Did you ever get fascinated watching a hamster racing inside a play wheel? When I was a child, during one extremely short experience as a hamster owner, I was often mesmerized by the little fluffy fella. Seemed like he could go on forever, but never getting any place, and never looking or acting any different afterward. If I were to go on a treadmill comparatively fast, I’d be winded, red faced, hot, sweaty, and basically exhausted. Yet, I’m invigorated, and after a few recuperative minutes, I’m energetic and ready to face my next challenge.
After that hamster gets done, he waddles off of the wheel, heads over to his feeding spot, and then takes a dump (slang, but applicable here), and curls up in the soft straw bedding to snooze. The little hamster looks, acts and is totally oblivious after working that hard.
Now, believe it or not, I originally came up with the idea to write this article this morning while listening on the radio to some story about the extremely slow motion of bureaucracy. In my mind’s eye, I thought of a wagon wheel, with the various spokes. No matter how fast or slow the wheel turns, the stokes just keep going round and round. If it weren’t for the efforts of the rest of the vehicle (wagon, bike, etc) and the driver, nothing would get accomplished. Then, I thought of other senseless round and round motions, and the hamster wheel thought took hold. They aren’t really related, but if you stretch it, they are pretty descriptive of management, anywhere you look.
That’s what working in management is like sometimes. My spouse has been dealing with this at work. He’s middle management currently, and so gets “it” from above and below. He comes home some nights, and I see the exhausted, defeated look, saying in essence, “What was I doing the past 10 hours?” Other days there is a glimmer of hope, and he tells me about an accomplishment, usually in the form of baby steps. Even so, invigorating energy oozes out, and he’s ready to plough into the next work day.
Why is it, that no matter the determination of the superiors or subordinates, or management momentum, things just move in circles? Whether slow or fast paced, actions are like spokes, around and around, and around yet little takes place. Are hamsters the mascot for bureaucracy?
It’s just an interesting phenomenon and I felt like posting on it. I didn’t come up to any fancy conclusions, or resolutions--just statements. But then again, it’s just another spoke in life.
After that hamster gets done, he waddles off of the wheel, heads over to his feeding spot, and then takes a dump (slang, but applicable here), and curls up in the soft straw bedding to snooze. The little hamster looks, acts and is totally oblivious after working that hard.
Now, believe it or not, I originally came up with the idea to write this article this morning while listening on the radio to some story about the extremely slow motion of bureaucracy. In my mind’s eye, I thought of a wagon wheel, with the various spokes. No matter how fast or slow the wheel turns, the stokes just keep going round and round. If it weren’t for the efforts of the rest of the vehicle (wagon, bike, etc) and the driver, nothing would get accomplished. Then, I thought of other senseless round and round motions, and the hamster wheel thought took hold. They aren’t really related, but if you stretch it, they are pretty descriptive of management, anywhere you look.
That’s what working in management is like sometimes. My spouse has been dealing with this at work. He’s middle management currently, and so gets “it” from above and below. He comes home some nights, and I see the exhausted, defeated look, saying in essence, “What was I doing the past 10 hours?” Other days there is a glimmer of hope, and he tells me about an accomplishment, usually in the form of baby steps. Even so, invigorating energy oozes out, and he’s ready to plough into the next work day.
Why is it, that no matter the determination of the superiors or subordinates, or management momentum, things just move in circles? Whether slow or fast paced, actions are like spokes, around and around, and around yet little takes place. Are hamsters the mascot for bureaucracy?
It’s just an interesting phenomenon and I felt like posting on it. I didn’t come up to any fancy conclusions, or resolutions--just statements. But then again, it’s just another spoke in life.
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