Generalism

I have two friends, Jim and Bob. Both great guys, intelligent, funny, of moderate height, build and shoe size. Jim and Bob grew up together, went to University together, and got great jobs together, dealing with money and marketing each in their turn, both in the same company.

Bob progressed upwards in his marketing role, making good gains and enjoying life both inside and outside work. The work, the mix of activities and people all gave him the buzz he hoped they would, and he continued to do well.

On the next floor up, Jim, no less bright, no less capable, was starting to struggle. The profession was right, he enjoyed the work, but just didn’t feel he was going anywhere. He should by now have had at least some positive feedback, maybe even a pay increase, perhaps a promotion like his friend Bob, but they just weren’t coming. In fact, he wasn’t sure his boss was even taking any notice of his work unless bored.

After a few years things slowed down at the company until, amid rife speculation and recruitment freezes, the company closed down, forcing people onto other roads towards different destinations.

Jim and Bob ended up in different companies, though still lunched when they could. But after a year or two it was clear things had changed. Both friends were as capable and focused as they ever were, but now Jim had appeared to shrug off his struggles and was starting to do well. So well in fact, that, much to his own surprise, he was being given more money, more opportunities, his boss was coaching him, introducing him to the executives in the firm, and even appeared to be readying him for his own position. Two companies and two great managers later and Jim was rapidly approaching the top of his game, ready to set out on his own, even to confidently run his own company. Opportunities really did abound.

Bob on the other hand was beginning to question if marketing really was his thing after all. What had started out as a real rush had now fallen flat. So flat that it seemed that he could do no right for either of the two companies that he’d been in since his heyday. Jim’s meteoric rise to financial stardom didn’t help, and only served to fill his own spare time wondering where things had gone so wrong. No matter how much he enjoyed the work, no matter how hard he worked and how much he thought he’d achieved, he couldn’t help but feel he was falling backwards and fast.

We went for a drink the three of us, not long back. Jim, abuzz with the joys of life, didn’t take long to down his first pint, and was onto his second even before a rather more forlorn Bob was halfway down his opener. As the conversation turned towards work, as it invariably does, the full picture was laid out on the beer-stained table. Jim’s endless soul-searching, evaporating as quickly as his successes took hold, Bob’s rise and subsequent fall from grace, both feeling like paper boats tossed around by the whims of an unforgiving tide. But as we talked, one thing became very clear.

What had transpired over the years, both good and bad, was only partially attributable to my friends at large. After all, they were both great at what they did and had more potential in their little fingers than I’d ever seen in the full length mirror. It wasn’t their careers either; both could not have fitted their shoes better. No, following a couple of pints and enough heart-pouring to match, the successes and failures of both appeared to come down to one thing and one thing only: their bosses.

After the first company disappeared, Jim became connected with people that simply lifted him up; it was inspirational, but ostensibly inevitable considering such philanthropic confidants. Bob, who had begun his career in full flight had in contrast gotten caught up with people forever holding the next revenue-reducing rung just out of reach. His positions were seeing him languishing in the shadows regardless of aptitude or worth.

By the by.

In hindsight, I wish I’d had this article by the infamous Seth Godin handy, but maybe I’ll take it next time the three of us bump glasses. Who would have thought that during the interview process it could be as important to interview your prospective boss as it was for him to interview you.