December
2007
Hunger for success?0
Hunger is a primitive urge that requires immediate satisfaction. It commands your thoughts and demands a short term remedy often ignoring the most obvious consequences. I find it extremely odd that it is so commonly used by the industry as a positive quality sought for in candidates particularly for management/sales positions. If hunger for success resembles hunger for food, a hungry employee (or worse manager) is likely to cut corners, to ignore longer term goals, to disregard his co-workers (or worse, his subordinates) and generally to dutifully serve the company only when it is aligned with his immediate goals. Loyalty and strategical thinking should not be expected.
Indeed hunger may foster some creativity but it can not seriously be considered as a state you want to stay in. And frankly who on earth would consider starving himself just to keep himself motivated? Hunger is basically a primal urge that can overtake your mind just like that other primal urge that assumes control over your mind. And you don’t see job descriptions looking for “horny managers”, do you (although I guess many would apply) ? This isn’t just an unfortunate choice of words – it is very much consistent with the current “set of beliefs” of the industry. I can go on and on ranting about the lack of values, short-sightedness etc. but I guess the point is clear.