During the past year a great deal has been written and said about companies that foster a “Hunger Games”-type work ethic where employees who put in the most time, exert Herculean effort and make the biggest contributions rise within the organization. Those who don’t are sometimes shunned and eventually get their walking papers.
Particularly in the case of startups and businesses targeting off-the-charts growth, the harsh reality is they have limited amounts of time and/or money and other resources. Generally, a launch-and-leap-frog expansion strategy becomes a race with competition from mind to market.
A sprint, that is
People who choose to toil in this environment — both employees and owners — must realize from the get-go that it’s much more a sprint than a marathon. To accomplish mega-goals typically takes an inordinate amount of effort; and the clock seemingly has no hands with respect to the amount of time needed for the job. Frequently, survival and success are measured by the amount of one’s craftiness and endurance.
Should a company be chastised for requiring its employees to make sacrifices that, periodically, deprive them of family and leisure time and even more? There are always pluses and minuses. The best way for those considering trying to make their mark in a less-than-serene atmosphere is to put all of the cards on the table and determine if the pursuit of fame and fortune outweighs the negatives. From an employer’s standpoint, as long as the requirements and expectations are fully disclosed to all involved, and provided they’re ethical, then there should be no surprises.
In a no-holds-barred structure it is not uncommon for the weak to fall by the wayside, as there is little time and resources to coddle them. It is not that the company trying to forge new ground is heartless or mean-spirted. It is more a case of all or nothing to reach the desired objectives before the clock strikes midnight and the entity turns into that proverbial pumpkin.
Reality is it’s difficult, if not almost impossible, to have it both ways — meteoric growth and revolutionary, disruptive breakthroughs in a traditional, Monday through Friday, 9-to-5 workweek.
Sacrifices to be made
Those who choose the fast track, the all or nothing opportunity, could be very richly rewarded, albeit possibly giving up much in their personal lives. For others who want to coach Little League a couple nights a week and be home at 5 o’clock every evening, more power to them. They should work for a stable, more predictable organization where they will be appreciated, but likely forgo dramatic economic gains and the gratification of going places where others have never gone before.
Survival of the fittest has been around since the beginning of time, but anyone who has played in the startup/hypergrowth arena knows that over a sustained period burnout is almost inevitable. Timing is everything and knowing when to go is key.
There is nothing better than the free enterprise system and the word “free” in this handle says it all. Everyone gets a choice.
Michael Feuer co-founded OfficeMax in 1988, with $20,000. During a 16-year span as CEO, he grew the company to 1,000 stores worldwide with sales of $5 billion.
