The Three Signs of a Miserable Job

Leslie continued. “Managers need to understand that the people whose lives they impact are their employees. And if they don't know who those people are, and what their lives are all about, how can they possibly do that?”

“The second cause of misery at work is irrelevance, the feeling that what you do has no impact on the lives of others.”

“The first part of my theory I'm feeling pretty good about. Basically, a job is bound to be miserable if it doesn't involve measurement.”

Leslie frowned. “Where'd you get that one?”

“Well, my grandfather taught it to me when I was a kid, and I've used it in every management job I've had.”

Leslie had a mouthful of ice cream, but she motioned for her husband to continue. So Brian did. “He used to say that if you couldn't measure what you were doing, then you'd lose interest in it. And I think he was right.”

Leslie swallowed and asked her first question. “I don't get the connection?”

“Well, if a person has no way of knowing if they're doing a good job, even if they're doing something they love, they get frustrated. Imagine playing a football game and not knowing the score. Or being a broker and not knowing if the price went up or down after you bought a stock.”