esrosedotblog

When I developed and taught personal influence skills, I consciously did not delve into issues of "corporate climate".

The term refers to the simple matter of how it "feels" to work in a particular environment.

My story was that you can improve the "climate" in widening circles by starting with yourself. Deal more positively and effectively with people and they will do the same for you. Voila! Improved climate. Start small.

Most companies try to start big.

I watched this phenomenon over and over. Some consultants made a lot of money trying to work this mine. Little gold came out. A lot of coal and hurt bodies maybe.

Now switch to another role I have with two big companies which are often discussed as either terrible or great places to work.

Amazing week in Tech

It is revealed that the work climate at Amazon and Apple sucks.

Or blows, if you prefer.

I cannot say whether either of these were clients, confidential still, but I can say that I am an avid buyer on Amazon (everything, but food) and a loyal user of Apple. The iMac, the iPad. iMe.

I can report that both of these companies deliver a superb product and service. Apple has gotten a bit shabby in recent years but still, at heart, especially with the stores and store service available, is on the mend.

I am not surprised that it "hurts" to work for these companies. But that is a corporate and individual decision. The old adage of getting out of a hot kitchen if you are too hot.

I did work for years with the world's most prestigious consultant firm. Training every middle level consultant in the art and science of influence.

There, too, the climate was grueling. 70 hour weeks. Mostly on the road. But the pay was great and the ladder swift. A very hard climate of survival of the fittest. The test being the actual field of work. Make it or break it. Yourself.

Look, we don't worry about first class athletes going the limit for themselves. Why young business people. It is not as though there is a scarcity of jobs. If this one is too much for you then fall back to the next level. If you want, join up in a highly protected bureaucracy. Learn to live with boredom which is as stressful, in the end, doing nothing, eating one's heart out.