A Pat, A Cake

I manage to catch up with Tara last week after not seeing her for a while. She was griping about the hours put into her job when others shirked their responsibilities, how her work goes unnoticed and that on one occasion when someone bought them cake, it was given to someone else instead. A few days later, Sim called to catch up over coffee and as we got to talking, the conversation seemed to take on the same theme. How unappreciative the bosses are... favouritism amongst colleagues... etc etc.

There have been numerous times when i know the management had to make difficult decisions yet the staff failed to see the reason of it. Instead of looking at how things can be improved, situations were treated with disgruntled murmurings. It made me wonder then, are these 'real issues' or merely a perception of things? Are we expecting pats on the back and rewards for everything we do? Perhaps the question should also be "Have we really done that well to deserve so?".

This is an excerpt from the movie The Devil Wears Prada which made me ponder:

Andy: No, I don't want to quit. That's not fair. But, I, you know, I'm just saying that I would just like a little credit... for the fact that I'm killing myself trying.

Nigel: Andy, be serious. You are not trying. You are whining. What is it that you want me to say to you, huh? Do you want me to say, "Poor you. Miranda's picking on you. Poor you. Poor Andy"? Hmm? Wake up, six. She's just doing her job. Don't you know that you are working at the place that published some of the greatest artists of the century? Halston, Lagerfeld, de la Renta. And what they did, what they created was greater than art because you live your life in it. Well, not you, obviously, but some people. You think this is just a magazine, hmm? This is not just a magazine. This is a shining beacon of hope for... oh, I don't know... let's say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class and reading Runway under the covers at night with a flashlight. You have no idea how many legends have walked these halls. And what's worse, you don't care. Because this place, where so many people would die to work you only deign to work. And you want to know why she doesn't kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star on your homework at the end of the day. Wake up, sweetheart.

SIGH!!