WORK
ETHIC
WORK
ETHIC
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR - ASSIGNMENT # 2
by Kent Edward Baxter 20 January 2000
I have performed important tasks with, or have tried to with the best of my
ability, the work ethic of 'business before pleasure.' It hasn't been easy at
times, due to conflicts and opinions of colleagues of my beliefs and actions,
however I truly have no choice but to conform to a work ethic if I wish to be
successful.
My work ethic arose from several elements, which may be directly or
indirectly connected. Both of my grandfathers worked long and hard to make ends
meet, and could never have dreamed of the luxuries that many are so fortunate to
have today. Secondly, in the months before I entered secondary school, my marks
went into a free-fall at one point due to over-socializing and relaxation
stemming from the arrogance of youth and overconfidence. My parents' message was
to 'shape up or ship out.' I did not wish to let them down and was determined to
fight the good fight in order to say afloat. The results paid off - I was able
to win three achievement awards, two of them in subjects that gave me distress
earlier.
Conforming to a determined work ethic is desirable, however, some
sacrifices are required. It can be frustrating, not being able to be with friends
or engaging in other activities, yet one really has no option but to do their
work to the best of their ability. One may become frustrated and demoralized
when all their sacrifices have been for naught, such as struggling with an
assignment, only to find out that an important element has been done
incorrectly, or that your acquaintances have the impression that you have little
or no time to be with them and have therefore deemed you redundant.
A pleasure-seeking person who have priorities other than learning or
working may find an easy way out of doing 'hard' work, such as calling friends
for answers, or looking in the back of a book, yet it becomes apparent that this
would not pay off in the end, since these are usually the people who blank out
on the final examination due to a lack of effort. You can't always be right, but
you can be honest. The best thing for a person to do is to try again should
failure arise, yet one thing is certain - failure should not be an option. With
this in mind, I am determined not to make the same mistakes that others have
made in 'getting work out of the way'.
There are clearly no easy solutions in performing tasks according to a
work ethic, since people differ and so may the ethic. People who are confused or
indifferent as to executing a work ethic should keep one thing in mind: never
lose sight of the bottom line.