Comments on: What snow shoveling teaches us about job satisfaction

By: John

John — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:22:37 +0000

Wonderful!
Imagine a workplace where everyone chooses to bring energy, passion, and a positive attitude with them every day. Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market does just that. “FiSH!
Imagine a workplace where everyone chooses to bring energy, passion, and a positive attitude with them every day. Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market does just that. “Fish!” is the video they produced which reveals how that is accomplished and how any organization can do the same.

By: Jill

Jill — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:39:29 +0000

Loved the brief on snow shoveling and I’d include doing laundry as well. Why? Well all of the reasons above and it’s a task that you can start and complete! I ask you, how many things at work can you actually start and finish in the same day?
Keep the articles coming!
Jill

By: Corrie Ann

Corrie Ann — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:03:54 +0000

I agree with Sarah, having a tangible outcome definitely inspires me to complete a task. When I work on theoretical task, or things driven by an external factor (a boss), I find no pleasure in getting to an end result, especially if there is nothing to physically show for my hard work. Your message today helped to realize that some rethinking of my work is in order…focused on tangible outcomes that impact others. Thanks.

By: Cal Holt

Cal Holt — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:34:00 +0000

Shoveling snow is probably most youngsters first introduction to the business world. I remember how gratifying as a kid to grab the old scoop shovel we used for coal (yes coal shovel, don’t recall “snow” shovels back then) and heading out to do sidewalks.There weren’t driveways in my neighborhood. Boy when I came home with 20-30 bucks I thought I was rich. Those are good memories, and I didn’t have to pushed to do it. I enjoyed sledding but deep snow meant opportunity to me. Nowadays my health will not allow me to do this simple pleasure. I have to use a snowblower or one of my boys does it. Pleasure because I agree with Tom regarding the sense of accomplishment as well. Thanks Tom, for conjuring up those memories.

By: Sarah Meadows

Sarah Meadows — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:41:11 +0000

It’s the concreteness of physical tasks that I find so satisfying – gardening, painting a room, or shoveling snow. When we work on less tangble projects, how can we translate those conrete markers of progress?