Entrepreneurial Flexibility
by: bootstraparticle
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One of the most aggravating aspects of any job is lack of flexibility. People who love what they do say they want two things from a job: the chance to use their talents to make a meaningful contribution and the opportunity to expand their skill-set. Of course, salary and bonuses also come into play. In all actuality, (and many of us have experienced this) lack of flexibility can cause you to hate your job, and your life. There seems to be quite a lot of chatter about the worker shortage lately. How would that be affected if there were more positions available for mothers and fathers who want to keep a school schedule, students who need to be able to work between classes and from home occasionally, and people who simply like to keep busy doing a variety of different things? There are an incredible amount of talented people who simply don’t fit into “the schedule.” With a small business, the freedom exists to create whatever kind of schedule works for both you and your employee. Does he need to take time during the summer to take camping trips with his sons? Does she need every other Friday afternoon off to take her daughter to the orthodontist? Or maybe your employee simply needs the flexibility to compete assignments between classes or on the weekends. The beauty of entrepreneurship is that you don’t have to lose talented people over scheduling issues: it simply takes a little collaboration.
The last job I had was incredibly, outrageously inflexible. There were certain needs that I had, and as much as my supervising manager (said she) wanted to work with me, the company would not allow her to. Although there were aspects of the job I enjoyed, and I was content sticking with it for awhile, I had to quit. I simply couldn’t fit my life into the job. I thought I should be the other way around. Guy Kawasaki had an interview with Penelope Trunk who says that it’s not all about just “working hard.” Putting in the most hours doesn’t always mean that you’re the best employee. What are you producing? What are you innovating? What are you contributing? And how much life can you enjoy while you’re getting it done?
About the Author
Erin Swigart is an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University, one semester remaining before she graduates with a degree in Philosophy. She currently works with Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter, collaborating on their upcoming book Bootstrap Business. For more <a href="http://blog.bootstrapbusiness.org/where-my-loyalties-lie-09-05-2007.html">information read</a>
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