It's not just a waste of their life, it's a waste of the other people who get pulled down by them. I hate that. I hate working with those kinds of people and I'm doing everything I can to stop it.


Life is too short to be filled with frustration or to waste time doing and creating half-assed crap and second grade work.


No matter what the job, it seems to me that it behooves that person to try to get into a higher position at that job and be their best. Heck, even if you work at a McJob, at least make the effort to become the McManager and not just the McPeon. 


If you are going to be there you might as well try to do the best and at least get more money for the same amount of time spent. Why people don't do that has always seemed a mystery to me.


At every job I've ever had, whenever I got the job, when I saw the bosses office or chair, I always thought, "I'm going to be sitting there in 6 months." I usually did, too.


People who just slide by doing the minimum just irritate me to no end.


At a broadcasting station that I currently produce a program at, the guy who is ostensibly in charge of Program Planning Department - he's what we would call a "Program Director" in the west - asked me if my company staff would do a "New Year's Show" Of course, I agreed.


It seems, though, that this guy's idea of what a "New Year's Show" is and my idea of what a "New Year's Show" is are two totally different things.


I think that it is obvious that a "New Year's Show" is a "special" program. You know, being New Year's and all. I had this idea that times of the year like New Year's was a special time and that if you were going to program a one-time show for that time, it would have to be something really great and special. I mean, if it is New Year's vacation and I turn on the TV and my regular show is not on and the schedule has been changed for "something else," then I expect that the "something else" must be a special show. Isn't that obvious? Isn't that what everyone would expect?


Funny that. How in the world that I got an idea like that is a mystery, eh? (Cynicism).


So, in that order, I approached some famous people to be guests on the show like the main star of the new Tiger Mask movie, Eiji Wentz and several others.





I had a solid concept for a "Retro-themed" show and I also went to a big advertising agency and talked about my idea and asked for their help in sales and getting sponsors. They were eager to join in and loved my show concept (of which I won't divulge at this time because I hope I can use it and make money with it someday)...


Me? It's New Year's! I wanted to make a really special program that was fun and exciting and memorable - and made lots of money at the same time.


The Program Director of the broadcasting station? Nope. All he wants to do, according to one of the sales people that works at that station is, "A regular show, nothing special. All he really wants is time so that the staff can have a vacation. He is not interested in making anything special." The salesman seems like he was frustrated and disappointed (disillusioned) by all this too. 

bigger in 2012 ~ 2013! And it's a perfect theme for a New Year's
program... Cool and easy to understand for sponsors!


Who wouldn't lose their motivation for work when the boss doesn't have any? Why should the staff do great work when their boss isn't inspiring them to do great things? Why work hard when all the boss wants to do is to do the minimum? 


Can you believe that? What kind of a broadcasting station has a guy in charge of programming and all he wants to do is to do the minimum so that his staff can take more time off?


What the hell are this guy's priorities? Jesus! Life is short. Everyday should be special.


Not only that but here it was December 8th and the show he asked us to do was January 3rd, yet he said that they "Hadn't decided if they were going to make the show or not." 


Unbelievable! Three weeks before the date, and the boss doesn't know what they are going to do for an special campaign.


"Everyday is special" a sign on the wall at
another big Tokyo broadcasting station. This is the way it should be.


Jeez! You wouldn't run a sale at a hamburger stand like that, I don't know how in the hell they expect to run a major broadcasting station in Tokyo like that.


I told him that if they hadn't decided to do the show by then, then it was too late for me to get sponsors and to make a good show so I wasn't interested in it and so I declined.


Hell, if we are not going to make something great, then why bother?


Sometimes, the jobs you reject are just as important as the jobs you choose to keep. Remember, quality is what sets you apart from the competition.


If thing are not a competition for quality, then we are in a competition for quantity. When it comes to quantity, we cannot beat places like McDonalds, so we shouldn't even try.


Taste beats numbers. Always strive to make the best.


My life's motto is "Everyday is an Adventure." Everyday should be special.
That's the way it should be. 



6 comments:

boo said...

Don't be so narrow.
Einstein did a half-assed job as a patent clerk, which provided enough support to allow him to spend more time on his hobby, theoretical physics. We should be thankful he didn't read this post as a young man and decide that he should really devote himself to becoming the boss of patent clerks instead.

mike in tokyo rogers said...

Boo,
Seriously, you're kidding, right? My friend, you can't expect us to take you seriously when you are comparing most of these people around us who are doing a half assed job all their lives (in whatever endeavor be it school, work, etc) to Albert Einstein? Einstein had a calling. I wrote about that before here: "What is your calling?".. Most people don't want to do anything but watch TV. Thanks for your comments but I think, perhaps, you miss the point. Einstein was driven by a greater purpose and had other things on his mind. Most other people - like I pointed out in the article - are more concerned with vacation or not working... Or even worse, moaning about their sorry lot. Thanks but I'm sticking with my argument. Einstein was a 1 in 10 million person. This post is for Joe Average. Einstein's need not apply.

boo said...

Thanks Mike,
As a serial entrepreneur, your dream is often your business, or your job. However, employees are there often for very different reasons.
Einstein was an extreme example, but most people do have a calling, which often isn't their job, and which doesn't involve wasting their lives in front of a TV. A better example: Yoshimoto Banana worked as a waitress while she was writing her first novel. She was successful at it. But many people don't get international recognition achieving their dreams. And maybe you'll never see their passion, but it isn't up to you and me to judge their lives, based on something they might do at work that you disagree with.

mike in tokyo rogers said...

Dear Boo,
Thanks. Good point. But I think we are talking about the same thing. I wasn't always an entreprenuer and have worked as a waiter, store clerk, and even at a liquor store... It didn't matter to me. I think there is a drive in a certain kind of person. Be they a writer ( a very difficult task) or someone like Einstein. I'm not judging anyone. All I'm saying is that life is short and it's too short on wasting one's time and talents doing a half-assed job.
Time is the only unrenewable resource why does one waste it doing half-assed work whether at school work or home?

Anonymous said...

For what it is worth, I agree. When you do poor work the only one who really suffers is yourself.

Unknown said...

Well done Mike! I mentioned this the other day to my supervisor. I planned an event at work and someone said, "Wow, you are really doing a lot." My response, "Everything should be like Disney." I'm not a Disney goer, but I like the idea of making magic wherever I can.

I so badly want to tell one of my co-workers he needs to quit and become a physical trainer. He spends more time working on his body, researching shakes, and the right amount of bench presses to do his "real job" right. Every time I say something he says, "I tried but..." Sounds like you didn't try hard enough because you are sitting around here doing a horrible job and pissing me off.

But like they say, "Be the change you want to see." So I will just change! Change opportunities!

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